NBC to use AI to recreate Jim Fagan’s voice-over for NBA coverage, creating old school feel

During the 1990s, Jim Fagan’s voice narrated the promos for NBC’s coverage of Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Now, he will do so again when NBC promotes its NBA coverage that begins again next season. However, the setup is rather unique because Fagan died in 2017.

In an agreement between the network and Fagan’s family, NBC will use Fagan’s AI-generated voice to create modern promos with an old-time feel. NBC said it will also hire current vocal artists to complement their presentations. An official announcement of the agreement is expected later Tuesday.

This is the second time that NBC has created an AI partnership. During the Olympics, Al Michaels, currently Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” play-by-player, was compensated for the use of his AI-generated voice for “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” during the Paris Games this past summer.

NBC recently announced the return of John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” as its official anthem. To go along with top play-by-players Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle, it has added Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller as game analysts. In studio, it has hired Carmelo Anthony.

(Photo: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswiree via AP Images)

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