Maria Taylor’s role at NBC Sports is expanding in a big way.
After months of speculation that she’d be the network’s top pick, The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch reports that Taylor has officially been named the lead studio host for NBC and Peacock’s NBA and WNBA coverage.
She’ll anchor NBA studio shows on Sunday and Tuesday nights, joined by a high-profile panel that includes Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter. Taylor will also host select WNBA broadcasts starting in spring 2026, when NBC begins airing league games, including the semifinals and Finals.
In addition to her new duties, Deitsch reports that Taylor has signed a multiyear contract extension, locking her in as a central figure across NBC Sports well into the latter half of the decade.
The Sunday Night Basketball franchise won’t launch until the NFL season wraps up, so it’s not expected to interfere with Taylor’s other responsibilities at the network. She’s already become one of NBC’s most visible on-air talents, currently serving as the host of Football Night in America and the Big Ten College Countdown studio show on NBC and Peacock.
And while football has become her signature in recent years, basketball is hardly unfamiliar ground. During her seven-year tenure at ESPN, Taylor anchored NBA Countdown, hosted the NBA Finals, and played a major role in the network’s NCAA Women’s Tournament coverage.
NBC’s NBA coverage will feature Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle handling play-by-play duties, with Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller working as game analysts. Michael Jordan is expected to serve as a special contributor. And with Taylor leading the studio coverage, she’ll be tasked with tying it all together as NBC reintroduces itself to basketball fans.
According to Deitsch, NBC is expected to make the announcement official later on Monday.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.