In an era when much of sports broadcasting is dominated by hot takes, ESPN has decided to go with a class on-air announcing team for its NBA broadcast coverage.
The network said Monday that ever-steady play-by-play guy Mike Breen will be joined by Doris Burke and Doc Rivers on the broadcaster’s A-team for big games. The trio, along with reporter Lisa Salters, will call the NBA Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, NBA playoffs, and the Christmas Day and NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC series. The team will make its debut during ESPN’s opening week of NBA coverage in October.
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As part of the changes, ESPN announced it has reached a multi-year deal with Rivers as well as a multi-year extension with Burke.
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The arrangement will make the incomparable Burke the first woman to serve as a television analyst for a major men’s championship in the U.S.
She has called theNBA FinalsonESPN Radiothe last four seasons and was theNBA FinalsonABCsideline reporter for nine years.
Burke has spoken about the changes happening in the announcers booth, saying she’s been around long enough to normalize the idea of a woman calling men’s games.
“It gives me like, just joy that guys of my son’s generation, they don’t even think about it. It’s like, ‘Yeah, she does what she does.'”
— Front Office Sports Today (@FOS_Today) August 14, 2023ESPN has officially named Doris Burke to its lead NBA broadcast team, joining Mike Breen and Doc Rivers.
She’ll make history as the first woman to call a major men’s championship in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/23x42sMq5l
Rivers is, of course, a longtime NBA coach for the 76ers, Clippers, Magic and Celtics, the latter of which he led to a championship in 2008. While some have questioned his playoff record in recent seasons, he has been a measured but firm voice for change in the league, leading the Clippers through the media storm that was owner Donald Sterling’s ouster and speaking up in his capacity as coach on social issues such as the shooting ofJacob Blakeby police in Wisconsin and the state of racial politics in the U.S. The raspy-voiced Rivers previously called theNBA FinalsonABCin 2004.
Breenis entering his 19thseason as the voice of theNBA FinalsandESPN’slead NBA play-by-play commentator, approaching the 22-year tenure of the now-retired Marv Albert (at TNT) as the voice of authority in NBA fans’ ears. Albert did, of course, also call games on NBC for a decade before TNT.
The moves come after much sturm und drang in ESPN’s NBA coverage and its coverage as a whole.
Two weeks ago, longtimeESPNNBA announcer Mark Jackson was laid off by the network. That came after Jackson’s broadcast partner (and former coach)Jeff Van Gundywas among the 20-odd boldfaced names let go by the network. With Breen, the duo had formed the broadcaster’s NBA A-team.
Prior to that, there was the whole mess with Rachel Nichols and Lisa Salters, both of whom are now gone from the network.
ESPN announced a number of other changes and additions to its broadcast lineup today. Per ESPN’s press release they include:
Malika Andrews, the host of NBA Today and Wednesday editions of NBA Countdown, will now host all of ESPN and ABC’s NBA Countdown shows, including NBA Finals pregame and halftime broadcasts. Andrews, an accomplished reporter, will continue to host NBA Today in addition to her new role. Analyst Stephen A. Smith, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame journalist Michael Wilbon and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski will all return to the show as well.
Bob Myers, two-time NBA Executive of the Year who led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships, has joined ESPN to serve as both a studio analyst and game analyst. Myers will appear on the ABC editions of NBA Countdown, including for the NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC and NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC series during the regular season and throughout the NBA playoffs. He will also call games during the season. Myers joins Andrews, Smith, Wilbon and Wojnarowski to round out the new lead NBA Countdown team.
The Wednesday and Friday editions of NBA Countdown on ESPN will also be hosted by Andrews with analysts Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins and Chiney Ogwumike and Wojnarowski reporting.
ESPN has also formed a second core NBA broadcast team for the season ahead. It will pair play-by-play voice Ryan Ruocco with analysts JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson. The team will call the NBA Sunday Showcase series on ABC, plus work together for other marquee events throughout the season and into the playoffs. Jefferson’s expanded game analyst role is part of a multi-year extension with ESPN. The team will make its debut during ESPN’s opening week of NBA coverage in October.
ESPN play-by-play commentators Mark Jones and Dave Pasch will also return to call NBA games in 2023-24. Jones, who also serves as the Sacramento Kings’ play-by-play voice, has called events for 33 years for ESPN. He joined in 1990.
And finally, ESPN reached an extension with Naismith Basketball Hall-of-Famer Hubie Brown. The legendary coach and analyst will begin his 20th season with ESPN and 50th season in and around the NBA. Brown will call games during the season, primarily teaming with Jones and Pasch.
