Doris Burke, a pioneering voice in NBA broadcasting, may be calling her final NBA Finals for ESPN this June. According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, Burke’s position on ESPN’s top NBA broadcast team is “not guaranteed for next season” as the network evaluates the future of its current trio: Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson, and Burke.
This potential shakeup marks yet another chapter in ESPN’s unstable run since parting ways with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson following the 2023 NBA Finals. At the time, the decision was widely criticized by fans and insiders alike.
Van Gundy’s coach’s eye and willingness to critique officials gave broadcasts an edge, while Jackson provided a player’s insight and memorable phrases. Together with Breen, the team was a staple of NBA coverage for nearly a decade.
After their departure, ESPN cycled through replacements, first installing Doc Rivers alongside Burke and Breen. However, Rivers left midseason to coach the Milwaukee Bucks.
JJ Redick stepped in but lasted just a few months before accepting the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching job. That left ESPN scrambling once again, finally turning to Richard Jefferson, who joined Burke and Breen for the 2025 postseason.
While ESPN reportedly intends to re-sign Jefferson, who has drawn interest from Amazon Prime Video, Burke’s future remains uncertain. One internal discussion, according to Marchand, revolves around whether Burke fits better in a two-person booth rather than a three-person one.
Despite her Hall of Fame credentials and historic rise through ESPN’s ranks, there’s growing sentiment that the chemistry between Burke, Jefferson, and Breen hasn’t quite clicked.
Mike Breen, the longest-serving and most respected play-by-play announcer in the NBA, is not going anywhere. But there’s no denying that his on-air rhythm has changed since the departures of Van Gundy and Jackson.
According to Marchand, Breen has “dominated the ball” more in recent seasons, potentially due to having less synergy with his newer analyst partners.
As for Burke, she made history as the first woman to call a major men’s championship game on network television when she joined the lead ESPN team in 2023. Her basketball acumen is widely respected, and she has long been praised for her sharp, insightful commentary.
Yet in a three-person booth, the conversational flow hasn’t been as seamless as it once was. That lack of cohesion could be contributing to ESPN’s openness to further change.
ESPN’s analyst bench remains thin. JJ Redick and Rivers are gone. Tim Legler, Jay Bilas, and Cory Alexander have filled in sporadically, and some internal voices reportedly see Legler as a potential future Finals analyst.
With the NBA’s new $76 billion media rights deal kicking in next season, ESPN is under pressure to deliver a top-tier broadcast experience.
The Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers are set to begin, and while fans will once again hear Breen’s iconic “Bang!”, they may also be witnessing the end of Burke’s groundbreaking run in ESPN’s top booth.
The network’s next move will be watched closely not just for who stays, but for what kind of broadcast identity it wants to craft in this new era of NBA coverage.
