Tirico to Serve as Lead Play-By-Play Voice for NBC Sports’ NBA Coverage Beginning with 2025-26 Season; Previously Called NBA Games for ESPN from 2002-2016

Tirico Adds NBA to His NBC Sports Portfolio of Properties, Including Olympics, Sunday Night Football, Kentucky Derby, Major Golf Events and More

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 22, 2025 – Mike Tirico, who called NBA games for 15 seasons for ESPN from 2002-2016, is returning to the NBA as NBC Sports’ lead play-by-play voice when its coverage of the association begins with the 2025-26 season this October across NBC and Peacock.

Tirico is the voice of many of NBC Sports’ biggest events, serving as its Olympics primetime host and the play-by-play voice for Sunday Night Football, pacing to be primetime television’s No. 1 show for a record 14 consecutive years. Since joining NBC Sports in 2016, Tirico has also hosted or called high-profile events such as the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final, U.S. Olympic Team Trials, golf’s U.S. Open, Open Championship, THE PLAYERS, and TOUR Championship, and more.

“I could not be more thrilled about returning courtside to call NBA games,” said Tirico. “My 15 years of chronicling the best basketball players in the world still stands as one of the highlights of my career. Like so many others, my love of the league took hold during the unforgettable days of the NBA on NBC back in the ’90s. The chance to be a part of the team bringing that iconic partnership back to life has us incredibly excited.”

He is expected to work one or more games per week once NBC Sports’ coverage of the NFL and Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games conclude in February 2026. He will call select games prior to that time, including the NBA season opener in October 2025.

“We are excited that Big Event Mike Tirico will be returning to his courtside seat as the NBA returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports. “From the Olympics to Sunday Night Football to major golf championships and now the NBA, Mike is the most versatile voice in sports.”

Tirico has extensive NBA experience, calling about 375 regular-season and playoff games from 2002-2016 for ABC, ESPN, and ESPN Radio. From 2003-2005, Tirico was the main studio host for ESPN’s coverage, including the NBA Finals and the presentation of the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the NBA champions. Additionally, in 2007-2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015, he served as the play-by-play voice of the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio.

During his 15 seasons calling games for ESPN, he worked the majority of games with Hubie Brown, but his other analyst partners included Jon Barry, Doris Burke, P.J. Carlesimo, Sean Elliott, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Steve Snapper Jones, George Karl, Tim Legler, Chris Mullin, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Jalen Rose (now on NBC Sports’ college basketball coverage), Tom Tolbert, and Bill Walton.

Tirico is a two-time recipient of the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Host, winning back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. This past summer, he received critical acclaim for his role as primetime and daytime host of the Paris Olympics, which registered daily audiences of more than 30 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and additional NBCU platforms. In January 2025, Tirico was elected to the National Sports Media Association’s (NSMA) Hall of Fame. For more information on Tirico, click here.

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NBC Sports has already announced that Jamal Crawford will join its coverage as a game analyst and that Emmy Award-winning producer Frank DiGraci will serve as coordinating producer.

In July 2024, NBCUniversal and the NBA announced an 11-year agreement to present NBA and WNBA regular-season and playoff basketball games across numerous platforms beginning with the 2025-26 season. For more information on the agreement, click here.

As previously announced, Peacock will livestream exclusive national Monday night games while NBC/Peacock will present national coverage of regional doubleheaders on Tuesday nights. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball in 2026 across NBC and Peacock, providing NBA fans with three consecutive nights of national coverage across NBCUniversal platforms during the second half of the regular season.

More information about NBC Sports’ 2025-26 NBA coverage will be announced soon.

ABOUT NBC SPORTS

NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering and presenting many of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Big Ten Conference, Big East Conference, Notre Dame, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 show for 13 consecutive years.

–NBC SPORTS–