Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever star and former Iowa Hawkeye, will appear as a special contributor on NBC Sports' new Basketball Night in America pregame show starting February 1. She will provide analysis alongside Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady, hosted by Maria Taylor. Clark's involvement highlights her growing influence across basketball media.
Caitlin Clark, renowned for her record-breaking college career at Iowa and her standout rookie season with the Indiana Fever, is expanding her media presence by joining NBC Sports. On February 1 at 5 p.m. CT, she will contribute to the debut of "Basketball Night in America," broadcasting live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. This pregame coverage precedes the Los Angeles Lakers' visit to the New York Knicks at 6 p.m. CT on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder facing the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Clark will join host Maria Taylor and analysts Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady, all Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers. "I’m really excited to be part of the Basketball Night in America crew this season," Clark said in a press release. "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."
NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood praised her addition: "Caitlin is one of the most captivating players and dynamic scorers in basketball." He added, "There's no more iconic figure in basketball in the women's game right now, or the game in general."
Clark, a two-time WNBA All-Star, 2024 All-WNBA First Team selection, Rookie of the Year, and assists leader, was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. At Iowa, she became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3,951 points, earning two Naismith College Player of the Year awards (2023, 2024), two AP College Player of the Year honors, the 2024 AP Female Athlete of the Year award, and three unanimous First Team All-American selections (2022-2024).
She will return to the show on March 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, ahead of the Thunder hosting the Knicks. Clark played only 13 games last season due to injury but rejoined the USA Basketball senior women's team in December. A potential WNBA labor dispute adds uncertainty to her return to the court, though Flood expressed hope for her on-air debut with a basketball in hand.
This role builds on Clark's prior television appearances, including a 2024 cameo on "Saturday Night Live" and a marketing partnership with Xfinity, a Comcast subsidiary that owns NBCUniversal. The move underscores NBC's strategy to leverage Clark's crossover appeal amid its new NBA and WNBA broadcasting rights.