Wolves announcer Michael Grady joins ESPN's NBA play-by-play rotation

Grady will continue to call Wolves games on Bally Sports North while mixing in ESPN broadcasts.

Michael Grady is the Timberwolves' play-by-play announcer on Bally Sports North. / Michael Grady on Instagram

Timberwolves play-by-play announcer Michael Grady has joined ESPN's rotation of NBA broadcasters, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.

To be clear, this does not mean Grady is leaving Minnesota. He'll still do Wolves games on Bally Sports North as his primary job, confirms KSTP's Darren Wolfson, but will also mix in on national broadcasts as his schedule allows. Grady called the Wolves' preseason game against the Knicks on ESPN on Sunday evening.

This expansion to a national role felt inevitable for Grady, who has quickly established himself as one of the best play-by-play broadcasters in the NBA since joining the Wolves and Bally Sports North two years ago. Fans in Minnesota overwhelmingly approve of Grady, whose arrival in 2022 coincided with Anthony Edwards' ascent to superstardom and one of the best eras in Timberwolves franchise history. He has previously done a few games on TNT, as well as some national WNBA broadcasts.

This also doesn't mean Grady will eventually leave the Wolves entirely. Mike Breen, who is ESPN's No. 1 play-by-play announcer, still does Knicks games on MSG Network as much as he can. Same for Ian Eagle, who calls Nets games on YES Network when he isn't doing TNT broadcasts. Even if Grady grows into a prominent role with ESPN, he can theoretically continue calling the large majority of Wolves games on BSN or whatever future network the team partners with.

Grady joins Breen, Ryan Ruocco, Dave Pasch, and Mark Jones in ESPN's PBP rotation. The Wolves have ten scheduled broadcasts on ESPN or ABC this season.

Prior to being hired by the Wolves, Grady worked for YES Network as a sideline reporter, host, and backup play-by-play announcer for Nets games. He replaced Dave Benz in Minnesota.

The Wolves open the season on TNT on NBA's opening night (Tuesday Oct. 22), so Grady's first broadcast of the regular season will be in Sacramento that Thursday.