Sports
Maria Taylor Named NBC’s Lead NBA and WNBA Studio Host
NEW YORK, NY — Maria Taylor has been appointed as NBC Sports‘ lead NBA and WNBA studio host, according to a source close to the situation. This announcement comes just a day after the NBA season concluded. NBC Sports is expected to make the formal announcement later today.
As part of her new role, Taylor will host NBA studio shows on Sunday and Tuesday nights, joining notable analysts Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter. She will also oversee select WNBA game broadcasts on NBC and Peacock, starting with the 2026 season when NBC takes on the coverage.
In addition to her hosting duties, Taylor has signed a multiyear contract extension that secures her position at NBC Sports for several more years. Taylor is no stranger to basketball; she previously spent seven years at ESPN, where she hosted coverage for the NBA Finals, the NBA Countdown show, and the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
After leaving ESPN in 2021, Taylor joined NBC Sports. Since then, she has led programs like “Football Night in America” and “B1G College Countdown,” while also covering various NBC Olympic broadcasts.
With new rights agreements in place, NBC and Peacock will showcase national coverage of regional doubleheaders on Tuesday nights starting this October. The NBA’s new partnership with ESPN/ABC, along with agreements with NBCU and Amazon, forms a massive $77 billion deal lasting from 2025 to 2036.
Rick Cordella, NBC Sports president, expressed optimism about the network’s new studio show and talent. ‘We hope to have a fantastic studio show around what we see as the game of the week,’ he stated. ‘We pitched it to the NBA, and it’s an easy-to-understand concept.’
Along with Taylor, Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller will join as game analysts, alongside play-by-play hosts Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle. This initiative aims to replicate the success the network has experienced with its Sunday Night Football team.
This is just the beginning of NBC Sports expanding its NBA programming, which will also include NBA All-Star Game coverage and additional specials in the coming seasons.
