Mike Tirico gets honest about calling NBA games

Many of us saw The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch reporting that Mike Tirico would be a significant part of NBC’s NBA coverage.

Tirico saw it, too.

It’s not that Tirico isn’t privy to these conversations, but he’s currently in Paris to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. So, you’d have to imagine his mind is elsewhere and not on NBC’s new NBA package, officially announced Wednesday. At the same time, his being an integral part of his network’s NBA coverage is a big deal.

Here’s more from Awful Announcing’s Michael Dixon’s write-up on Deitsch’s reporting :

Citing Rick Cordella, the president of NBC Sports, Richard Deitsch detailed how Tirico, who is the lead announcer for Sunday Night Football, would have the same role with Sunday Night Basketball.

“Cordella said NBC plans on Mike Tirico being the “A” voice on NBC’s NBA games,” Deitsch wrote. “NBC will obviously need multiple game teams and studio analysts given the inventory. “Sunday Night Basketball should end prior to 11 p.m. ET, which will provide the ability for a quick postgame wrap-up before getting off the air for nightly news and other programming. In theory, Peacock could pick up studio coverage after that. ‘There are still lots of details to be sort of settled out,’ Cordella said when asked about a Sunday night NBA show on Peacock.”

While joining The Dan Patrick Show on Thursday, Tirico was asked if he would do play-by-play for the NBA on NBC.

“I read that I am, so that was news to me over here, which is good,” Tirico told Dan Patrick. “I’m sure I’ll be involved; I hope to be involved doing games. I loved doing them with the great, great Hubie Brown at ESPN for 10 years. I did games for 14 years while I was there and we had the package. I love the NBA. I love what it was about. So, I certainly look forward to figuring out my schedule, how it works out, what they want me to do.

“I think for all of us heading into an Olympics here, which is, as you know because you’ve been a part of this, every four years, every part of the company comes together and enjoys this stage of showcasing the best and the brightest in the world in sports.

“For all of us to get that news over here, as we’re getting ready for that, it’s a pretty good boost; lots of smiles around here as we endeavor the next 17 days to bring the Olympics back to everybody in the States.”

Patrick jokingly informed Tirico that he didn’t have to do every job.

“I don’t want to. I want to get better at golf,” Tirico quipped. “My short game stinks right now. I am so annoyed. I want more time and more golf. We’ll figure it out along the way, but it’ll be cool to get back to hoops as well.”

[ The Dan Patrick Show ]

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