"Please Never Let NBA go to TNT" - Fans Elated as NBC Picks a Page Out of Sunday Night Football's Player Intro's Book for Knicks-Bucks

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NBA fans online are so hyped after NBC's latest stunt appeared on Tuesday's game between the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks. The network took a page out of its ultra-popular Sunday Night Football programming and introduced it to the biggest basketball league in the world.

The Knicks visited the Fiserv Forum to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks got their typical introduction by the arena's public address announcer, Eric Jensen, to get the crowd going.

On the other hand, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the Knicks got the SNF-style player intros. The road team's starters introduced themselves and said what college they went to, though they need more energy and enthusiasm for their next intros.

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NBA fans were so happy with SNF-style player introductions, with some hoping that the coverage stays at NBC. There has been a blend of nostalgia and in-depth basketball analysis in the coverage of the league under NBC, Amazon and Disney.

Here are some of the reactions to the new player intros.

This is so freaking cool plz never let NBA go to TNT again

Can't wait for Emo Jimmy's intro. 😅

Love this.. but SNF clearsssss

This is so cool, NBC really saved the NBA

Another win from the NBA on NBC

NBC & Amazon simply have taken the broadcasting of basketball serious. That’s something we haven’t seen in many years.

The NBA signed an 11-year, multi-billion dollar partnership with NBC Universal, Amazon Prime Video and Walt Disney Company to broadcast games on multiple platforms. NBC is primed to show the most games, followed by ESPN under Disney and then Amazon Prime Video.

"Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world," Adam Silver said in a statement last year. "These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade."

The league was previously under a long-term partnership with TNT, from 1989 to last season. One thing the deal kept was "Inside the NBA" hosted by Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal. The show is now on ESPN.


Michael Jordan back on NBA television under NBC

One of the changes brought in by NBC is the return of Michael Jordan to NBA television. Jordan, the player considered by many as the greatest ever, was featured in the halftime show of the first game of the season between the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets.

"His Airness" appeared in a segment with host Mike Tirico called "MJ: Insights to His Excellence." The first episode highlighted the reason why Jordan wasn't in the spotlight over the years, choosing to spend more time with his family.

MJ also discussed how nervous he was when he shot a free throw for the first time in years when the owner of the house he rented at the Ryder Cup asked for it. And of course, the six-time champion swished it like he was back on the hardwood.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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