At a Glance
- Snoop Dogg called the second half of Warriors-Clippers for Peacock on Jan. 5
- He arrived hours early, sat in coaches’ meetings, and interviewed Stephen Curry pre-game
- Reggie Miller and Terry Gannon praised his prep and on-air questions
- Why it matters: The rapper’s crossover could draw younger fans to NBA broadcasts
Snoop Dogg strolled into Inglewood’s Intuit Dome wearing a gray suit, black turtleneck, diamond Peacock pendant, and purple Chuck Taylors with gold laces-Lakers colors peeking out long before tip-off. He wasn’t there to perform. He was there to work as an NBA analyst alongside Reggie Miller and Terry Gannon for Peacock’s Jan. 5 Golden State at L.A. Clippers telecast.
Daniel J. Whitman followed the rapper through production meetings, green-room rehearsals, and a pre-game locker-room interview with Stephen Curry. Snoop insisted the gig wasn’t a celebrity cameo.
“I don’t believe NBC would have gave me this opportunity if they thought I was coming in there playing games,” he said. “It’s not so much about me. It’s so much about what the game is needing right now.”
Behind-the-scenes prep
Hours before fans arrived, Snoop sat in on strategy sessions with Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. He danced outside Golden State’s locker room as his own tracks blasted inside, then asked Curry pointed basketball questions under the tunnel.
“He caught me off guard at the beginning because he gave me three really straightforward basketball questions,” Curry said. “Then I heard he got to it on the broadcast. … He was a great addition.”
Miller, an 18-year NBA veteran, said Snoop peppered the coaches with informed questions instead of sitting back.
“He’s authentic,” Miller said. “Questions that he asked in the coaches meetings, stepping up and asking informed questions of Steve Kerr and Ty Lue. He could have just sat back and listened. No, he’s getting his hands dirty.”
Gannon said the rapper’s homework made the telecast “seamless.”
On-air style
Once the second-half whistle blew, Snoop’s commentary blended hoops knowledge with street vernacular. He roasted Draymond Green for missed threes while praising his point-forward vision, dubbed Curry “Stephisticated,” and labeled on-court chemistry “cookies and cream like they about to open up a cookie shop.”
When Kerr was ejected for arguing a goaltending call, Snoop barked “Inglewood” as the crowd roared inside the arena that sits in that city.
“I represent the average Joe, despite me being a well-known celebrity,” Snoop said. “The NBA has moved forward to where it deserves to have people like me who understands the game, know the game and can speak to the game and also bring new viewers.”
Expanding NBC presence
The Jan. 5 game marked another step in Snoop’s deepening relationship with NBCUniversal. After winning over audiences at the Paris Olympics, he performed on Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL telecast, went viral catching a kickoff at the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, and presented at the Golden Globes.
Next up: NBC’s coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, where he’ll serve as correspondent and honorary Team USA coach.
Curry, who first saw Snoop interact with Olympians in Paris, said the rapper “can find his way anywhere in any environment.”
Future ambitions
Snoop said he studied late Lakers announcer Chick Hearn and wants more NBA games on his calendar. He’ll host an event with Kawhi Leonard during All-Star week and views sports broadcasting as entertainment evolution.
“When you master who you are, you understand that you’re not one dimensional,” he said. “You evolve.”
Key takeaways
- Snoop’s early arrival and study habits impressed veterans Miller and Gannon
- Players welcomed his mix of basketball IQ and pop-culture reach
- NBC plans to keep deploying him across sports properties, including the Winter Olympics
