'Roundball Rock' return to NBC surprisingly isn't a slam dunk

When news emerged that the NBA's new media rights contracts included NBC, perhaps even more celebrated than the network's return was the nostalgia for its iconic basketball theme, "Roundball Rock."

Not only was the NBA reconnecting with the broadcaster of Michael Jordan's three-peat title runs with the Chicago Bulls, it also was bringing back the music that defined the period.

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NBC will be airing games again next year. However, it surprisingly might not be the home of John Tesh's hoops anthem.

According to CNBC's Alexander Sherman, NBC has yet to strike a deal with Tesh to bring back "Roundball Rock." Sherman reported that, while negotiations remain ongoing, the 72-year-old musician and song writer is "asking for a lot" and NBC won't make the reunion happen "at all costs."

Who knew Tesh would play such hardball for "RoundBall"?

According to Sherman, Tesh is not against licensing his song to another media company, but it's also unlikely that Disney and Amazon — the NBA's other media partners with 11-year deals that begin with the 2025-26 season — would want "Roundball Rock."

Tesh recorded a new version of the hoops theme and debuted "Roundball Rock, the shredded version" on "The Dan Le Batard Show" in August.

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