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Late announcer Jim Fagan’s voice will return with the NBA to NBC, courtesy of AI

BBG News

Often, people recall Jim Fagan, who passed away, as the gruff yet honorable announcer who excitedly informed viewers during the ’90s and the early 2000s that they were tuned into the NBA games on NBC.

The unique tones of Fagan’s voiceovers, accompanied by John Tesh’s energetic “Roundball Rock,” will eternally symbolize the time when Michael Jordan was at his peak in basketball, as Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tim Duncan were establishing their enduring legacies.

In the year 2017, Fagan passed away at the age of 72 following his struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Yet, his voice won’t remain merely a cherished recollection for basketball enthusiasts for long.

Sports

Charles Barkley, due to appear on ‘Inside the NBA’ on ESPN during the upcoming season, has labeled ESPN’s broadcast personnel, specifically Kendrick Perkins, as “misinformed” or “uninformed,” following their claim that the Lakers were instrumental in salvaging the NBA season.

On Tuesday, NBC Sports revealed that they will utilize artificial intelligence voice generation technology, partnering with the Fagan family, to bring the late Dick Fagan’s voice back for specific title sequences, show openings, and promotions as the NBA returns to their network this fall following over two decades. Fagan’s voice will serve to enhance the regular voiceovers provided by other artists hired by NBC Sports, according to a press release from the network.

The announcement arrived several days following NBC Sports’ disclosure that they were reviving “Roundball Rock” as their theme for NBA broadcasts. On Tuesday, they released a promotional video which combined the original tune and Fagan’s artificially intelligent voice. The sense of nostalgia experienced by traditional NBA fans was undoubtedly not accidental.

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Many basketball enthusiasts find themselves flooded with nostalgia when they hear Jim’s distinctive voice, according to NBC Sports president Rick Cordella in the press statement. His voice was incredibly fitting for the epic clashes and stellar personalities he introduced, creating an atmosphere that’s been a pleasure to be part of. We’ve taken great care in recreating his voice as a tribute to his legacy. I’m thrilled we can now let a new crop of fans experience his voice.

Four hours following the publication of the promotional video on YouTube, it gathered 25 comments, predominantly expressing disapproval towards the use of AI to simulate the voice of a person who is deceased. However, in an NBC press release, Fagan’s daughters, Jana Silvia Joyce and Risa Silvia-Koonin, stated that their father would have been delighted by it.

Entertainment & Arts

Due to a knee injury sustained towards the end of the NBA season, Honorary Co-Chair for the Met Gala, LeBron James, regrettably won’t be attending Monday’s event in New York City.

Silvia Joyce and Silvia-Koonin expressed their heartfelt appreciation for NBC Sports’ tribute to our father’s legacy, calling it significant. Our father held his work with NBC Sports in high regard, particularly since he played an instrumental role in shaping some of the most iconic moments in NBA history. It means a great deal to us as a family that his voice will once again resonate in the sport he cherished so deeply, and we believe that a new crop of fans will also appreciate hearing it. If our father were here today, he would be overjoyed and incredibly proud to be included in this tribute.

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2025-05-06 22:31

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