In a move that’s sent ripples through the sports broadcasting world, ESPN has officially announced the demotion of Hall of Fame broadcaster Doris Burke from its coveted NBA Finals broadcast team, promoting veteran analyst Tim Legler to the top booth for the 2026 Finals. The decision, reported by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic on August 28, 2025, marks a significant reshuffling at the network and signals the end of a historic chapter for Burke, who broke barriers as the first woman to serve as an analyst on a championship broadcast for any of North America’s four major sports leagues.
Burke, now 60, had been a fixture on the NBA Finals call for the past two seasons, working alongside the legendary play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and former NBA star Richard Jefferson. Both Breen and Jefferson will remain on ESPN’s No. 1 broadcast team next season, now joined by Legler, whose long career as both player and commentator has made him a familiar voice to basketball fans for over two decades.
According to The Athletic, the decision to reconfigure the broadcast lineup was made by ESPN executive vice president Mike McQuade, who oversees event production for the network. McQuade has reportedly favored Legler for years, noting his “enormous broadcasting talent” and deep knowledge of the NBA. Despite public shows of support for Burke—including Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle taking time during his NBA Finals Game 1 press conference to praise her, and Richard Jefferson donning a "My Favorite Broadcaster is Doris Burke" T-shirt at the Women’s College World Series—McQuade’s decision stood. Neither ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro nor president Burke Magnus exercised their power to veto the move, as reported by The Athletic.
For Burke, the demotion is bittersweet. She made history in 2023 when she was elevated to the NBA Finals analyst role, becoming the first woman to hold such a position in the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL. Her journey at ESPN stretches back to 1991, covering both college and professional basketball, and she’s widely credited with advancing gender equality in sports broadcasting. As The Athletic recounted, “Burke was on the finals team for two years, becoming the first woman in history to be an analyst on one of the traditional four major American sports leagues.”
While Burke’s time on the No. 1 NBA team is ending, her tenure at ESPN will continue. The network confirmed she has signed a multi-year contract extension and will move to ESPN’s No. 2 NBA broadcast team, where she is expected to work alongside play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch. ESPN’s official statement noted that Burke will now “regularly work” with Pasch on NBA games, keeping her a visible and influential presence in the network’s basketball coverage.
The shakeup comes amid a period of instability for ESPN’s NBA broadcast teams. Since the 2023 firings of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson—longtime analysts who were let go amid wider company layoffs and, according to The Athletic, concerns about their continued interest in coaching—the network has struggled to find a consistent formula. Burke and Doc Rivers were initially promoted to join Breen, but Rivers soon left to coach the Milwaukee Bucks. JJ Redick was then tapped for the booth, only to depart after the 2024 Finals to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Richard Jefferson, who had worked his first Finals in June 2025, recently agreed to a new contract and will now be a regular on the network’s top team.
Legler’s promotion is the culmination of a long journey at ESPN. A former 10-year NBA veteran, Legler joined the network in 2000 and has been a staple on shows like SportsCenter and as an in-game analyst. Though he had been with ESPN for 25 years, it wasn’t until 2023 that he began regularly calling games. According to The Athletic, Legler played for six NBA teams, averaging 7.0 points per game and boasting a 43.1 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc. His analytical acumen and on-air chemistry with Breen and Jefferson were cited as key reasons for the change.
Burke’s supporters have not been shy in expressing disappointment. Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, whose team played in the 2025 NBA Finals, publicly lauded Burke’s contributions to the profession, saying, “She’s done so much for the game and for women in broadcasting.” Richard Jefferson’s visible support during the Women’s College World Series also drew attention. Yet, as The Athletic and other outlets noted, these gestures did not sway ESPN’s leadership.
The move has sparked debate among fans and commentators alike. Some see Legler’s promotion as long overdue, with The Big Lead describing him as “one of the best NBA insiders on the network and grossly underused for years.” Others lament the loss of Burke’s unique voice on the game’s biggest stage, especially in light of the criticism the NBA Finals broadcast crew received during the 2025 season. As The Big Lead observed, “It doesn't feel that long ago that Burke was beloved by the NBA audience for her coverage of the game. Now, everyone hates everything, and the NBA Finals broadcast crew got a lot of hate this season.”
ESPN, for its part, has declined to comment in detail on the decision. Nevertheless, the network’s actions reflect a broader trend of constant evolution in sports media, with new faces and voices regularly reshaping how fans experience marquee events like the NBA Finals. As for Burke, her legacy as a trailblazer is secure, and her continued presence at ESPN ensures she will remain a prominent figure in basketball broadcasting for years to come. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Legler, Breen, and Jefferson as they take the reins for what promises to be a new era in NBA Finals coverage.
In the ever-shifting landscape of sports media, one thing is clear: change is the only constant, and the NBA Finals broadcast will once again sound just a bit different when June 2026 rolls around.
