NBC tipped off its NBA coverage on Tuesday evening, but the networks pregame show, NBA Showtime, got off to a rocky start.
In the first minutes of NBA coverage for the network since 2002, NBC struggled with audio issues. Host Maria Taylor and Tracy McGrady made light of the technical difficulties multiple times in the first five minutes. Watch below:
NBC comes on the air for an NBA broadcast for the first time in 23 years… and it’s marred by audio issues 😬 pic.twitter.com/5Z1Wc9uVIb
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 21, 2025
As Taylor teed up McGrady to speak for the first time, she slammed her mic into the table as McGrady asked her to repeat the question, as the former Houston Rocket seemed to have trouble hearing his colleague over his in-ear IFB system. When the mic slammed, a loud static began, and McGrady could not be heard on the broadcast for about 20 seconds.
About 20 seconds after that, Taylor was handed a new microphone from off-screen and gave it to McGrady. The next time Taylor went to speak, her microphone wasn’t working, and more static persisted.
“Nuh uh! Not my mic being out too!” Taylor exclaimed.
“Hey, this is the first night, so it’s not going to be perfect NBC family, but we’re going to get it right,” McGrady said.
“We’re going to get it right,” Taylor concurred.
Fortunately, the network seemed to have worked out the kinks following the first commercial break. Throughout the rest of the show, all of the crew’s mics were working as intended.
When you’re broadcasting a sport for the first time in over two decades, there’s bound to be some missteps. But NBC is surely hoping those issues are limited to the first few minutes of its pregame show on Tuesday night.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.