The theme, known as Roundball Rock, was composed by John Tesh for NBC's NBA coverage and first aired in 1990, quickly becoming the sound of Sunday basketball and the league's biggest stars. When NBC stopped showing NBA games in 2002, the music lived on through reruns, video games and online clips, where fans kept sharing it as shorthand for classic basketball. Its return with NBC's NBA broadcasts in 2025 introduced it to a new generation, keeping it a favourite for sports edits and nostalgic montages.