John Fanta will add another milestone to his rapidly accelerating career next week when he steps into the NBA on NBC booth for the first time, marking a significant expansion of his responsibilities at the network and signaling NBC Sports’ growing confidence in one of its youngest rising voices.
Fanta will handle play-by-play duties next Tuesday night for the matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers. He will work alongside former NBA guard Jamal Crawford, who serves as the game analyst, while Grant Liffmann reports from the sideline.
The broadcast will stream on Peacock and air on NBC Sports platforms.
When NBC initially announced Fanta’s hiring from FOX Sports last year, the network outlined a role that included college basketball play-by-play and occasional NBA reporting. Although this marks his NBC NBA play-by-play debut, Fanta does bring prior professional experience to the assignment.
In 2024, he called an NBA regular-season game remotely for NBA TV when the Brooklyn Nets faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in Paris. In addition, he has hosted The Warmup, the league’s pregame program, and contributed to NBA Draft coverage, building familiarity with the league’s storylines, personnel and production rhythms.
Over the past two seasons, he has served as one of the play-by-play voices for the WNBA’s New York Liberty, further sharpening his live-game command and deepening his professional basketball portfolio. At NBC, he has already handled college basketball assignments, delivered studio updates during college football coverage and contributed to Football Night in America.
A 2017 graduate of Seton Hall University, Fanta has climbed the industry ladder quickly while maintaining ties to his Big East roots. For NBC Sports, the decision to elevate Fanta into the NBA play-by-play rotation reflects both long-term planning and short-term opportunity.
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