From his days as a standout on Michigan’s legendary Fab Five to a long and successful NBA career, Jalen Rose’s experience opened doors down the analyst path. It wasn’t months before he had announced retirement and ABC/ESPN had picked him up. Over a decade there, a guest on “Inside the NBA”, and frequenting NBC Sports College Basketball, Rose blended seamlessly. Or at least until CBS and Turner Sports came calling for their March Madness coverage.

On paper, it seemed like a great move. Rose, who had been a staple at ESPN for years before his departure in 2023, was set to take on a major role in the tournament’s broadcast team. He was slated to serve as a studio analyst for the First Four and Final Four, while also stepping into the booth for game analysis during the first and second rounds. He was paired with veteran play-by-play announcer Lisa Byington, former Purdue standout Robbie Hummel, and seasoned sideline reporter Andy Katz.

But as soon as the games tipped off, fans weren’t exactly impressed.

He joined his three fellow announcers for the Grand Canyon v Maryland matchup and the criticism knew no end. Reason? Lack of words, or interesting ones at least. Something unexpected from an experienced analyst like Rose.

One example that irked the fans was along the line of– “One shot. One kill. One shining moment.” It quickly became a focal point of the backlash. One fan took to Reddit to ask whether Rose had actually said “one kill” on air, unsure if they were misunderstanding his words. For others, it was the constant overlapping of commentary, with Rose having quite a lot to say quite often.

But this isn’t Rose’s first experience around college basketball. He was a studio analyst for “Big Ten College Countdown” airing on NBC’s Peacock streaming service just the beginning of the season. He then debuted as a game analyst earlier this year for the Michigan-UCLA game. You could say the former Indiana Pacers star is no stranger to the stats and coming prepared to back his opinions. But his most recent work just wasn’t it.

Plus, sharing the booth alongside Hummel, one of the top commentators in college basketball, seemed to have further drawn the favor away from Rose. The former Purdue star has added March Madness broadcast to his resume and has been a part of the radio broadcast team. He’s made his place on the spectators’ good books. And by all means, two basketball players, close ties to Indiana, and a rich broadcasting background, the chemistry was supposed to work. It did, for a few. But for those it didn’t, calls and criticism grew louder.

Fans came firing back at Jalen Rose: Lack of experience?

Fans didn’t hesitate calling out Jalen Rose’s shortcomings. “Get Jalen Rose off play by play man,” came a comment on X.

What makes Rose’s struggles particularly surprising is his deep experience in sports media. After retiring from the NBA in 2007 following a 13-year career, he quickly transitioned into broadcasting, becoming a household name at ESPN. He co-hosted Get Up, contributed to NBA Countdown, and was a staple across ESPN’s programming for over a decade. His ability to break down the game, tell compelling stories, and connect with audiences made him one of the network’s most recognizable voices.

But in June 2023, ESPN made the shocking decision to part ways with Rose in a wave of layoffs. Reports suggested that his hefty salary and ESPN’s shifting priorities played a role in the move. Since then, he has made appearances on Inside the NBA, NBATV, and NBC Sports’ college basketball coverage before landing his current gig with CBS and Turner Sports.

Yet, some fans argue that college basketball just isn’t his strong suit. “Why is Jalen Rose doing #MarchMadness he’s terrible and brings nothing,” added another. His 15-year NBA run and a over a decade more analysing the same league dwarfs Rose’s a year at large with college and it shows. 

“Jalen is an NBA guy on TNT. This isn’t his forte. If you remember his NBA Draft comparisons on ESPN, the guy does not watch or follow college basketball,” added a user on Reddit and another echoed the sentiment on X– “Jalen Rose is a terrible in game announcer/analyst. Just no game flow to him.” 

The frustration was clear but it wasn’t directed at Jalen Rose alone. The spectators just couldn’t find the entire dynamic of the booth working well. “This team is such a weak link in the broadcast. The CBS/Turner teams are always top-notch aside from this one,” one fan vented.

Now, the big question is whether Rose can adjust and prove himself as an NCAA Tournament analyst. CBS and Turner clearly saw potential in him, and with March Madness still in full swing, he has time.