At a Glance
- Snoop Dogg made his NBA analyst debut for the Warriors-Clippers game on Peacock
- The rapper studied Chick Hearn and prepared in coaches meetings with Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue
- He called Draymond Green’s shot selection and coined on-air phrases like “Stephisticated”
- Why it matters: His crossover from music to sports commentary aims to attract new viewers to NBA broadcasts
Snoop Dogg arrived at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome hours before tipoff, pacing the corridors in a gray suit, black turtleneck, diamond-encrusted Peacock pendant and purple Chuck Taylors with gold laces. The outfit nodded to his lifelong Lakers loyalty while signaling a new role: NBA analyst for Peacock’s second-half broadcast of the Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers.
From Olympic Star to Courtside Analyst
The performance followed a breakout 2024 Paris Olympics turn that won global audiences. Since then he has stayed visible on NBC’s “The Voice,” Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL show and Sunday’s Golden Globes, where Amy Poehler and Stephen Graham praised his presence. NBCUniversal keeps widening his portfolio; next month he heads to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as correspondent and honorary Team USA coach.
Inside the Production Prep
Hours before the Jan. 5 opening tip, Snoop sat in production meetings and coaches’ sessions with Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue. He lingered near the Warriors locker room, dancing as his own tracks played inside, then interviewed Stephen Curry pre-game.
Curry recalled the moment. “He caught me off guard at the beginning because he gave me three really straightforward basketball questions. Then I heard he got to it on the broadcast. … He was a great addition.”
What the Booth Saw
Reggie Miller, 18-year NBA veteran, watched Snoop quiz coaches during the prep. “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.”
Play-by-play voice Terry Gannon agreed. “It’s not like he’s just showing up and saying ‘I’m here.’ He put in the work and effort. The broadcast was seamless because of that.”
On-Air Highlights
Once the red tally light glowed, Snoop blended hoops IQ with rap flair:
- Called out Draymond Green for taking-and missing-too many threes while praising his point-forward skills
- Noted Curry playing through a third-quarter ankle tweak
- Described on-court chemistry as “cookies and cream like they about to open up a cookie shop”
- Dubbed Curry “Stephisticated” and tagged a scoring burst with “two-piece chicken nuggets”
- When Steve Kerr was ejected for arguing a goaltending call, Snoop shouted “Inglewood” as the crowd roared inside the Inglewood arena
A Bridge to New Viewers
Snoop said he models his style after late Lakers legend Chick Hearn but speaks from outside traditional broadcast lineage. “I represent the average Joe, despite being me being a well-known celebrity. 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.”
He views the analyst chair as entertainment. “This is a part of entertainment, being able to pull people into things they may or may not be interested in. I would love to do more of this.”
Up Next
Snoop wants more NBA games on his calendar. During All-Star week he will co-host an event with Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, then head to Italy for the Winter Games.
He frames the evolution simply: “When you master who you are, you understand that you’re not one dimensional. You evolve.”
Key Takeaways
- Snoop’s NBA debut followed months of live-TV reps at the Olympics, NFL Christmas broadcast and the Arizona Bowl
- His prep included real questions in coaches meetings, not celebrity cameo behavior
- On-air slang and basketball critiques showed a mix of fan passion and studied insight
- NBCUniversal plans to keep expanding his presence across sports properties
