The NBA on NBC makes its much-anticipated return next week, with the season-debut on Tuesday night. According to a new report from Sports Business Journal, the network could also be bringing back some familiar voices to their coverage as well.
Details on potential return
In a piece written by Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, Friend said, “There are indications, in fact, that the network could roll out Costas again this season for scene-setting retrospectives, or invite in Hannah Storm or Rashad or … 84-year-old Marv Albert.”
Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Hannah Storm, and Ahmad Rashad were key figures in NBC’s NBA coverage from 1990 to 2002. Albert served as lead play-by-play announcer from 1990 to 1997, calling every NBA Finals during that period, before his dismissal in 1998 due to a sexual assault arrest. He returned for the 2000-2001 season and continued until 2002.
Costas served as NBC’s lead studio host from 1990-1997, prior to replacing Albert on the lead broadcast team. After Albert’s return to the network, Costas stepped away from the NBA on NBC’s coverage, but returned for their last NBA Finals, co-hosting the studio coverage with Storm in 2022.
Where are they now?
After Costas’ brief elevation to the lead broadcast team, Storm took over as NBC’s lead studio host from 1997-2002. Storm then went on to host The Early Show on CBS from 2002-2007. Since 2008, Storm has been a mainstay on ESPN as one of their lead SportsCenter anchors.
Rashad served as both a sideline reporter and studio host for the entirety of NBC’s coverage of the NBA from 1990-2002. In his most recent years, Rashad has been hosting NBA Rewind on NBATV.
What exactly Albert, Costas, Storm, and Rashad will be doing remains to be seen in their potential cameo appearances with the network. Albert’s booming ‘Yesss!’ calls defined iconic NBA moments, while Costas’ sharp storytelling set the stage for unforgettable games. Storm broke barriers as a dynamic lead host, while Rashad’s charismatic sideline reporting brought fans closer to the action.
Nonetheless, the excitement for the NBA on NBC 2.0 is there, as Costas told Sports Business Journal recently that he was walking through an airport, and someone started humming Roundball Rock straight to his face.
The return of some of the network’s previous stars aligns with their push to bring back the nostalgia of their previous coverage. NBC Sports President Rick Cordella stated, “So we’re not trying to reinvent and say we’ve got to go in a time machine. But if we can take some things that were native to NBC [in the ’90s] that we did differently, that the fans in the 2025 era will still appreciate, we’re going to try and bring a lot of that forward.”
A taste of nostalgia
NBC will utilize some of the elements of yesteryear, with the return of Roundball Rock as the network’s main theme song. They will also revive the voice of Jim Fagan, who passed away in 2017, using AI technology to recreate his distinctive voice-overs, aiming to honor his legacy while embracing modern innovation.
The network also plans to show the starting lineups announced from inside the arena, which ESPN has been heavily criticized for not showing in recent years, including the NBA Finals.
As the NBA on NBC returns, it aims to recapture the magic of the ‘90s while setting a new standard for basketball broadcasts in 2025.
