The NBA season opener between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center featured a stirring performance of the national anthem.

Navy veteran Generald Wilson told followers on social media there’s a “good chance” he’ll be on TV when the national anthem plays at the game.

He wasn’t kidding.

Wilson belted out the national anthem, and the NBA broadcast actually chose not to cut away from the performance. It was a wise decision.

Wilson’s rendition was exceptionally beautiful, captivating the live audience and viewers alike.

Fans were loving the national anthem

Fans immediately flooded social media with praise, hailing it as one of the best national anthem performances ever. Whitney Houston might even have been proud of the effort.

“The dude that sang the national anthem for the first NBA game this season was insane!!! Had some pipes!” one person wrote on X.

Another appreciated the effort, saying. “Way to CRUSH the National Anthem, petty officer @generaldwilson! Semper Fi, shipmate!”

“Dang, that soldier just killed the national anthem. The season is here, we are so back,” one fan celebrated.

“Amazing job tonight,” another cheered, tagging the Navt vet in the post. “God Bless and thank you for your service!”

For his part, Wilson encouraged fans and players alike to join him and sing along in a post prior to the game.

“So excited to see everyone tonight at the @paycomcenter for the @okcthunder ‘s NBA Home Opening game!!!” he said. “Gonna be able to see y’all receive those NBA Championship Rings and that banner lifted too. Congratulations!!!!”

“To hear y’all singing our National Anthem with me loud and proud will just be the icing on the cake! Letzgoooooooo!”

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Better than the Home Run Derby

This was a truly refreshing rendition of the national anthem. Especially when we get inundated with ridiculous woke protests during some NBA broadcasts.

And it was definitely better than the one we heard at last year’s Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. Anybody remember that travesty?

Singer Ingrid Andress’ performance wasn’t on par with Wilson’s. In fact, it wasn’t on the same planet. Imagine 30 long-tailed cats being released into a store exclusively selling rocking chairs. Now, picture that store opening its doors to many customers eager to test out those chairs. On Black Friday.

That noise you’re hearing in your head, I can assure you, is better than what Andress belted out for the crowd that day.

Thankfully for her sake, Andress put herself in rehab shortly thereafter, making her turnaround a stirring success story.

“I’m not gonna bulls— y’all, I was drunk last night,” she wrote in a remarkably frank post on social media after the performance. “I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need.”

She would later perform a rendition of the song at a Colorado Avalanche game that was far, far better.