ESPN is expected to face a free agent dilemma this summer not unlike the sports teams it covers on a daily basis.
Prominent ESPN NBA reporter Brian Windhorst is set to have his contract expire at season’s end, according to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy and Ryan Glasspiegel.
Windhorst has worked for ESPN since 2010, making the move when LeBron James announced his “Decision” to sign with the Miami Heat. The man known as “Windy” has covered James since the latter’s high school years at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. The two share the same hometown and went to the same high school.
After initially serving as ESPN’s expert on all things LeBron, Windhorst has evolved into one of the broadcasting giant’s preeminent NBA reporters. The 47-year-old is a fixture on ESPN shows such as “NBA Today” and “First Take.” He also has his own successful podcast called “The Hoop Collective” which he hosts alongside other top reporters.
Aside from Windhorst, rising ESPN star Malika Andrews is also reportedly up for a new contract. Andrews is the host of the aforementioned “NBA Today” program.
Barring a stunning turn of events, it’s hard to imagine the “Worldwide Leader” letting go of Windhorst or Andrews given how vital they both are to the company’s NBA coverage. But ESPN has shown in the recent past that it is unafraid of parting ways with some big-name reporters.
