• Loading stock data...
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now
exclusive
Tuned In

4 Big NBA Player Podcasts Are On the Move to Blue Wire

Dwight Howard, D’Angelo Russell, Penny Hardaway, and Victor Oladipo are all migrating their independent podcasts to Blue Wire’s platform.

Apr 10, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Dwight Howard, D’Angelo Russell, Penny Hardaway, and Victor Oladipo are all bringing their podcasts to Blue Wire, the platform’s founder and CEO Kevin Jones confirmed to Front Office Sports. The podcasts were all previously independent. 

Over the past several years, current and former player podcasts have become a cottage industry in the sports media space, and nowhere is this more pronounced than with basketball. FOS asked Howard, who was inducted into the Magic’s Hall of Fame earlier this week, how he thinks he cuts through the clutter.

“Well, we’re not trying to compete against nobody but ourselves,” Howard said. “I think the best version of ourselves every day, the most authentic version that we give to the fans and the world will bring enough energy and bring enough force that people will really love watching our podcast. … We talk about things outside of basketball, things that are different from sports. And that’s why it is called Above the Rim.”

Howard’s dream podcast guest? President Donald Trump.

“I just like to have conversations with people just to see where their spirit and their energy lies,” Howard said. “And a lot of times, when we see people online, we see people in the media or the face that they put on when they’re on TV or whatever, maybe [it’s] a little bit different than how they carry themselves and how they move when they’re not on camera and stuff like that.”

Howard said he’d want to discuss Trump’s upbringing and the difficulty of the job. “I don’t think people understand it, the tough assignment of being a president, but also trying to carry your own morals. … I’m [not] taking up for any president or anything like that in history but I’m just of the understanding that it is a very hard job—it’s like being a king in your own land and you have so many people that you have to try to take care of, and a lot of times your feelings and emotions have to be out of decisions and stuff like that,” he said.

Howard also said the top basketball player he’d like to host is Victor Wembanyama.

The Blue Wire podcast network has more than 200 shows, including ones hosted by Cam Newton, Amon-Ra St. Brown, J.R. Smith, and pro wrestling interviewer Chris Van Vliet. Collectively, the network reached more than 177 million downloads last year.

With Howard’s Above the Rim, Russell’s Backyard (cohosted by Logan Linkmeyer), Hardaway’s Two Cents, and Oladipo’s Inner Court podcasts, Blue Wire is adding a collective 445,000 YouTube subscribers and 9.2 million Instagram followers of the athletes.  

Blue Wire negotiated with Russell’s agency, CAA Basketball, for the podcast, which is sponsored by PrizePicks and Ro. “I’m excited to announce my partnership with Blue Wire, a top-tier podcast media company led by Kevin and his incredible team. Together, we’re building something special, and I can’t wait to share what’s coming next,” Russell said in a statement.

“Our Blue Wire team continues to forge strong business relationships with premier athlete and influencer talent in the sports space. We’re eager to help grow the budding media empires of D’Angelo, Dwight, Penny, and Victor,” Jones said.  

Highly successful NBA podcasts that could be called empires have included All the Smoke from Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes (they interviewed then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris in September) and JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three, which he left to become coach of the Lakers.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NCAA Denies Colorado-Syracuse Spring Football Game

The schools hoped for permission to organize a formal scrimmage.
Matt Weiss

Everything You Need to Know About the Michigan Hacking Scandal

Matt Weiss is accused of hacking athletes’ accounts to access intimate photos.
Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers Says She Will Enter 2025 WNBA Draft

The move shoots down some rumors while inviting others.

Featured Today

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Chris Youngblood (8) and the Alabama Crimson Tide bench celebrate during the second half against the Brigham Young Cougars during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.

How Alabama Became College Basketball’s Newest Juggernaut

The Crimson Tide have found success rivaling their historic football program.
Kendall Coyne Schofield
March 25, 2025

Kendall Coyne Schofield Wants More for the Next Wave of Mom-Athletes

The Walter Cup–winning Frost captain says small changes mean “everything.”
Dec 21, 2024; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks to pass the ball against USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) in the first half at XL Center.
March 23, 2025

‘More Value to Be Had’: Were Women’s March Madness Media Rights Undersold?

Could the NCAA have gotten millions more in its latest TV deal?
Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Creighton Bluejays forward Jasen Green (0) dunks the ball during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena
March 22, 2025

Basketball-Only Schools Could See Power Surge After House Settlement Approval 

Football teams might monopolize the revenue-sharing dollars at power conference schools.
exclusive

NFL Network’s Peter Schrager in Serious Talks With ESPN

Schrager is a co-host of Good Morning Football and Fox NFL contributor.
Mar 31, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Brahmas quarterback Chase Garbers (14) scores a touchdown between DC Defenders linebacker Anthony Hines III (57), defensive end Trent Harris (33), and cornerback Michael Joseph (15) in the second half at The Alamodome.
exclusive
March 27, 2025

What Fox, ESPN Will Do If UFL Players Go on Strike

Health insurance is a major sticking point among UFL players.
opinion
March 27, 2025

ESPN Has a Lot to Lose in LeBron–Stephen A. Smith War of..

Smith and James have blasted each other on ESPN platforms this week.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
March 26, 2025

ESPN Shutting LA SportsCenter Production, 35 Jobs Affected

The employees will have the option of moving to Bristol, CT.
March 26, 2025

LeBron James Slams Stephen A. Smith Over Bronny Comments

James slammed Smith while appearing on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show.”
exclusive
March 25, 2025

Netflix Passes on NFL Draft Rights As Fox, Streamers Battle

ESPN and NFL Network currently hold rights to broadcast the draft.
Jun 29, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Payton Talbott (left) is interviewed by Joe Rogan during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena.
March 24, 2025

Why Joe Rogan Won’t Travel to Canada for Massive UFC 315 Event

Rogan has said Justin Trudeau’s government veered into “tyranny.”