Amazon Prime Video, gearing up for the big event, has reportedly made the most significant signing by inking in prominent sports journalist Taylor Rooks as the main host for its pre-game, half-time, and post-game shows for the 2025-26 season. The development comes weeks after Amazon obtained the broadcasting rights for the NBA from the 2025-2036 seasons in order to mark a serious entry into the competitive sports streaming domain.
This is not only a huge step in her already brilliant career for Rooks but also a very calculated move by Amazon. Having been known for her acumen while interviewing and for her naturalness onscreen, Rooks impressed the top brass at Amazon with her work as a reporter on the network’s “Thursday Night Football” broadcasts. Adding the NBA to her arsenal, she cements her status as one of the most influential media personalities in sports today.
What sets Taylor Rooks apart, however, is how she gets athletes loose and eventually sharing candid, insightful, and so often surprising thoughts. Her interviews frequently go viral, showing some of the looks into the people and mindsets of popular players.
Jaylen Brown’s Bold Prediction The one that really took off, though, was when Rooks asked Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown how many championships he’d have by age 28. Without missing a beat, Brown responded, “Five or six.” Now 27 and still chasing ring No. 1, the comment engendered both admiration for Brown’s confidence and a wave of playful scrutiny.
Then came the recent bombshell quote regarding his Michael Jordan assertion from Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies guard, who said straight out that he would have dominated Michael Jordan in a one-on-one situation. The line went flying across social media in just about every direction, ranging from scorn by basketball greats to cosigns, and only served to spotlight Rooks’ ability to get interviewees to speak their minds, even if what’s coming out of their mouths has a good chance of becoming today’s hot take.
Takeaways From Jalen Brunson’s Playoff Rooks sat down with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and, in a more candid discussion, spoke about how heated interactions with NBA great Reggie Miller went during an emotionally charged playoff series. In the interview, Brunson gave a rare insider account of player rivalries and on-court dynamics that not many fans get to hear.
These are a couple of moments that showed just how good Rooks is at creating the condition that makes athletes comfortable being themselves and speaking their minds.
Interviews with Rooks have a tendency to become viral on social media often. Remember that time when, during a Celtics game, there was this shot of a very animated fan arguing with what looked like a nonplussed Rooks? It went really viral, creating a slew of memes and humorous speculation about what was going on between them. Showing her signature calm and understanding, Rooks took to the incident afterward and reacted graciously about a fan who had somewhat gained unintended internet fame.
Public reactions to her interviews have sometimes been mixed, however. While many fans enjoy refreshing honesty and entertainment value from the athletes’ responses, critics say those statements are blown out of proportion or taken too lightly. Some detractors have also unfairly shifted the focus to Rooks’ appearance rather than her journalistic abilities-a point she has firmly addressed.
Taylor Rooks hasn’t been afraid to push back on the narrative surrounding her interviews. Time and time again, she has stated her success is predicated upon professionalism, preparation, and an ability unlike many of her peers to connect with the athletes on a personal level.
“Athletes open up because they know they’re in a space where they’re respected and heard,” Rooks has said. She continues to push back against superficial critiques, standing up for recognition of her hard work and skill as an interviewer.
By shifting the focus to her craft, Rooks hopes to redefine the conversation, putting a highlight on her being a trailblazer in sports journalism. The fact that Taylor Rooks has been brought in for Amazon as the face of the league should be a treat for hoops fans and for Amazon alike. And she wasted little time in one quick swoop, selling some immediate credibility, high energy levels, and a touch of newness with her presence as Amazon advances with pre-, halftime-, and post-game coverages featuring this charismatic persona. Representative of the next in-line crops of dynamic hosts/anchors that oozes modern journalism and entertainment with a touch of authenticity, respectively, Rooks puts herself in this ever-changing arena.
