TNT Lineup Features NBA Newcomers

TNT has paired new NBA commentator Doug Collins with play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan as a broadcast team.

TNT’s other newcomer, Steve Kerr, will join Marv Albert and Mike Fratello as Jeff Van Gundy’s replacement. Van Gundy left TNT to coach the Houston Rockets.

Meanwhile, ABC Sports executive producer Mike Pearl has met with Al Michaels to discuss the possibility of the “Monday Night Football” announcer also doing NBA games.

Indications are that if Michaels accepts the assignment he would not work all of ABC’s 18 regular-season basketball telecasts.

Another change at TNT involves John Thompson, the former Georgetown basketball coach. A game commentator last season, he will concentrate on bi-monthly personality profiles. He’ll work some games as a commentator with play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton when a third team is needed.

Last season, Thompson put together a Martin Luther King Day round-table discussion with Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and Wayne Embry and also did a Michael Jordan sit-down interview for a tribute that was shown during the NBA All-Star weekend.

TNT’s studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Magic Johnson remains intact.

-- Larry Stewart