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NBC will bring back “Roundball Rock,” its beloved sports theme song, next season when the network begins its 11-year media rights deal to air NBA games.
Music composer and radio and TV personality John Tesh wrote “Roundball Rock,” which became popular during NBC’s coverage of the league from 1990 to 2002. Fans will hear the song again for NBA coverage across NBC and Peacock after the league signed a blockbuster 11-year, $77 billion deal with ESPN, Amazon and NBC, beginning in 2025-26.
Ever feel like EVERYONE has that one song stuck in their head? 🏀
The NBA on NBC and Peacock – coming this fall! pic.twitter.com/gpKMXlklFg
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) May 3, 2025
The NBA moved its coverage from NBC to ESPN in 2002, causing the popular basketball anthem to be shelved.
NBC announced the return of “Roundball Rock” during Saturday’s Kentucky Derby coverage in an ad featuring Tesh, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić, sports announcer Mike Tirico and several stars from NBC shows.
“I’m truly honored to be back with my friends at NBC Sports,” Tesh said in a statement. “From our first meeting, (NBC Sports president) Rick Cordella had a powerful vision for bringing ‘Roundball Rock’ back to its one true home. Along with millions of other fans, I’ll be front row center for the epic launch in the fall.”
Tesh told The Athletic in 2020 that he came up with the idea for the song in the middle of the night while in France. He didn’t have a tape recorder at his hotel, so he called his home phone in Los Angeles and hummed the music on his answering machine.
Jenna West is a staff editor on The Athletic’s news team. Before joining The Athletic, she served as a writer and producer for Sports Illustrated’s national news desk. Jenna is a graduate of Northwestern University.
