The NBA on NBC is making a huge bet on nostalgia.
The glory days of the Jordan era and the NBA on NBC make basketball fans of a certain age feel all sorts of good feelings. And with its return in 2025 as part of the association’s new television deals, the network is going all the way in on reliving them.
It was finally confirmed during the Kentucky Derby that NBC reached an agreement with John Tesh to officially bring back the iconic “Roundball Rock” theme. And we know that NBC Sports president Rick Cordella is keen on having player introductions be part of the broadcasts once again to help present a big game atmosphere.
But now the NBA on NBC is going one more unique step further by featuring the voice of Jim Fagan, the original promo artist who would deliver the classic “This is the NBA on NBC” line before introducing the matchup of the day.
Unfortunately, Fagan passed away in 2017. However, the network announced on Tuesday that they have come to an agreement with his family to use an AI generated version of his voice to feature for the return of the package next season.
While they may not immediately recognize his name, longtime NBA fans will undoubtedly know his voice. NBC Sports announced today that it will use an AI-generated voice of former narrator Jim Fagan for elements of its NBA coverage and promotion when its new NBA media rights agreement begins in October.
The voice of Fagan, who passed away in 2017, was synonymous with NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed coverage of the NBA from 1990-2002. His masterful narration drove unparalleled excitement for the league’s biggest matchups and stars, which included Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and many more.
Through a partnership with Fagan’s family, NBC Sports will use AI voice synthesis technology to re-create Fagan’s voice for select title sequences, show opens, and promos for its upcoming NBA coverage. This builds on NBCUniversal’s successful use of generative AI technology during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 for “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” which featured a re-creation of legendary sports announcer Al Michaels’ voice. The AI-generated voice of Fagan will supplement traditional voiceover work by other artists hired by NBC Sports.
Here is an original example of an NBA on NBC intro with Jim Fagan from the 1992 NBA Finals.
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And here’s the AI 2025 version of a Jim Fagan intro that was released by NBC this week.
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This is not NBC’s first experiment with using AI generated voices. During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the network used an AI generated Al Michaels voice to provide custom recaps and highlights that viewers could access at any time on Peacock.
Using voices from the past to narrate sporting events isn’t entirely uncommon. Derek Jeter used the iconic voice of legendary Yankees public address announcer Bob Shepherd even after his passing as one example. NBC says other contemporary voiceover artists will be used throughout their coverage, so it won’t be just the AI Jim Fagan that features.
Your acceptance of this entire concept probably balances somewhere on the spectrum for your fondness of nostalgia and your comfort level of the expanded use of AI in modern day life. But if it’s done within reason, fans will likely be appreciative for another connection to the past thanks to technology from the future.
