Maria Taylor will be the new studio host as NBC begins airing the NBA and the WNBA in 2026. The Atlanta native will host NBA shows on Sunday and Tuesday nights alongside a group of analysts including Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter. Taylor will host WNBA games on NBC and Peacock when it begins airing the WNBA in the spring of 2026.
It was also announced Taylor signed a new contract with NBC.
“I’m deeply honored to be part of NBC Sports’ incredible legacy covering the NBA and to return to the game that first captured my heart, women’s basketball,” said Taylor in a statement to NBC Sports. “To know that I’ll spend the next five years with my NBC family telling the stories of the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the NBA Playoffs, and the WNBA Finals is more than a dream come true — it’s a full-circle moment.”
NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock, debuting on Feb. 1. Peacock will also livestream exclusive national Monday night games starting this fall.
Taylor was hired by NBC in 2021 after her contract expired with ESPN. During her time there, she hosted “NBA Countdown”, was the lead reporter for “College GameDay” and ABC’s “Saturday Night Football”. Upon completing the 2021 NBA Finals, Taylor joined NBC for their Summer Olympics coverage in Tokyo.
Taylor is currently the host of “Football Night in America,” the “B1G College Countdown” and was the late-night host for the recent Paris Games. Her work during the Paris Games led to Taylor winning a Sports Emmy.
