Who is Next? Taylor Rooks!
The streaming giant has a verbal agreement with Taylor Rooks to be the lead host of its NBA pregame, halftime and postgame shows, sources briefed on discussions regarding the streamer’s hirings said. Rooks currently works on Amazon Prime’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage as a features reporter and has impressed Amazon executives with her work. She also made her debut as an NBA sideline reporter for TNT earlier this season.
Amazon will begin broadcasting the NBA next season as part of a new 11-year, nearly $20 billion deal for the NBA and WNBA. Amazon will broadcast 60 games per season as part of its contract, including an opening week doubleheader, according to a redacted contract unsealed in New York State Supreme Court previously reported on by The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. The company will have two distinct NBA windows. Amazon’s Thursday night broadcasts will start after the end of the NFL season while the company will air games on Friday all season long with a caveat that there could be weeks where the days change given other events. The games will be on Amazon’s base subscription tier.
The streamer will also air the entirety of the NBA Cup’s knockout stage, as well as the semifinals and final. The company will broadcast the Play-In Tournament and 14 to 26 games per season during the first two rounds of the playoffs, as well as three Eastern Conference finals and three Western Conference finals over the course of the 11-year contract. Amazon also has rights to a Black Friday game after it airs its NFL game in years it has one. That portfolio sets up a lot of on-air work for Rooks, who has interviewed dozens of NBA athletes over the years as part of her work for Bleacher Report.
As previously reported, Ian Eagle has an agreement in place to serve as the lead game-caller for Amazon. Sources briefed on Amazon’s intentions also noted that Kevin Harlan could be in play for another broadcasting spot. Longtime basketball writer Marc Stein reported that Basketball Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki is nearing a deal to join Amazon Prime Video’s coverage next season and launch his broadcasting career.
The girls that get it, get it. And Rooks? She got it immediately. Another Black girl who understands that pre-travel hair prep isn’t just a ritual; it’s an essential part of the journey. It was a simple but meaningful moment of connection that set the tone for our entire conversation.
The journey to this moment—a Zoom call before the third annual P&G Battle of the Paddles, where she’d be competing during Super Bowl week—is a testament to Rooks’ relentless ambition and unapologetic authenticity. Beyond her accolades, she’s also a fellow Black girl journalist who constantly and consistently has her hair laid to perfection.
Long before Taylor Rooks became the Emmy Award-nominated sports journalist known for her groundbreaking interviews, she was a kid growing up in a family of athletes, dreaming big and knowing exactly what she wanted. Her path through the world of sports media wasn’t linear, but it was filled with purpose and precision.
Her rise was a series of strategic moves, each interview further solidifying her reputation as someone who could draw out stories that others missed. At Bleacher Report, Rooks has evolved into more than just a reporter—she’s a storyteller who understands that behind every athlete lies a world of personal experiences that go far beyond their stats and records.
“I am incredibly competitive,” she tells me with a laugh. “I expect to win everything, even when I know I’m not even good at it.” This fierce competitive streak has shaped her entire career, pushing her to land interviews with some of the biggest names in sports. That same drive was evident during the P&G Battle of the Paddles, where she teamed up with Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins in the exclusive table tennis tournament.
Her approach to journalism isn’t about surface-level questions. It’s about forging genuine human connections. “When you’re interviewing someone and sitting down with them, especially for an hour like we do on my BR show, it’s really like a ping pong match,” she explains. “You’re giving and taking. You need a strong follow-up. You need to be fully present and listening.”
For Rooks, authenticity isn’t optional—it’s essential. She believes that to truly connect with someone, you have to be willing to share parts of yourself. She recalls a moment with Spencer Dinwiddie where she opened up about losing a grandparent, which allowed him to speak more deeply about his own loss. “That mutual vulnerability creates trust,” she says, “and that’s when the real stories come out.”
This kind of authenticity is revolutionary, especially for Black women in sports media. “It’s really important that you have Black people telling Black stories,” Rooks emphasizes. “Black women make sports better. We bring something unique and valuable to the space.” She’s part of a growing wave of journalists who are rewriting the narrative, creating spaces where athletes can be seen as fully human.
Looking ahead, Rooks is thinking beyond on-camera roles. “I want to do more producing,” she shares. “I’m interested in both scripted and unscripted work. I want to tell stories that don’t necessarily have me in front of the camera.” It’s clear that for Taylor Rooks, storytelling isn’t about the spotlight—it’s about amplifying voices and capturing moments that matter.
