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NBA Debuts Audio Identity with Britell Score, Nas Voice

6/4/2026

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Summary

NBA Launches Audio Identity

The NBA launched an “audio identity” with a Finals promo scored by Nicholas Britell and voiced by Nas.
Britell told Hollywood Reporter that the league has no model for its sound, citing “Roundball Rock” and “Sirius.”
He said he aimed to capture basketball’s drama, power, beauty and intense emotion.
The partnership creates the NBA’s first comprehensive audio brand and will add music releases for future social media and arena use.

Summary

NBA Finals Kickoff

The 2026 NBA Finals tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The “History Is Calling” spot streams on NBA platforms, featuring the Spurs–Knicks Finals matchup.
Nas appeared at the opening of live table games at Resorts World New York City on April 28, 2026.
NBA games reach audiences in 214 countries and territories and are broadcast in more than 50 languages.

History

Historical Context

In November 1990 NBC launched John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” during a Lakers-Spurs game, a theme heard about 12,000 times over the network’s 12-year NBA run. After the rights shifted to ABC/ESPN in 2002, the tune resurfaced on Fox basketball in 2018 and returned to NBC in 2025, while the NBA commissions Nicholas Britell and Nas for a Finals identity streamed on ABC, extending its branding legacy.

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NBA Launches Audio Identity

The NBA launched an “audio identity” with a Finals promo scored by Nicholas Britell and voiced by Nas.
Britell told Hollywood Reporter that the league has no model for its sound, citing “Roundball Rock” and “Sirius.”
He said he aimed to capture basketball’s drama, power, beauty and intense emotion.
The partnership creates the NBA’s first comprehensive audio brand and will add music releases for future social media and arena use.

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