Through the first week of the 2025-26 NBA season, the league’s biggest (non-gambling) story has been the emergence of Victor Wembanyama as a bona fide superstar.
And in his new role as an analyst for NBC and Peacock, Tracy McGrady wants to see more.
As the NBC streamer prepared to air its first exclusive NBA doubleheader on Monday night, the subject of Wembanyama inevitability came up. And that prompted McGrady to make a plea with both the league and his new bosses to feature the 7-foot-4 Frenchman on a more consistent basis as he continues to establish himself as one of the NBA’s most must-see players.
“I got a message for the NBA, Adam Silver, NBC, Peacock, all of y’all: this man needs to be on (national) TV multiple times a week!” McGrady said during Peacock’s NBA Showtime pregame show.
Currently, the Spurs’ 2025-26 schedule is set to include 22 nationally televised contests, five of which will air on NBC with another two streaming exclusively on Peacock. That’s good for the 11th most nationally televised games this season, trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks.
Between the Spurs being six years removed from their last winning record and Wembanyama missing the second half of last season due to health issues, it’s understandable why the league and its media partners might have been cautious about how often they featured San Antonio with a national spotlight. But with the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year currently averaging 31 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.8 blocks through the Spurs’ first four games, it would be tough to argue that San Antonio’s national schedule doesn’t seem light.
The good news? The NBA’s new media rights deal possesses an increased ability to flex local broadcasts into national showcases. And so long as Victor Wembanyama maintains his current pace, it’s a safe bet that Tracy McGrady will ultimately get his wish.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.