Saturday, June 6, 2026

NBA Analyst Jalen Rose Among ESPN Layoffs

  • Rose, a former NBA player for 13 seasons, joined ESPN in 2007.
  • He’s been an analyst for ESPN shows “NBA Countdown,” “Get Up,” and co-hosted “Jalen & Jacoby.”
Rose, a former NBA player for 13 seasons, joined ESPN in 2007.
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Rose has been let go by ESPN, ending his 16-year run at the company since 2007.

Rose, an NBA player from 1994 to 2006, has been a studio host for “NBA Countdown,” the pregame show that aired before game telecasts on ESPN and ABC. He also co-hosted the Jalen & Jacoby talk show that ran from 2011 until November 2022, following David Jacoby’s departure from ESPN.

Other ESPN shows to feature Rose included “Get Up” and “SportsCenter,” as well as ESPN Radio programming. He played 13 seasons in the NBA for six teams— the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, and Phoenix Suns. 

Before the NBA, Rose played collegiately for the University of Michigan’s iconic “Fab Five” basketball team, which was the focus of ESPN’s documentary “The Fab Five” in 2011.

Recently for ESPN, Rose delivered passionate on-air comments about his past struggles and advice to Ja Morant following the suspended NBA star’s first gun-flashing video incident. Rose then hosted a 20-minute sit-down interview with Morant. 

“I am Ja Morant. You guys have had the chance to see me grow up from public consumption since 1991,” Rose said on ESPN in March. “I’ve been involved with drug raids, I’ve survived assassination attempts. I’ve been that undisciplined young person that was trying to figure out how to be famous, how to be successful, and how to change the dynamics of my family.”

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.

NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Is Highest Since 2019

Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs is Friday.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson (left) and Tim Legler (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.

ESPN’s Tim Legler: ‘I Don’t Think About Coaching Anymore’

Legler is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN Braces for More Layoffs

The cuts are expected to affect both talents and non-camera-facing employees.
exclusive

ESPN Evaluating AI Promos After Tony Parker Backlash

The network says it used AI for portraits of Parker and others.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

Stanley Cup Final Viewership for Game 1 Nearly Doubles on ABC

The Vegas win was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019.
June 3, 2026

Spurs-Thunder Outdraws Last Year’s NBA Finals 

The 2025 NBA Finals drew 10.27 million viewers.
June 4, 2026

Duke-Michigan Hoops Moving to MLB Ballpark to Skirt Rights Issue

The crux of the move is due to media-rights complications.
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
June 2, 2026

NHL Set to Enter Rights Talks With ESPN, TNT As Ratings Climb

The league’s recent run of heady viewership gives it greater bargaining power.
June 2, 2026

Knicks Keep Mitchell Robinson Away From Media Amid Mystery Injury

Robinson is the longest-tenured Knick. 
June 2, 2026

CFP Tweaks Schedule to Avoid More Head-to-Head NFL Clashes

The CFP is taking new measures to avoid competition with the NFL.
Jason McIntyre
June 2, 2026

How FS1’s Jason McIntyre Became a Liga MX Minority Owner

“Half the battle in work and in life is justifying your existence.”