Lenny Kravitz to star in NBC's 'Sunday Night Basketball' opening

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STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Lenny Kravitz will give “Sunday Night Basketball” the kind of opening that Carrie Underwood delivers to “Sunday Night Football.”

The four-time Grammy Award winner will star in the opening segment for NBC's Sunday night coverage of the NBA, the network announced Monday.

The show opening will debut on Feb. 1 before a doubleheader that begins with the Lakers visiting the New York Knicks. Defending champion Oklahoma City visits Denver in the late game.

Kravitz shot his opening in Philadelphia with Tripp Dixon, the NBC sports creative director who has worked with Underwood on the NFL opening that's been used for the last 13 seasons.

“The song is cool, the sound is great and the whole plan is going to come together brilliantly thanks to Tripp and his team and Lenny for coming on board and really leaning into the concept and what we want to accomplish here,” said Sam Flood, NBC Sports' executive producer and president of production.

NBC will begin televising NBA games again this season for the first time since the end of the 2001-02 season. Its coverage begins with the season-opening doubleheader on Oct. 21.

There will be 11 “Sunday Night Basketball” games. They will be preceded by an hourlong, on-site studio program.

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