NBC's spin on national NBA broadcasts has brought a fun element to the new season.
The network has put together a star-studded cast of analysts for their return to the NBA for the first time since 2002. In the first NBA Peacock Monday, they debuted a new "on the bench" broadcast where an analyst calls the entire game from each team's bench. Now, NBC taps a familiar fan favorite to put an additional spin on their basketball coverage.
As the Knicks and Bucks met on NBC Tuesday night, the network debuted Sunday Night Football -style introductions as starting lineups were announced:
SNF STYLE INTROS FOR NBA ON NBC AND PEACOCK!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 29, 2025
📺 NBC (ET/CT/Select MT) and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/Ht9kVeupDd
It's not some groundbreaking innovation, but it's nice to see each player announce themselves with their own quirks like we have on the gridiron for so many years. Basketball fans gave NBC some early praise for the move:
I really liked the player intros. That’s a nice touch, @NBAonNBC. https://t.co/BaXaOJ9b2s
— Earl K. Sneed (@EarlKSneed) October 29, 2025
Committing to showing the starting lineups with the SNF intros is a W.
— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) October 29, 2025
NBC continues to crush it with the return of the NBA https://t.co/oc9Rmj3I4o
— Dylan Morgan (@DylanMorganTV) October 29, 2025
So glad they are doing this. NBC is running laps around their competition in the NBA broadcasting game https://t.co/xvyqG2STC5
— Zach Rubenstein Sports (@ZachR_Sports) October 29, 2025
NBC not playing fair this year
— Old NBA Tweets (@oldnbatweetz) October 29, 2025
NBC’s performance with the NBA presentation so far pic.twitter.com/IrBsQYOYQh
— Chief (@chiefflips) October 29, 2025
NBA on NBC has the player intros like SNF?!
— Jeremy Goldstein (@jeremynogo8) October 29, 2025
Amazing touch
The @NBAonNBC doing Sunday Night Football-style intros for starting lineups is awesome pic.twitter.com/KRGEW9O379
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) October 29, 2025
None of the Knicks starters got witty to start this off, although it's only a matter of time until someone shouts out their elementary or high school like we've seen all too often in the NFL. OG Anunoby did have a stone-faced intro with beautiful enunciation, though.
The return of "Roundball Rock" would have been enough. Now you're just showing off, NBC.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBC's 'Sunday Night Football'-Style Intros for NBA Broadcast Applauded by Basketball Fans.