Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady headline NBC’s on-air team as the NBA makes its return to NBC and Peacock on October 21, featuring a primetime doubleheader of Rockets–Thunder and Warriors–Lakers.
NBC Sports announced its broadcast lineups and early-season schedules on October 14, revealing the crews and game assignments for the first two weeks of the 2025–26 season. The network will air and stream up to 100 regular-season games this year, including weekly doubleheaders and studio coverage hosted by Maria Taylor and Ahmed Fareed.
Opening Night Features Rockets–Thunder and Warriors–Lakers
The action tips off October 21 with Houston at Oklahoma City at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play with analysts Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford, and Zora Stephenson reporting. Taylor will host studio coverage with Anthony and Carter.
The second game of the night features Golden State at the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. ET. Noah Eagle will be on play-by-play with analyst Grant Hill and reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi, while Fareed hosts studio coverage with McGrady.
Peacock NBA Monday debuts October 27 with two games and the new alternate-audio feature “On the Bench.” At 7 p.m. ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Detroit Pistons with Eagle joined by Robbie Hummel (Pistons) and Austin Rivers (Cavaliers) as On the Bench analysts. At 9:30 p.m. ET, the Denver Nuggets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves with Michael Grady on play-by-play, Hill as analyst and ShahAhmadi reporting. Taylor will again lead studio coverage with Anthony, Carter and McGrady.
NBC Adds Peacock Monday and Coast 2 Coast Tuesday
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday begins October 28 with doubleheaders most weeks. The opening night includes the New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET, called by Tirico, Miller and Crawford with Stephenson reporting, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors at 11 p.m. ET with Terry Gannon on play-by-play, Hill as analyst and Grant Liffmann reporting.
Other early-season games include the NBA Mexico City Game 2025 on November 1, when the Dallas Mavericks face the Detroit Pistons at 10 p.m. ET on Peacock. Mark Followill will call the game with Hill and ShahAhmadi, and Jordan Cornette will host with Hummel and Rivers.
Peacock NBA Monday continues November 3 with the Timberwolves at Nets at 7 p.m. ET, featuring Eagle, Hummel and Rivers. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday returns November 4 with the Magic at Hawks at 8 p.m. ET and the Thunder at Clippers at 11 p.m. ET.
NBC Sports will maintain consistent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday coverage throughout the season. After the NFL Playoffs conclude, NBC will launch Sunday Night Basketball on February 1, 2026, running through April 5 with occasional doubleheaders and a one-hour on-site pregame show.
NBCUniversal and the NBA previously announced an 11-year agreement beginning this season to present NBA and WNBA games across NBC, Peacock and other platforms.
The NBA returning to NBC will certainly evoke nostalgia from longtime fans. The NBA last broadcast on NBC during the 2001-02 season, which marked the end of a 12-year run, climaxing with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls dynasty of the ‘90s.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NBC Sets Star-Studded NBA Broadcast Teams, Schedules Ahead of 2025–26 Tip-Off appeared first on Heavy Sports.