Blake Griffin Roasts ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst in Latest Announcement

Brian Windhorst has had a big year in sports media. His meme-worthy First Take story about the Utah Jazz even got him talking about how it worked because it "essentially becomes a podcast." Blake Griffin has now found a way to turn that podcast energy into a punchline.

The former All-Star used a promo for his new show to take a swipe at the ESPN insider's favorite format. Speaking on his upcoming The Stepback, Griffin took aim at the video push behind podcasts like Windhorst's.

"Can I just say something? Not all podcasts need video," Griffin said. The jab fits the show's tone, which is a late-night take on sports, and it comes just days before the premiere.

Griffin then turned the roast into a promotion on X. "I'll take it from here. The Stepback. 10.20.26. On YouTube and Prime," he wrote.

Windhorst's The Hoop Collective, produced by ESPN and Omaha Productions, streams on YouTube and was taken on a global tour this month, with stops in Manila, Macau and Melbourne. That made it one of the NBA media world's most visible video podcasts.

Griffin, who spent last season as an NBA on Prime analyst, is now on the other side of the desk. He poked fun at a format he plans to compete with, and he did it with a smile.

The roast is no accident. According to reports, topics on The Stepback are expected to include gambling, NIL, taxpayer-funded stadiums, analytics and the state of sports journalism. That last item means Windhorst's world is literally on the menu.

The format is closer to Last Week Tonight than a traditional talk show. Griffin sits behind a desk, with no parade of celebrity guests, and unpacks a topic with comedy. He told The Hollywood Reporter he wanted to "put my own stamp on the genre." Episodes began taping in June before a live studio audience and are already in post-production, with a new one each Tuesday after the Oct. 20 debut.

The show comes from Amazon's Wondery and Griffin's Mortal Media, the company he runs with former NFL lineman Ryan Kalil. It also arrives at a time when Amazon is leaning into creator-led programming. Late-night sports formats have rarely caught on, though, as the report noted.

Griffin's advantage is that he already built a following as one of the breakout stars of the NBA's new media rights era. Windhorst's advantage is a loyal audience that follows him across ESPN, YouTube and podcast apps.

That makes the early shot worth watching. Windhorst built his brand on being the NBA's go-to insider, and he is not shy about trading jokes on air. Griffin has now put a playful target on that brand before his first episode even drops.

Whether Windhorst fires back remains to be seen. For now, the roast has done what a good promo should: it got people talking about the show before it exists.

When The Stepback premieres Oct. 20 on Prime Video and YouTube, viewers will find out how many more shots Griffin saved for sports media.