For Sunday Night Football on NBC it’s Carrie Underwood with the intro song.
For the NBA’s return to NBC, it is Lenny Kravitz (plus plenty of Roundball Rock).
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) October 6, 2025
When the upcoming basketball season begins, fans can expect a lot of changes, including some new music eventually coming to the NBC Sports broadcast.
Before games scheduled for “Sunday Night Basketball” on NBC, viewers will hear an anthem written and performed by four-time Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz during the opening.
The song will not replace “Roundball Rock” (which will have a new version) but will instead serve a role more similar to Carrie Underwood’s “Sunday Night Football” anthem.
“A global icon with unmatched style and passion, Lenny is the perfect artist to set the tone for coverage of the biggest game of the week every Sunday night,” said Tripp Dixon, NBC Sports Creative Director. “As a fresh addition to our Sunday Night franchise, we’re excited for our Sunday Night Basketball anthem to capture the energy and spirit of the league, and with a superstar like Lenny at its foundation, we can’t wait for fans everywhere to see what we’ve cooked up.”
“Sunday Night Basketball” will begin once “Sunday Night Football” and NFL playoff coverage concludes later this season.
It is a one-hour, on-site studio program before NBC’s games on Sunday evenings. Maria Taylor will host. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady are among the announced hires as studio analysts.
The show officially premieres on February 1, 2026 featuring a doubleheader between the Los Angeles Lakers at the New York Knicks and then the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Denver Nuggets.
NBC also has the NBA broadcasting rights for “Peacock NBA Monday” and “Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” which will have 30-minute studio shows as well. Ahmed Fareed will host on Mondays and Taylor will host on Tuesdays.