TNT chose the wrong time to air a car advertisement Tuesday during the NBA season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves trailed the Lakers 18-12 late in the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. With 3:03 left in the quarter, T-Wolves center Rudy Gobert drew a shooting foul on Max Christie to earn himself two free throws.
As Gobert shot his first free throw, TNT announcers Ian Eagle and Stan Van Gundy began commemorating the late Dikembe Mutombo. But before Van Gundy could finish his kind words about Mutombo, Eagle interrupted him to read an ad about the latest Kia SUV model.
Van Gundy: “Of course, the NBA world just had a tough loss with Dikembe Mutombo’s passing.”
Eagle: “NBA on TNT brought to you by the Kia Telluride X-line. Kia, the official automotive partner of the NBA. Yeah, that was terrible news in regards to Dikembe, who has been such an ambassador of the game in addition to his Hall of Fame career.”
Some kind words for Dikembe Mutombo as well as some kind words for the Kia Telluride X-Line. pic.twitter.com/07z2qERRTp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 23, 2024
Several fans online were understandably not happy with what they had just heard on live TV.
The passing of Mutombo was a huge loss for the NBA earlier this month, and took us all by surprise. Just like how the brand new 2024 KIA Sportage will take you by surprise with it's next generation tech and smooth handling
— J Name® (@IamnotJarred) October 23, 2024
Dikembe Mutombo was awesome but not before we mention @Kia our sponsor who is paying us money @NBAonTNT
— Tris (@Trisrptc4) October 23, 2024
Did the commentator just interrupt a wholesome moment acknowledging Mutombo's passing?!?!? Nah this league is cooked with these ads man
— Cules (@Szuzuk1) October 23, 2024
First the @NBAonTNT cuts to a commercial in the middle of the Celtics banner raising. Then they stop talking about Dikembe Mutombo’s passing mid-sentence for a Kia ad live read, and go right back into it like nothing happened.
This network deserves to be losing the NBA.
— Chris (@ChrisSaysThis) October 23, 2024
TNT did not win over many fans on opening night.
The broadcasting giant also caught a lot of heat during Tuesday’s first game between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. TNT inexplicably cut to commercial just as the Celtics’ 18th championship banner was being raised into the rafters.
