John Fanta is best known for his coverage of the Big East conference, spanning more than a decade, making him an absolute fan favorite on the NCAA circuit. Fanta is now making a major career transition as he gears up to join the NBA on NBC play-by-play team for the upcoming Minnesota Timberwolves-Portland Trail Blazers game on Tuesday night (February 23).

Fanta has also been a known play-by-play voice for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Here’s everything you need to know about his net worth, his journey in the broadcasting industry, ethnicity, and nationality.

Who is John Fanta, and why is he famous?

John Fanta has been an American sports broadcaster since 2013, when he began covering Seton Hall University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. Fast forward to today, and he already has a rich background in the industry. He has been a broadcaster with NBC Sports since August 2025. He previously gained recognition working as a freelance college basketball reporter and play-by-play broadcaster for Fox Sports for seven years (2018 onwards).

Fanta was excited as he spoke with Awful Announcing about his latest opportunity.

“I’m a basketball fan, and I watch the NBA every night,” Fanta said. “It’s not like I got the assignment and then just started watching the NBA. This is why I joined NBC Sports.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Fanta reiterated the differences between covering college games and NBA matchups.

“The NBA game moves at a different speed,” Fanta said. “The 24-second shot clock is there. It’s different from the college game, which has a 30-second shot clock. You have to be judicious about when you’re jumping in with stories. Let the action and the stars speak for themselves. You’ve got that prep, you’ve got those stories, you’ve got those things ready. But Michael, there are times when the college game moves slowly enough that you could let something go into play. And in the NBA, I think it’s a little bit different because at any moment, the highlight of the night could happen.”

Fanta’s appointment to NBC’s NBA broadcasting team will be something new for him, considering he’s spent a large chunk of his career covering college hoops. However, fans must note that he called a Brooklyn Nets-Cleveland Cavaliers game in Paris for NBA TV two years ago, while still working at Fox.

How did John Fanta build his broadcasting career?

Fanta started at Seton Hall University, conducting on-camera pre- and post-game interviews with coaches and players while covering the basketball and volleyball teams and other sporting events in the program. But his first industry job was as a sports production intern at Fox Sports in 2016.

Fanta followed that up by becoming a Big East Digital Network commentator in 2014. He interviewed players and coaches from teams across the league. Additionally, he served as a play-by-play broadcaster for women’s basketball and Olympic events.

These games were televised on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. Along with interning for Westwood One and CNBC, Fanta also has content production experience. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is well-versed in Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, and Final Cut Pro.

Who is John Fanta’s wife?

John is married to Victoria Rizzo Fanta. The pair tied the knot in September 2023. The beautiful couple has a son, Andrew Gerard Fanta, who was born in May 2025.

What is John Fanta’s ethnicity and nationality?

Fanta is American by birth and is a Cleveland native. There’s no public information about his family’s roots or ethnicity. He has spoken about his love for sports broadcasting since he was a kid. He is also a huge Cavaliers fan, considering that is where he was born and raised.

“I was seven years old when LeBron James was drafted to the Cavaliers,” Fanta said. “My childhood was about being in front of the TV every single night, watching LeBron and the Cavaliers. It was the late, great Fred McLeod, the former voice of the Cavaliers. Austin Carr, who was so excited. Then on the radio, a great voice in Joe Tait. Joe would always say, ‘Wham with the right hand!'”

After covering a Cavaliers game in Paris, Fanta hopes his new role will allow him to cover his idol, James, more closely in the coming months.

What is John Fanta’s net worth?

There are no official reports confirming John Fanta’s net worth in public records. However, sports broadcasters in America earn between $150k and $500k, depending on the sport, market exposure, and experience. Considering the broad range of coverage that Fanta was part of with Fox Sports and now with NBC, he most likely falls on the higher end of this scale. His extensive work in college hoops puts his net worth between $1 and $5 million, according to College Net Worth.