Showtime Sports announced on Tuesday that Ariel Helwani will host a new show on the Showtime Basketball vertical. Dubbed, “The Ariel Helwani Basketball Show” will cover the NBA will start Friday, March 24 on all podcast platforms.
While at ESPN, Helwani served as sideline reporter for the network’s NBA coverage from 2018-2021. When Helwani left ESPN he started his own podcast bringing back The MMA Hour, opened a Substack and worked with BT Sport on long-form interviews. He now will have another job with his new show.
From Showtime press release:
Known today as the industry’s leading combat sports journalist and host of The MMA Hour, a program he founded in 2009, Helwani has won Journalist of the Year at the World MMA Awards every year since 2010. A passionate basketball fan, Helwani worked for ESPN from 2018-2021 where he contributed to the network’s live NBA game coverage as a sideline reporter. As he has done with award-winning success throughout his career, Helwani will continue showcasing his interviewing expertise, journalism integrity and fresh perspective as he returns to cover his first love of basketball.
“Words can’t express how excited I am to launch this show with SHOWTIME Sports,” Helwani said. “This is quite literally a dream come true for me. You see, my original plan, when I first attended Syracuse University back in 2001, was to be a basketball broadcaster – I have adored the game ever since I became a fan in the late 1980s. But when I realized every student had the same dream, I decided to focus my attention on the fight game. Over 20 years later, I’m thrilled to be realizing this goal and can’t wait to get started. And what a time to do so with the playoffs just around the corner.”
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