During the 12-year NBC game in 1990-2002, in the NBA, radio and promotional attractions featured the voice of narrator Jim Fagan, who excitedly revolved around stars such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Hakeem Olajuwon.

NBC lost NBA rights in 2003, and Fagan died in 2017, but his voice will reappear in the promotion, title sequence and performance opening when the NBC returns to the network this fall, this time mocking stars like Steph Curry, Jason Tatum and Vict Wembanyama.

NBC said it is using generative artificial intelligence technology to reproduce Fagan's voice, thus restoring broadcasts from 25 years ago. NBC Sports also confirmed that it will bring back the iconic "Circular Rock" theme song composed of John Tesh.

"For many basketball fans, Jim's unique and recognizable voice immediately reminiscent of nostalgia from a special period in NBA history," NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said in a statement. "His voice perfectly captures the heavyweight showdown and the size of the stars he is introducing. It's a pleasure to work with Jim's family to recreate his voice and respect his legacy. I'm glad we were able to introduce his voice to a new generation of fans."

You can see the first promotion with Fagan sound below:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpucul7l1l0[/embed]

Fagan is the second NBC sports legend that makes AI recreate its unique voice: During the 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC launched a custom review on Peacock that featured the voice of Al Michaels and was also recreated using Gen AI Technology. Of course, Michaels is still calling NFL games for Amazon.

Just as Michaels NBA on NBC.

"We are so grateful to the NBC Sports for its ability to honor our father's legacy in a meaningful way," his daughters Jana Silvia Joyce and Risa Silvia-Koonin said in a statement. He is proud of his work at NBC Sports, especially in helping lay some of the most memorable moments in NBA history. Knowing that his voice will be part of the game he loves again and that a new generation of fans will experience it is very special for our family. He will be excited and proud to be a part of it. It was a great honor to work with NBC Sports on this project. ”