Cheryl Miller to join WNBA studio coverage on NBC networks

Cheryl Miller to join WNBA studio coverage on NBC networks

NBC is relaunching its WNBA coverage with women’s basketball royalty.

Cheryl Miller will headline the network’s studio coverage in 2026 as the WNBA returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock. The Naismith Hall of Famer is joining Maria Taylor and Sue Bird in the NBC Sports studio as an analyst.

Miller, 62, has worked as a sideline reporter and in studio for the NBA, but not since 2013. Once she heard NBC was going to be involved in the WNBA, she started to put out feelers to get back into broadcasting, and the network came looking for her.

“I’m super excited to be a part of the NBC team,” Miller said to The Athletic. “I’m hoping to bring an old-school, new-school, an ‘I want to learn’-school type of feeling where I’m growing as the game is growing.”

Miller brings serious basketball bona fides to her role as one of the greatest players of all time, even if her playing career predated the WNBA. She once scored 105 points in a high school game before the institution of the 3-point line. She was a multi-time national player of the year at USC and led the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1983-84. Miller also won an Olympic gold medal in 1984.

When the WNBA inaugurated in 1997, Miller was the head coach and general manager of the Phoenix Mercury and led Phoenix to the WNBA Finals in the second season.

“Cheryl Miller is synonymous with excellence in women’s basketball,” NBC Sports WNBA coordinating producer Betsy Riley said in a statement. “Her impact on the game spans generations, and her ability to connect history, strategy, and today’s stars is unmatched. As we welcome the WNBA back to NBC Sports, Cheryl’s voice will be central to how we tell the story of this league and showcase the incredible level of play our viewers will see all season.”

Miller is approaching her new gig with a player’s work ethic. She wants to go into training camps and be a sponge, ask questions and build relationships with coaches. She’s ready to dig into the stories, like how it feels to be traded with Angel Reese, or how Marina Mabrey (whom Miller coached with at the college all-star game) builds off Unrivaled success, or how the rookies adjust to training camp and fit into new roles.

Miller radiates joy for the sport. When she ran into Cathy Engelbert at the NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, Miller said she lifted the commissioner off the ground for a minute and a half because she was so excited about the course the WNBA is charting.

The new era for the WNBA brings new expectations, and Miller is eager to see how the players evolve to meet the moment.

“Now the pressure is on, now that we’ve got the big CBA deal done and the players are finally getting their just due,” Miller said. “Are you going to produce? And where are you going to take the game? I want to see how the players respond to their new contracts.”

WNBA games will air across NBC, USA Network and Peacock as part of the 11-year rights deal. During the 2026 season, NBCUniversal will carry games during the regular season, the first round of the playoffs, the semifinals and the WNBA Finals.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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