The NBA Draft should be a celebration. From the No. 1 pick of Cooper Flagg to the final name in Round 2, it’s one of the biggest nights in a young athlete’s life. Fans tune in expecting insight, excitement, and professionalism. Instead, ESPN’s broadcast once again left viewers frustrated — and in some cases, laughing for all the wrong reasons.
The 2025 edition didn’t just miss the mark. According to social media reactions, it crashed right through it. From flubbed names to lackluster analysis, ESPN’s coverage sparked backlash from fans and media figures alike, many of whom feel the network continues to miss what should be a layup.
X Erupts Over ESPN’s Error-Filled 2025 NBA Draft Night Broadcast
One of the most viral moments came when Fox Sports Radio host Aaron Torres tweeted, “We just got a ‘The Blazers select Colin Coward’ on the ESPN Draft set. This is officially the most poorly-produced, ill-informed broadcast of all time. But hey, congrats @colincowherd. You’re headed home!”
We just got a “The Blazers select Colin Coward” on the ESPN Draft set.
This is officially the most poorly-produced, ill-informed broadcast of all time.
But hey, congrats @colincowherd. Youre headed home!
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) June 26, 2025
Cowherd himself chimed in with a laughing emoji, seemingly amused by the mistake.
Torres added fuel to the fire, pointing out multiple other gaffes throughout the night: “For anyone who thought I was making this up. The sad thing is, this is far from the first name they’ve gotten wrong tonight.”
One fan cited ESPN calling Brandon Ingram “Brandon Miller” and referring to Baylor coach Scott Drew as “Drew Scott.”
3rd name they’ve gotten wrong.
Called Brandon Ingram, Brandon Miller.
Called Baylor coach Drew Scott, not Scott Drew.
— Robert Cortez (@robcortezlive) June 26, 2025
BricksCenter, a parody account spoofing ESPN’s SportsCenter, tweeted, “‘The Portland Trailblazers select Colin Cowherd’ ESPN is down bad.”
“The Portland Trailblazers select Colin Cowherd”
ESPN is down bad 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/n00mxXBCZY
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) June 26, 2025
The Portland-Cowherd mix-up wasn’t just a one-off — it was part of a pattern that fans say reflects deeper issues with ESPN’s preparation and execution.
“This crew is trash fam,” one user wrote. “And I’ll never forget how the world gassed Malika up bc they were so thirsty to replace Rachel Nichols. Rachel would never lol.”
Another fan tweeted, “They really putting everything on [NBA Draft host] @malika_andrews to save @espn’s worst draft coverage and they only looking for sentimental stories instead of talking about the game.”
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Critics didn’t just focus on name mistakes — they blasted the lack of meaningful team analysis and the overwhelming reliance on emotional storytelling.
Stewart Mandel, senior columnist and editor in chief, college football for The Athletic, noted, “This NBA draft broadcast is 90 percent player scouting reports and 10 percent discussion of the teams. It’s great if you want a deep dive on the No. 14 pick from France’s ball-handling skills, not so much if you’re interested in what the heck the Pelicans are doing.”
3rd name they’ve gotten wrong.
Called Brandon Ingram, Brandon Miller.
Called Baylor coach Drew Scott, not Scott Drew.
— Robert Cortez (@robcortezlive) June 26, 2025
Fans echoed that sentiment, arguing that casual and die-hard audiences alike want to hear why specific picks matter, not just highlight reels and human-interest segments.
“The difference in the quality of broadcast for the NFL and NBA draft is staggering,” one viewer posted, drawing comparisons to ESPN’s more polished NFL coverage.
The difference in the quality of broadcast for the NFL and NBA draft is staggering
— Colton Potter (@PotterColton) June 26, 2025
Another fan flat-out turned it off after the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg, “That whole broadcast team is a joke. Once I saw my Mavs snatch Flagg I turned it off.”
As viewer criticism continues to mount, the question becomes whether ESPN will ever fix its draft night coverage, or if fans are stuck with the same broken playbook?
