Tim Legler is finally having the most fun he\u2019s ever had at ESPN.<\/p>\n
And it only took a couple of decades.<\/p>\n
After years of being one of ESPN\u2019s most respected studio analysts, Tim Legler quietly renegotiated his contract last year<\/a> to get the one thing he wanted most. He wanted to do more games. The last time Legler had anything close to a regular game analyst role was back when he teamed with the late John Saunders and Greg Anthony on Sunday nights. They called a full season together \u2014 15, maybe 16 games \u2014 before ESPN moved him back to the studio.<\/p>\n Since then, it\u2019s mostly been sporadic appearances: a game here, a radio call there, but nothing consistent.<\/p>\n That changed this past season. When his deal was up, Legler had one specific ask.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen my contract was up and I was re-doing my deal with them and getting a new deal,\u201d Legler told host Brandon Contes on the Awful Announcing Podcast<\/a>. \u201cAnd a conversation came up, like, what do I want to do? I said that I\u2019d love to be a full-time game analyst and just be on the regular rotation. And I absolutely loved it. It was probably the most fun year I\u2019ve had at ESPN of all the years was probably this year, because I love the adrenaline and the live-action, in the moment, teaching it allows you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n That word \u2014 teaching \u2014 comes up often with Legler. He doesn\u2019t see himself as a TV personality. He sees the game the way a coach would. And he\u2019s always believed the broadcast should reflect that.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m able to see ten players at the same time, so you can see things that are important, that might not catch the naked eye of a fan watching the game that I know matter,\u201d Legler explained.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m trying to find things that make the game more interesting to the average fan, and explain it to them in a way that\u2019s easy to digest without getting over the head with terminology, or overwhelming you with numbers,\u201d he continued. \u201cThere\u2019s a place for that, too. But, I think for me, it\u2019s really about making you understand why this just happened, or what is about to happen, or what should happen, and here\u2019s why. And finding something that hopefully maybe nobody else would. That\u2019s kind of my goal every time I do TV.\u201d<\/p>\n Legler isn\u2019t flashy. He\u2019s not going viral. But he\u2019s smart, clear, and highly respected<\/a>, both by fans and ESPN brass. According to The Athletic\u2019s Andrew Marchand<\/a>, several top decision-makers at the network are high on Legler, and he could be in the mix as a future NBA Finals analyst<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to see the appeal. While the debate shows still have their place \u2014 and Legler enjoys mixing it up when needed \u2014 he thrives when the lights are on and the game is live. He\u2019s not trying to dominate the moment. He\u2019s trying to explain it.<\/p>\n And at a time when ESPN\u2019s NBA coverage has faced increased scrutiny <\/a>and uncertainty<\/a>, that kind of steady, thoughtful presence<\/a> might be exactly what the network needs right now.<\/p>\n Subscribe to the show on\u00a0Apple Podcasts<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>, and wherever you get your podcasts. For more content, subscribe to AA\u2019s\u00a0YouTube page<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tim Legler is finally having the most fun he\u2019s ever had at ESPN. 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