The NBA is officially returning to NBC and Peacock next month, and the network marked the occasion with a flashy 45-second promo during Sunday Night Football’s Buffalo-Baltimore matchup. Styled like a team’s pregame player introductions, the spot showcased NBC’s lineup of announcers and analysts, including Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Reggie Miller, Tracy McGrady, Carmelo Anthony, and Jamal Crawford. Each legend had their moment, from Hill ripping off a warm-up suit to reveal a tie, to Miller jokingly reenacting his iconic “choke” gesture before straightening his jacket.
The promo hyped NBC’s Oct. 21 opening-night doubleheader, featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder against Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets, followed by a clash between Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors and LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers. In a humorous twist, Thunder stars Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren looked baffled when NBC play-by-play voice Mike Tirico stood among them and declared, “That’s my team.” Gilgeous-Alexander responded: “Are we supposed to play them?”
NBCUniversal’s senior VP for creative marketing Joseph Lee said the concept leaned into the tradition of arena introductions, designed to pump up fans at home. The crossover debut during Sunday Night Football—television’s top-rated prime-time program for 14 years running—was no accident, and NBC plans to re-air the spot widely across its platforms. The promo is part of the NBA’s new broadcast era, with an 11-year, $76 billion deal distributing games across ESPN-ABC, NBC-Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. Beginning this season, fans can expect NBA action nearly every night, with NBC carrying marquee Sunday matchups in prime time.