"Nasty work for some ratings" - NBA fans stunned as NBC explores AI resurrection of Jim Fagan's voice for league broadcasts

The NBA plans to bring back an iconic voice when it returns to NBC for the 2025-26 season. The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reports that the league will bring back the voice of the late Jim Fagan. The report revealed that artificial intelligence, or AI, will be used to bring Fagan's voice back.

Fagan was a staple in NBC's coverage of games, as he did promos during the 1990s. Marchand reported that the network and the family reached an agreement. The broadcast company will use AI voice synthesis technology to recreate the iconic voice.

NBC will use AI since Fagan died in 2019. The sports president of the network released a statement regarding the news of bringing back the voice.

“For many basketball fans, Jim’s unique and recognizable voice immediately conjures a deep sense of nostalgia for a special time in NBA history,” said Rick Cordella.

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After the news was reported, fans were stunned to learn about what the league had planned. Here are some of what the fans said about using AI for Fagan's voice.

"This is nasty work just for some ratings," a fan said.

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"We don’t have to do weird s**t to force nostalgia," another fan commented.

"Nah.. let other people have their chance like he did," one fan added.

Other fans seem okay with what the NBA wants to do under NBC.

"As long as he or his family agrees, nothing wrong with it, and a DOPE innovation," a fan shared.

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"If that replaces Doris Burke and Reggie Miller than I’m cool with it," another fan said.

"If his family gave the okay and is getting compensated then I see no issue," a fan commented.

Per Andrew Marchand, an official announcement regarding Jim Fagan's AI-generated voice will be released on Thursday.

Who are the announcers for the NBA's return to NBC?

The NBA is excited to be back with the network it worked with during the 1990s. For their return to NBC, they've appointed Mike Tirico as the lead announcer. Per reports, Tirico must cover at least one or two games weekly.

The longtime announcer has covered games for the league while working for ESPN and ABC from 2002 to 2016.

Noah Eagle will be the secondary play-by-play announcer. Fans can expect to hear his voice throughout the entire season. Eagle worked with the network when he covered the 2024 French Open tennis championships.

Former NBA players Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller will join NBC as gam analysts. The two are expected to work on one or two games per week. Finally, former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony joined the crew as a studio analyst.

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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Edited by William Paul