The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honored USC Annenberg Dean Willow Bay and the pioneering show NBA Inside Stuff with the Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award during its Enshrinement Weekend on October 12.

When it debuted in the early ’90s on NBC, NBA Inside Stuff was among the first mainstream TV programs to merge sports, music and pop culture. Through their reporting, co-hosts Bay and former NFL star Ahmad Rashad delivered unprecedented access to players and teams, making it a must-watch for audiences seeking a weekly pulse on the league.  

The show’s popular segments included “Rewind” (a weekly recap of league action); “Jam Session” (an upbeat fusion of highlights and popular music); and behind-the-scenes player and team features.

“NBA Inside Stuff broke new ground in so many ways, but the heart of the show for me was the storytelling,” Bay said. “NBA and WNBA players shared their hobbies and passions, challenges and dreams, and they took us along for the ride. We visited their hometowns, ate home-cooked meals with their moms, and at times explored complex challenges they faced like coping with ADD or living with HIV/AIDS.”

The Hall of Fame lauded the NBA Inside Stuff team for an innovative use of traditional and emerging media in ways that revolutionized fans’ enjoyment and understanding of basketball. Bay and Rashad, who hosted the show for seven seasons (1991–98) were part of an awards gala that reunited hosts from across the program’s 20 seasons, including Olympic champion Summer Sanders, former NBA player Grant Hill and sports anchor Kristen Ledlow.

“I am incredibly honored to receive, along with the entire NBA Inside Stuff team, the Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award,” Bay said, “which celebrates the lasting impact of the show on the league and a generation of fans.” 

Sports has continued to be an area of passion and expertise for Bay since her time on “NBA Inside Stuff” and, as dean, she is working to establish USC as the premier hub for the study and practice of sports.

On October 17, Bay will be leading a conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as part of the inaugural USC Next Level Sports Conference. Hosted by USC Annenberg and the USC Marshall School of Business at the newly opened Intuit Dome, the day-long event will explore what’s ahead at the intersection of sports, media, business, technology, fan engagement, and storytelling.