Amazon goes for comedy with NBA studio hires

Amazon reportedly hired All-Star forward Blake Griffin and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki for its studio show when the streaming service begins showing games next season. Griffin and Nowitzki were both great power forwards during their careers who also showed a penchant for comedy.

Nowitzki famously never had an agent and did a limited number of endorsements. But he was an eager participant in a number of promos for the Dallas Mavericks, including a memorable spot where he imitated a camel in a recreation of Geico's "Hump Day" commercial.

The towering German also did a cameo opposite Lil' Bow Wow in the basketball film "Like Mike."

Griffin has regularly performed standup comedy, hosting a showcase at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal and appearing on the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin. He also co-starred with Chris Paul in a parody of "Scared Straight!" videos where he and CP3 yell at children about the difficulties of being a professional hoopster.

Amazon's global head of sports, Jay Marine, has said that the streamer used "Inside the NBA" as the inspiration for its NFL pregame, halftime and postgame panel shows, and it appears that's the direction its NBA coverage is heading as well. Griffin and Nowitzki were certainly great players and should be able to provide fine analysis. But what stands out about them as personalities is certainly their humor.

They'll be part of Amazon's coverage, hosted by Taylor Rooks. Amazon has reportedly had talks with Dwyane Wade, who did color commentary for the Olympics last summer, though it's not clear if he'd do game broadcasts or join Griffin and Nowitzki on the studio show.

It's hard for anyone to replicate the magic of "Inside the NBA." But at least Amazon has found two players who have international appeal and can reliably deliver a joke. For a streamer trying to establish itself in a new sport, it's a solid start.