Just how big was the Luka Dončić/Anthony Davis trade news, which ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed to the world at 12:12 a.m. ET Sunday morning?
Even Charania was gobsmacked.
“I was probably just as floored as all the audience was and everyone around the league was when I got wind of it about five minutes before I hit send,” the Senior NBA Insider told Sports Illustrated regarding the Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Lakers’ surprise blockbuster swap of superstars.
The shock reverberated throughout ESPN, as SportsCenter, ESPN’s News Desk and ESPN Social jumped into action quickly and showcased their incomparable ability to quickly turn around engaging, timely coverage across platforms, from the studio to all relevant social media outlets and, of course, on ESPN.com (and the ESPN App).
SPORTSCENTER’S RAPID PIVOT
At SportsCenter, the midnight team wasted no time adjusting the show.
“We saw the tweet in the control room, and the reaction was immediate shock,” said Coordinating Producer Tom DeCorte, who quickly confirmed the news with Charania before securing First Take’s Stephen A. Smith for instant analysis.
Producer Rob Galm and his team met the moment in a big way, forgoing commercial breaks for a full 30 minutes.
“Our show completely changed on the fly,” said Galm. “The support and team effort were apparent with the many voices in my headset who were offering to help and letting me know what elements were available as we pieced a new show together in real-time.”
On-air, SportsCenter anchors Shae Cornette and Phil Murphy steered the coverage, seamlessly balancing breaking news, live reactions, and analysis as the show evolved in real-time.
The 1 a.m. edition, led by Jon Lavoie, Jesus Rodriguez, and Evan Anderholm, pivoted and crafted an entirely new rundown within minutes of the announcement.
The team simultaneously built highlight packages of the players involved and tracked reaction from around the sports world, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
Anchors Kevin Connors and Amina Smith kept the coverage fluid, delivering live reports, introducing key reactions, and guiding conversations with Charania, commentator Kendrick Perkins, Senior NBA Writer Brian Windhorst, and NBA reporter Dave McMenamin.
ESPN EDITORIAL & NEWS DESK’S CRITICAL ROLE
ESPN’s News Desk, led by David Walker, played a vital role in verifying the trade and fueling coverage. Reporters McMenamin, Windhorst and Tim MacMahon worked swiftly, producing follow-up stories that drove engagement. The first breaking news article alone amassed more than eight million pageviews, helping to form the foundation for SportsCenter’s coverage and social media content.
ESPN SOCIAL’S HIGH-SPEED & IMPACTFUL EXECUTION
With the unfathomable news spreading, ESPN Social launched an all-out blitz across platforms. In the first two hours afterward, the team pushed out 116 posts, generating 360M+ impressions across all its platforms.
“I was genuinely shocked when the news broke,” said Social Designer Grant Goldberg. “My first move was to assist Michelle Kim in designing creative assets.”
“I didn’t believe it at first,” said Moh Kloub, Social Media Manager. “But once we confirmed, we got to work. We prioritized speed and accuracy – first a jersey swap [see below], then dual-lineup graphics, followed by potential starting lineups and much more.”
With the trade deadline approaching Thursday, there had already been extensive preparation. But how could anyone anticipate what some are calling the biggest trade in sports history?
“During NBA trade deadline week, you expect the unexpected,” said Senior Social Media Manager Bamidele Idowu. “Our team thrives in these moments, reacting quickly while ensuring accuracy. Collaboration with the News Desk was crucial in confirming details and rolling out accurate graphics.”
It was a true team effort across our news platforms when this news broke, and we continued coverage on ESPN.com, SportsCenter, Get Up, First Take, our other outlets. They all worked together like the professionals that they are and that served sports fans in the strongest way possible.
– EVP, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, David Roberts
THE NEXT 48 HOURS: A UNIFIED EFFORT
The momentum of ESPN’s coverage didn’t stop in the immediate hours after the news broke—it continued with the Sunday SC:AM teams, coordinating producers David Rose and Rob Guijarro, picking up the baton and helping to drive conversation into Sunday.
Along with Get Up and First Take, the sports conversation continued for the next 48 hours. ESPN’s flagship shows and digital platforms remained locked in, delivering analysis and fresh angles on the trade from every possible vantage point.
“As soon as I saw the news Sunday, I knew we were going wall-to-wall, this is the biggest trade I can think of in years. I personally reached out to [TNT “Inside The NBA” commentator] Charles [Barkley] and [Pardon The Interruption commentator] Michael [Wilbon] to ask if they would join the show, which put the morning over the top,” said Get Up host Mike Greenberg. “The chorus of voices never stopped for two solid hours; it was one of the more thrilling shows we’ve done in a while.”
David Roberts, Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, credited the teamwork that kept coverage at the highest level across ESPN platforms.
“It was a true team effort across our news platforms when this news broke, and we continued coverage on ESPN.com, SportsCenter, Get Up, First Take our other outlets. They all worked together like the professionals that they are and that served sports fans in the strongest way possible. I was very proud to see it all unfolding,” said Roberts.
A MASTERCLASS IN REAL-TIME COVERAGE
Ultimately, ESPN’s synchronized, cross-platform, cross-company effort turned a stunning trade into a must-watch, must-follow story. From SportsCenter’s seamless transition into breaking news mode to ESPN Social’s high-speed creative executions to the News Desk vetting and driving content, there was a familiar “all hands on deck” approach to the continuing coverage, which spilled over into Monday, Tuesday and beyond.
“When it came down to it, it didn’t matter what your role or title was,” said Anderholm. “It was just about everyone asking, ‘What can I do to help put the best product on air?'”
Sports Business Journal: Inside ESPN’s Pivot On Luka-AD Trade
This Saturday, the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton will visit the Los Angeles Lakers and newly-acquired star Luka Dončić in his expected Lakers debut at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+ and Disney+ Presented by State Farm. For more details, visit ESPN Press Room.
David Roberts inline photo (Allen Kee/ESPN Images)
