The NBA returns to NBC this season after more than two decades away from the network and plans to make Sunday nights must-see TV beginning in February.
On Monday, the NBA announced that four-time Grammy Award-winning musician Lenny Kravitz will perform the new Sunday Night Basketball show open on NBC. This open featuring Kravitz will be exclusive to Sunday Night Basketball and will debut on Feb. 1, 2026, when the new show premieres with a doubleheader.
“A global icon with unmatched style and passion, Lenny is the perfect artist to set the tone for coverage of the biggest game of the week every Sunday night,” NBC Sports creative director Tripp Dixon said. “As a fresh addition to our Sunday Night franchise, we’re excited for our Sunday Night Basketball anthem to capture the energy and spirit of the league, and with a superstar like Lenny at its foundation, we can’t wait for fans everywhere to see what we’ve cooked up.”
Kravitz is regarded as one of rock’s most prominent musicians, with 12 studio-recorded albums and over 50 million copies sold worldwide.
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“I have been a fan of basketball and the NBA since I was a kid,” said Kravitz. “I am happy to be invited to take part with NBC Sports and the NBA, and I celebrate their support of sports, music and culture. I am looking forward to this special moment.”
Sunday Night Basketball’s premiere night doubleheader will feature two of the association’s most storied franchises when the Los Angeles Lakers head to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. ET. In the nightcap, the Denver Nuggets visit the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Although fans will have to wait until 2026 for Sunday Night Basketball and Lenny Kravitz performing the show’s opening theme, the season gets started Oct. 21 with the NBA tip-off doubleheader. That Tuesday night will feature a matchup between the Houston Rockets in Kevin Durant’s debut and the Thunder at 7:30 p.m. ET as they begin their title defense. Then the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, will take on LeBron James and the Lakers in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET.
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NBC and Peacock will host “Peacock NBA Monday,” where the streaming service will stream up to three NBA games on Monday nights durning the regular season beginning Oct. 27. Then on Tuesday, Oct. 28, “Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” will air, presenting doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock.
