A fan's guide to network NBA broadcasting rosters as TNT bids farewell

A fan’s guide to network NBA broadcasting rosters as TNT bids farewell

Posted by author February 14, 2025 NBA

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NBC and ‘Sunday Night Basketball’

Top Play-By-Play: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle

Game Analyst: Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford

Studio: Carmelo Anthony

When NBC decided to make its bid and return to NBA broadcasting for the first time since 2002, it did so knowing it had two promising basketball announcers already on its roster. With Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle, the network got a head start at play-by-play by promoting from within. It moved quickly to find partners for that tandem, making TNT and MSG Networks fill-in analyst Jamal Crawford its first hire before reportedly adding longtime top TNT analyst Reggie Miller to the roster. NBC will reportedly blend the four night-by-night rather than stick with a strict No. 1 and 2 booth.

Look for NBC to give other in-house announcers opportunities on the NBA as well, including Terry Gannon, who The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand named as a top candidate. Another could be NBC Sports Bay Area announcer Bob Fitzgerald, who called Olympic basketball for the network last summer.

Comcast will air Peacock-exclusive games each Monday night starting next season and a Tuesday slate on NBC. After the NFL season ends in February (NBC has Super Bowl LX in 2026), the network will put on Sunday Night Basketball to close out each week of the basketball season.

SNB will get the same blowout treatment as its football cousin. We know NBC exec Mark Lazarus made a big run at his former TNT buddies, led by Charles Barkley. Even after that failed, NBC made a big splash by hiring Hall of Fame nominee Carmelo Anthony to lead its studio show.

Anthony is NBC’s only official studio hire so far, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Football Night In America host Maria Taylor take on the hoops show as well. It’s likely no coincidence that the network recently hired Jalen Rose and Austin Rivers, who have NBA broadcasting experience, to contribute to its Big Ten basketball broadcasts.

ESPN gets outside help with ‘Inside’

Top Play-By-Play: Mike Breen, Ryan Ruocco

Game Analyst: Doris Burke, ???

Studio: Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, ???

In November, ESPN struck first in the hiring cycle by licensing Inside the NBA from TNT Sports. While that didn’t stop rival networks from trying to poach the show’s stars, it looks as if the legendary NBA studio show will, in fact, air in its full form on ESPN for key NBA broadcasts starting in October.

The network will still air its signature NBA Countdown pregame and halftime show during the regular season. For the past several years, Stephen A. Smith has been the face of Countdown. However, his status on the show will be unclear until he finalizes a new contract with ESPN. Michael Wilbon, Kendrick Perkins, Bob Myers, and Malika Andrews also appear on Countdown for top games.

As for its game broadcasts, the Worldwide Leader might be even more mixed up. Breen, the voice of the NBA Finals, signed a four-year extension in 2023 that is now just about halfway up. For years, ESPN has signaled that Ryan Ruocco, who calls the WNBA Finals and NCAA women’s Final Four for the network, is Breen’s heir apparent. However, since laying off top analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson in 2023, ESPN has not been able to settle on replacements it likes.

Burke called her first NBA Finals last year and is expected to do so again in 2025. It looks as if Richard Jefferson will likely join Breen and Burke in the booth for the championship series in June, but he will be a free agent after that and is expected to be a top candidate for Amazon. And after going big hiring by Doc Rivers in 2023 and renting out Inside the NBA, ESPN may want to make an unexpected splash in the booth, with TNT’s Grant Hill frequently mentioned as an option.

Amazon sees the future

Top Play-By-Play: Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan

Game Analyst: ???

Studio: Taylor Rooks, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin

Like when it bought into NFL broadcasting, Amazon Prime Video wanted a recognizable voice to call games. So, as it did by hiring Al Michaels as the voice of Thursday Night Football, Amazon started by poaching play-by-play callers Eagle and Harlan from TNT, then worked from there.

The most interesting hires of the process so far came next, as Prime Video tabbed 35-year-old Blake Griffin and 46-year-old Dirk Nowitzki to star in the studio. Rooks, a rising star and in-house feature reporter on TNF, will be flanking them.

The big question is color commentary. Amazon went out of the box for TNF with ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit. For NASCAR, Amazon uses the same booth as TNT, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. On Monday Night Hockey, the streamer went more for Griffin/Nowitzki types, with Shane Hnidy and Thomas Hickey on color commentary.

Perhaps this is the eventual landing spot for Stan Van Gundy, who is among the only current TNT analysts without a new home. Van Gundy would make sense here, given that he has openly ripped ESPN for its treatment of his brother Jeff, NBC’s roster is filling up, and he is comfortable alongside both Eagle and Harlan.

Looming questions

What direction does NBC go with its studio? It wants to fashion itself as a weekly roundup of the busy basketball calendar, so does it bring in a Peter King, Mike Florio, or Matthew Berry the way it did with the NFL? Or will the network opt for a starry collection of former athletes to try and beat its competitors at their game?
Who are we not thinking of? With Chris Paul and Draymond Green likely to retire in the coming years, networks could keep seats warm for the two experienced active players. And let’s not forget that these networks will also add WNBA rights as part of this deal, meaning crossover analysts like Andraya Carter, LaChina Robinson, Sarah Kustok, Monica McNutt, and Candace Parker would be smart investments as well.
Will new partners beef up overall coverage? Games aside, talented personalities await new opportunities. In the past few years, veteran NBA reporters like Zach Lowe, Chris Haynes, and Rachel Nichols have become available. Will they get back in the game as part of this cycle?