Through the first week of the 2025-26 NBA season, the biggest (non-gaming) story in the league has been the emergence of Victor Wembanyama as a true superstar.
And in her new role as an analyst for NBC and Peacock, Tracy McGrady wants to see more.
As streamer NBC prepared to air its first exclusive NBA doubleheader Monday night, the topic of Wembanyama’s inevitability came up. And that prompted McGrady to plead with the league and his new bosses for the 7-foot-4 Frenchman to be more consistent as he continues to establish himself as one of the NBA’s most compelling players.
“I got a message for the NBA, Adam Silver, NBC, Peacock, y’all: This man needs to be on (national) television several times a week!” McGrady said during Peacock’s NBA Showtime pre-match show.
Currently, the Spurs’ 2025-26 schedule is scheduled to include 22 nationally televised contests, five of which will air on NBC and two others air exclusively on Peacock. That’s good for the 11th most nationally televised game this season, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks.
Between the Spurs being six years removed from their last winning record and Wembanyama missing the second half of last season due to health issues, it’s understandable that the league and its media partners might have been cautious about how often they featured San Antonio in the national spotlight. But with the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year currently averaging 31 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.8 blocks through the Spurs’ first four games, it would be hard to argue that San Antonio’s domestic schedule doesn’t look light.
The good news? The NBA’s new media rights deal has an increased ability to turn local broadcasts into national showcases. And as long as Victor Wembanyama maintains his current pace, it’s a safe bet that Tracy McGrady will eventually get his wish.
