Big changes are coming to your NBA screen! Starting with the 2025–26 season, the league is cashing in on a massive $76–77 billion TV deal that shakes up where you’ll be watching your favorite games. ESPN/ABC is staying in the mix, but now NBC/Peacock and Amazon are stepping in big time, while TNT is officially out after the 2024–25 season. From Tuesday night doubleheaders to exclusive Monday games and ‘Sunday Night Basketball,’ get ready for a whole new era of hoops coverage.
And NBC isn’t just reviving its iconic NBA coverage—it’s building a dream team. The network, which last held NBA rights from 1990 to 2002 (and briefly from 1954 to 1962), is making its return feel like an event. But the real headline? Michael Jordan is officially joining the coverage as a “special contributor.” Still, they’re not stopping with Jordan.
NBC has already brought in Carmelo Anthony, Jamal Crawford, and Reggie Miller to round out its broadcast team, and now, another name has just been added to the growing roster. It’s clear NBC isn’t playing it safe—they’re swinging big to make their NBA comeback feel every bit as epic as fans remember. And at the center of this powerhouse lineup? Maria Taylor, an ex-ESPN employee, is officially back on the NBA beat—and this time, she’s leading the charge at NBC.
Four years after exiting ESPN, Taylor has been named the lead studio host for NBC Sports’ upcoming NBA and WNBA coverage. Starting in 2026, she’ll anchor NBA studio shows on Sunday and Tuesday nights alongside the star-studded panel of Melo and Vince Carter. She’ll also take the lead on select WNBA broadcasts, including the semifinals and Finals, as NBC returns to covering the women’s game for the first time in over two decades.
To make it all official, she’s inked a multi-year contract extension that locks in her place as one of the most visible faces at NBC Sports well into the next decade.
Credit: @mariataylor Instagram
Since joining NBC in 2021 after a seven-year run at ESPN, Taylor has become a true Swiss Army knife for the network—anchoring Football Night in America, hosting the Big Ten College Countdown, and leading coverage for three Olympic Games (Tokyo, Beijing, and Paris). She even picked up a Sports Emmy for NBC’s Paris Olympics broadcast in 2024. While she’s stepping away from Big Ten football duties due to her new NBA responsibilities, Taylor isn’t slowing down one bit. And let’s not forget her basketball roots—at ESPN, she hosted NBA Countdown, led NBA Finals coverage, and played a big role in the network’s NCAA Women’s Tournament broadcasts.
Reflecting on the move, Taylor told Deadline: “I’m deeply honored to be part of NBC Sports’ incredible legacy covering the NBA and to return to the game that first captured my heart, women’s basketball.” She added, “To know that I’ll spend the next five years with my NBC family telling the stories of the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the NBA Playoffs, and the WNBA Finals is more than a dream come true — it’s a full-circle moment.”
NBC isn’t stopping with just a star-studded NBA broadcast team
Carmelo Anthony is stepping into a whole new lane—studio analyst. The 10-time NBA All-Star and soon-to-be Hall of Famer will join NBC Sports this October as part of the network’s fresh NBA coverage. This marks Melo’s first official broadcasting gig, though fans know him well from his podcast “7PM in Brooklyn.” He’ll be in the studio at least once a week throughout the regular season and playoffs. “Watching the NBA on NBC growing up shaped my love for the game,” Anthony said. “Now, I’m thrilled to join the NBC Sports family. I’ve always used my platform to help grow the game, and I’m excited to bring fans a fresh perspective as we usher in a new era of NBA coverage and programming.”
He won’t be alone. NBC is building a loaded roster for its NBA return, bringing in some major basketball voices. Reggie Miller is also joining the crew as a lead game analyst once he wraps up his long-running role at Turner Sports after the 2024–25 season. A Hall of Famer known for clutch shooting and iconic playoff moments, Miller couldn’t hide his excitement about coming back to where it all started: “It’s good to be HOME, NBC Sports… and hello, Peacock! Some of my most memorable moments have been on NBC, and I’m looking forward to creating more.”
Alongside Melo and Reggie, Jamal Crawford is stepping in as a game analyst, and play-by-play duties will be handled by Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle. The whole operation will be steered by Emmy-winning producer Frank DiGraci, who was named coordinating producer for NBC’s NBA coverage back in December 2024. With this kind of talent lineup—both on the mic and behind the scenes—NBC is clearly ready to make its NBA comeback one to remember.
With Michael Jordan, Melo, and Vince already on board, NBC isn’t easing up. Hiring Maria Taylor proves they’re aiming not just for nostalgia, but legacy.
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