NBC will use the deceased announcement voice in the NBA reporting

Many people remember the late Jim Fagan as the rough voice that proudly informed the basketball fans of the 90s and early 2000s that they observed the NBA on NBC.

The pronounced sound of Fagans Voice -O -OVER, with John Tesh's rousing “Roundball Rock” in the background, will be connected to the era forever when Michael Jordan dominated the sport and players like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan are building their legacies.

Fagan died in 2017 at the age of 72 after fighting Parkinson's disease. However, his voice will soon be more than just a good memory for basketball fans.

NBC Sports announced on Tuesday that by using the AI ​​language synthesis technology – and through a partnership with Fagan's family – the voice of the announcer in “Select Title Sequences, Show Open and Promos” can be heard when the NBA returns to the network this autumn after more than two decades. Fagan's voice is used to add “traditional voice -over work others from NBC Sports,” said the network in a press release.

This announcement took place after NBC Sports found that it brought “Roundball Rock” back as a NBA anthem. On Tuesday, the network dropped a promo video with the classic song and Fagans Ai-Generated Voice. All nostalgic vibrations felt by NBA fans of the old school were definitely not accidental.

“For many basketball fans, Jim's unique and recognizable voice immediately conjures up a deep feeling of nostalgia for a special time in NBA history,” said Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports, in the press release. “His voice perfectly stated the size of the heavyweight matchups and stars that he introduced. It was a pleasure to work with Jim's family to reproduce his voice and honor his legacy. I am excited to be able to present his voice of a completely new generation of fans.”

Four hours after the publication of the Promo video on YouTube, it received 25 comments, most of which criticized the decision to use AI to generate the voice of someone who is no longer alive. But Fagan's daughters, Jana Silvia Joyce and Risa Silvia-Koonin, said in the NBC press release that her father had been “enthusiastic”.

“We are deeply grateful that NBC Sports had the vision of honoring our father's legacy in such a sensible way,” said Silvia Joyce and Silvia-Koonin. “He was very proud of his work with NBC Sports, especially to create the stage for some of the most memorable moments in the NBA history. Knowing that his voice will be part of the game again that he loved – and that a new generation of fans will experience it – is incredibly special for our family. He would be so enthusiastic and proud to be part of it.”