Hanging with Ahmad on Tuesday nights

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Nov 21, 2006 3:00 AM (4 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 3 of 8,855 articles

WASHINGTON - For over 30 years, Ahmad Rashad has been an Emmy Award-winning reporter and program host for NBC, ABC and now NBA-TV.


His show on NBA-TV — “Tuesdays with Ahmad” — is the network’s pregame show that airs just before the Tuesday Night Game of the Week.

It is a hit not only here in the United States but in over 60 countries worldwide.

Local favorites Gilbert Arenas and Carmelo Anthony have been on the show both as in-studio and on-location guests.

I spoke to Rashad about the show and about the NBA’s growth over the past decade.

» Rashad on his show: “I am the executive producer of the show and along with a very talented staff we try do a show that both the casual fan and the hardcore fan would enjoy. We talk to players and celebrities and try give the audience a different perspective about who these guys are as people. If you know more about them as people you are more inclined to like them and cheer for them. As for the guests from the entertainment field they are fans just like us and they enjoy talking sports. All in all, I am proud of what we have done thus far and think the fans enjoy the program.”

» Rashad on the NBA’s worldwide appeal: “The NBA and pro basketball is the second biggest sport in the world behind soccer. I tell my friends in the NFL that everywhere I go in the world people stop me and want to talk about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron James and a number of others. They are wearing NBA gear in Europe, China and everywhere in between. I have seen basketball hoops in Russia and in Africa. To be able to use my show as a way to advance the game is a big plus both for me and the NBA.”

“Tuesdays with Ahmad” can be seen at either 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. depending on the Game of the Week but it is worth finding. It is clearly one of the most entertaining sports shows on TV.

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.

Examiner