The NBA preseason is all about teams getting back in rhythm, warming up for the games that count, and trying to get new players acclimated to the roster. That means lots of different lineups, players starting that wouldn’t normally, and trying things out that you may (or may not) use in the regular season.
Lineup changes and new players on the roster put broadcasters and PA announcers to the test, as they have to get used to some new faces, new numbers, and maybe call out some names they never have. That can lead to some hiccups in preseason, and we got an incredibly funny one in Denver on Monday night when the Nuggets introduced their starting lineup to the home crowd.
Nikola Jokic was sitting out, which meant newly signed veteran DeAndre Jordan stepped into the starting center spot for some preseason action. The Denver PA announcer had all the details right on Jordan’s intro right up until he got to his last name, and hit a hearty “AYYYTTTOOOOONNNN” with his whole chest before realizing his error and changing it to “JOOORRRDDDAAANNN.”
“At center from Texas A&M, Deandre Ayton…DeAndre Jordan.”
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) October 11, 2022
The Nuggets’ reaction is hilarious, as they all are in disbelief (and laughter), with Jordan likewise shooting a hilarious look of shock over at the scorer’s table. It’s preseason for everybody, but you can bet the PA guy won’t live this down soon from the Nuggets players.