ESPN unveiled its revamped NBA coverage team for the 2023-2024 season on Monday.
As expected, game analyst Doris Burke will make sports TV history as the first female to call a major men’s championship in the U.S.
Also, as expected, former NBA coach Doc Rivers and Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers are joining ESPN’s coverage team. And rising star J.J Redick will get his wish to call a slate of games.
The stakes are high.
ESPN took the almost unprecedented step of dropping half of its longtime No. 1 announce team, laying off Jeff Van Gundy, and letting go of Mark Jackson.
The only returning members of the last NBA Finals coverage team on sister Disney network ABC will be play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and sideline reporter Lisa Salters.
You could argue this is ESPN’s ride-or-die NBA announce team.
ESPN and TNT are set to tip off billion-dollar negotiations to retain their NBA rights. TV networks like ESPN select their announce teams with an eye toward pleasing their league partners.
On a conference call, Dave Roberts, ESPN’s head of event and studio production, called Burke a “trail-blazer” who he believes will excel on the new No. 1 team.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!