The Indiana Fever superstar will make her broadcast debut during Lakers-Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Caitlin Clark may not be participating in Unrivaled or any other offseason league. But she’s not straying away from the game.
NBC announced Tuesday that the Indiana Fever superstar will join the network as a special contributor for the debut of its new broadcast, “Sunday Night Basketball,” appearing on the pregame show “Basketball Night in America.”
Clark will make her NBC debut this weekend at Madison Square Garden ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers-New York Knicks matchup and is set to return for another appearance on March 29 when the Knicks visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“There’s no more iconic figure in basketball in the women’s game right now, or the game in general,” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood told The Associated Press. “So, we said, ‘let’s have a bigger conversation.’”
Clark will join host Maria Taylor alongside analysts Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady for pregame commentary.
“I’m really excited to be part of the Basketball Night in America crew this season,” Clark said in a statement released by NBC. “Carmelo, Vince and Tracy are legends of the game, and Maria is a true professional. It will be really fun to join them a few times this season.”
From NBC’s perspective, the hire makes obvious sense.
Clark has been the single biggest draw in women’s basketball since entering the WNBA in 2024, driving record television ratings, attendance and merchandise sales across the league — even during a season in which she was limited to just 13 games because of injury. Her arrival helped turn the Indiana Fever into one of the league’s biggest attractions and made WNBA broadcasts appointment viewing in a way the league had never previously experienced.
Flood is confident Clark’s appeal translates seamlessly to television.
“She’s had cameras pointed at her for years, and she’s certainly always put on a show with a basketball in her hand,” Flood said. “And after a game ends, she’s always a great interview. She’s always so thoughtful in everything she says.”
NBC executives believe she’ll be a natural.
“She’s going to be in a basketball arena, like she always is, and in her comfort zone — which is on the court talking about the sport she loves and the sport that she shines in,” Flood said. “So, what better place for her to debut than in Madison Square Garden with this a great team of talent around her?”
Caitlin Clark is set to make her broadcasting debut.
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
NBCUniversal also already has an existing relationship with Clark through Comcast subsidiary Xfinity, which she partnered with in 2024. That’s another reason the move feels like a long-term investment.
Whether Clark’s role expands beyond a handful of appearances this season remains to be seen. But for a network launching a new NBA broadcast window, attaching itself to the most magnetic star in basketball — men’s or women’s — is about as safe a bet as it gets.
And Flood teased she might be doing more than just talking during her NBC debut.
“We’re hoping to have Caitlin with a basketball in her hand.”
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