Doris Burke Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Doris Burke is poised to make history as the first woman to call a major U.S. men’s championship on TV.

Burke is expected to join ESPN/ABC’s No. 1 NBA broadcast team, along with play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and ex-Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers, sources told Front Office Sports.

The deal is not finalized, said sources. But the formation of ESPN/ABC’s revamped No. 1 team is about 80% done, they added.

Back in 2020, Burke made history by becoming the first female analyst to call the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio. 

As the new No. 1 analysts for the 2023-2024 season, she and Rivers would succeed Jeff Van Gundy, who was laid off last month, and Mark Jackson, who could drop down to a No. 2 announce team or leave ESPN. Other ESPN talents such as Mark Jones, J.J. Redick, and Richard Jefferson will call games next season.

The historic move will surely set off howls among ESPN critics who consider the network too “woke” and progressive regarding women and social justice causes.

ESPN also plans to test an all-women “SportsCenter,” created entirely by female anchors and producers.

The New York Post first reported ESPN was closing in on promoting Burke to the NBA Finals, hiring Rivers to join her and Breen and jettisoning Jackson to the B team or off the network. 

Several weeks ago, Boston Globe columnist Chad Finn tweeted “there’s a good chance” the No. 1 team would be Burke-Rivers-Breen. Front Office Sports also predicted Burke would be promoted to the A team last month.

Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ TNT are poised to begin billion-dollar negotiations to retain their NBA broadcast rights. Burke told FOS she was “pulling like hell” for ESPN to retain its NBA deal.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Brad Keselowski breaks 110-race winless streak at Darlington
Pacers blow out Knicks on Mother’s Day, even series at 2-2
Hawks GM 'shocked' that his team won the NBA Draft Lottery
Prolific former Brewers, A's slugger announces retirement
Watch: Padres star passes father on all-time home runs list
Saints to sign veteran offensive lineman
Smother's Day: Pacers shut down Knicks in first half of Game 4
Flyers goaltender suspended from international play for three years
Pistons make wrong kind of history at NBA Draft Lottery
Watch: Pacers C Myles Turner makes absurd three-pointer in first quarter vs. Knicks
Hawks win 2024 NBA Draft Lottery
Giants place key outfielder on injured list
Broncos release former Super Bowl champion WR
Novak Djokovic thinks water bottle incident may have played role in surprising loss
Steelers agree to deal with veteran CB
Bruins captain out for Game 4 vs. Panthers
Veteran WR announces retirement from NFL
Mavericks come from behind to down Thunder, take 2-1 series lead
Stars continue road dominance with Game 3 win over Avalanche
Watch: Paul Skenes wastes no time showing why Pirates drafted him No. 1 overall