For years, NBC’s flex scheduling for Sunday Night Football has been a fan-favorite mechanism, guaranteeing high-stakes matchups in primetime and keeping viewers hooked week after week. 

Now, the network is bringing that same adaptability to its freshly inked NBA broadcast deal, wasting no time in the 2025-26 season to prioritize emerging talent and compelling storylines.

The opening month of the NBA campaign isn’t even in the rearview mirror, yet NBC has already pulled the trigger on its inaugural flex. The move centers on one player: Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs‘ towering junior sensation who’s rapidly evolving into a league-defining force. 

Taking Tracy McGrady’s advice

Just seven days prior, during an NBC NBA broadcast, Hall of Fame analyst Tracy McGrady publicly urged the network to feature more Wembanyama-centric games. Evidently, the higher-ups were all ears.

This flex displaces the originally slated Detroit Pistons vs. Atlanta Hawks contest from national NBC coverage. In its place, markets not receiving the Spurs-Grizzlies tilt will instead air the Portland Trail Blazers hosting the Phoenix Suns as the nightcap of NBC’s November 18 doubleheader. The demoted Pistons-Hawks game shifts exclusively to regional sports networks, where local broadcast crews will handle commentary for their respective fanbases.

NBC’s Tuesday structure is designed for this kind of regional tailoring. Typically, the earlier window (8 p.m. ET) serves the East, Central, and parts of the Mountain zones, while the later one (8 p.m. PT) caters to the West Coast and overlapping areas. Both games of the doubleheaders still air nationally on Peacock as well.

This setup maximizes viewership by aligning with local primetime habits, much like the NFL’s flex philosophy avoids late-night slogs for coastal audiences. 

Why Wembanyama is box office

The catalyst for this historic flex? Wembanyama’s blistering start. Through the Spurs’ first six games, the 7-foot-4 unicorn is posting eye-popping averages of 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and an astonishing 4.7 blocks per contest. 

San Antonio, often pegged as a rebuilding project, sits at a surprising 5-1, with Wembanyama’s two-way dominance propelling them atop early Western Conference chatter. His efficiency is elite too—shooting over 50% from the field while stretching defenses with his rare blend of length, skill, and agility.

Fresh off being named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played October 21-26, Wembanyama continues to climb league leaderboards. He currently ranks inside the top 15 in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots, a trifecta that underscores his MVP-caliber impact at just 21 years old. 

Defensively, his rim protection is transformative; opponents are rethinking drives to the basket, and his chase-down blocks evoke prime-era highlights from legends like Dikembe Mutembe or a young Tim Duncan.

This November 18 clash pits Wembanyama against a Grizzlies squad anchored by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., promising fireworks. Memphis, perennial playoff contenders, will test the Spurs’ hot streak with their athleticism and grit. 

For NBC, it’s a golden opportunity to showcase the NBA’s next generational talent on a national stage, potentially drawing casual viewers who tuned in for his rookie-year viral moments.

Spurs and Grizzlies history on NBC

Historically, this marks milestones for both franchises. It’s the Grizzlies’ debut on NBC airwaves—a franchise that relocated from Vancouver in 2001 and has never graced the Peacock network’s NBA slate until now.

For the Spurs, their last NBC appearance dates back over two decades: Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals on May 12, when a Duncan-led squad fell 87-85 to the Shaq-and-Kobe Lakers in a playoff thriller. Tony Parker, then a rookie, chipped in alongside the Big Fundamental in what was a passing of the torch era for San Antonio.

Expect this to be the first of many Wembanyama flexes. With the NBA’s new media rights deal emphasizing star power and flexibility, networks like NBC, ESPN, and Amazon will jockey to highlight marketable phenoms. Wembanyama’s blend of on-court wizardry and off-court marketability—endorsements, global appeal from his French roots—makes him a broadcaster’s dream. 

As the season unfolds, games involving the Spurs could become must-flex inventory, especially if they sustain this winning momentum. 

Interestingly, while NBC dives headfirst into NBA flexing, it has yet to exercise the option for Sunday Night Football this fall. The network holds the right to swap matchups starting in Week 5, but through the early slate, no changes have been needed. 

That could shift in Week 16, where the underwhelming 2-7 Miami Dolphins host the 3-6 Cincinnati Bengals—a snoozer on paper that screams for a pivot to a more competitive alternative.

In the broader landscape, NBC’s aggressive flexing signals a new era for NBA telecasts. Gone are the days of rigid schedules; fans now get premium games tailored to buzz and performance. 

For Wembanyama and the Spurs, it’s validation of their ascent. As McGrady predicted, the “Wemby Show” is appointment viewing, and NBC is ensuring the country doesn’t miss an episode.