Renee Montgomery subs for Kenny Smith in CBS studio
CBS and TNT Sports have been hit with a number of absences already in the course of the 2026 NCAA Tournament as a consequence of sickness. As viewers have been welcomed to Friday’s protection of the Round of 64, they might have observed a serious change with Renee Montgomery on the important desk in New York in place of Kenny Smith.
Host Adam Zucker was joined by Montgomery, Clark Kellogg, and Charles Barkley. As he launched the day’s protection he made word that Smith was below the climate and shared a get-well message. Smith had taken an early exit from late night time protection on Thursday as he was absent from the set after the sport between Michigan and Howard.
True to kind, Barkley teased his longtime Inside the NBA colleague by telling him to maintain his shirt on on the seaside.
Renee Montgomery is filling in for Kenny Smith immediately on March Madness studio protection.
Kenny is below the climate.
Charles Barkley: “Keep your shirt on at the beach, Kenny.” #MarchMadness #NCAATournament pic.twitter.com/7r9FZcRCeL
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2026
Smith’s absence adopted up the state of affairs on Thursday the place play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson was pulled from the asserting lineup as a consequence of his personal sickness. Anderson sounded noticeably hoarse all through the First Four sport in Dayton between NC State and Texas that he referred to as alongside Barkley and Dick Vitale in an once-in-a-lifetime alternative. After battling by way of that contest, Anderson was replaced by Jason Benetti on CBS/TNT. However, Anderson is scheduled to return to commentary duties on Saturday.
Renee Montgomery is a studio analyst for CBS’s WNBA coverage. She has made her mark not simply in her WNBA taking part in profession the place she gained two championships, however as an activist and crew proprietor. Montgomery is at present part-owner of the Atlanta Dream and led social justice initiatives, sitting out the 2020 WNBA season to give attention to the Black Lives Matter motion and societal reform.
But for her broadcasting profession, that is actually the most important alternative that Montgomery may have in entrance of the huge NCAA Tournament viewers. Hopefully Kenny Smith can be again in motion and feeling higher quickly. And hopefully not one of the different CBS and TNT personalities catch no matter goes spherical in the mean time.
