Kenny Smith, former NBA star and current TNT Sports analyst, will be the host of Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward for Season 3, which premieres Saturday, October 5 in NBC’s “The More You Know” educational/informational (E/I) programming block. Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG) produces the 30-minute show with Herschend Entertainment Studios.
Smith succeeds Craig Robinson as host. He is a panelist on TNT Sports’ popular studio show Inside the NBA as well as an analyst for TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ combined coverage of the NCAA men’s March Madness Division I men’s basketball championship. Smith won NBA titles with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, and played 10 seasons for the Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks.
“Kenny and the Harlem Globetrotters are an epic matchup of two iconic basketball brands that will resonate with viewers and attract a new generation of fans,” said Bryan Curb, HMPG executive VP and general manager, education/information.
Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward highlights people and organizations doing good for education, health and wellness, and community empowerment.
“The Harlem Globetrotters have been a part of my lifelong basketball journey,” Smith said. “At 11 years old, I won the Globetrotters shooting competition at halftime of the Knicks game. Twenty years later, I participated as the GM for the Washington Generals. Shortly after retirement, I hosted Globetrotters tryouts in Houston for the team. Now I have the pleasure of narrating this compelling and dynamic series. The Globetrotters remind us that basketball is more than just a game; it’s about bringing people together and having fun.”
“The Harlem Globetrotters, HMPG, NBC, and now Kenny Smith make for a powerful starting lineup. It’s one that we think will resonate with fans, our partners and the larger sports community,” Keith Dawkins, president of Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios, said.
