Mike Tirico scheduled to call Sixers-Blazers broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Mike Tirico is stepping into a new role for a night—and it’s a big one for Philly sports fans. The legendary broadcaster will handle play-by-play duties for Monday night’s Sixers-Trail Blazers game on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Mike Tirico will team up with Alaa Abdelnaby on the call, while Taryn Hatcher remains on the sideline. Regular play-by-play voice Kate Scott isn’t off but will shift over to pregame coverage for the night, per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Rob Tornoe.

Mike Tirico’s NBC NBA Warm-Up

Tirico calling a local NBA game might seem random, but there’s a bigger reason behind it. NBC is reentering the NBA broadcast scene in 2025, reclaiming rights for the first time since 2002. That means Tirico, already the lead voice for Sunday Night Football and the Olympics, will also become NBC’s top play-by-play announcer for the NBA next season.

“I just wanted to have the opportunity to do a few games this year,” Tirico told The Inquirer. “Not just to get the rust off, but refamiliarize yourself with the league … Since February 1, other than some Olympic work, I’ve been really honing in on the NBA to get back up to speed.”

NBC is still finalizing its coverage team, but Noah Eagle will also serve as a play-by-play announcer. Reggie Miller is joining as the No. 1 game analyst, leaving Turner Sports, while three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford is also set to be a game analyst.

Oh, and One More Thing…

Perhaps the most important piece of news for Sixers fans, outside of Kate Scott being off the microphone for at least one night, is the fact that “Roundball Rock” is officially coming back.

Okay, maybe not as great as Kate Scott getting the boot for a night but still, the iconic theme song from the NBA on NBC days—forever associated with Michael Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, and 90s basketball nostalgia—will return when NBC takes over broadcasts in 2025-26.

For now, Philly fans get a one-night preview of Tirico back on an NBA call. I think we are all in agreement that the “homerism” from Scott and Alaa can be a bit much, especially during this dumpster fire of a season so who knows, maybe if the Sixers actually play like a competent team (unlikely), Tirico will even want to come back and do it all again.

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