ESPN Demotes Doris Burke From NBA Finals Coverage Team — Fans React

Basketball fans can expect some changes to ESPN’s NBA broadcasting team.

The Athletic confirmed on Thursday, August 28, that Doris Burke has been demoted from ABC/ESPN’s NBA Finals team, while commentator Tim Legler has been promoted to the No. 1 team. Legler will now handle finals coverage with Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson, the latter of whom recently agreed to a new ESPN contract after working his first finals back in June.

Burke made history in 2024 by becoming the first woman in TV history to cover a championship for one of the four major U.S. sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB) as an analyst. The Athletic previously reported in June that Burke’s No. 1 team spot was in jeopardy, with sources telling the outlet that ESPN executives were determining whether Burke worked better in a two-person or three-person broadcast team.

On Thursday, ESPN confirmed to the outlet that Burke had signed a multi-year extension and will work on the network’s No. 2 NBA broadcast team with Dave Pasch.

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Rick Carlisle, the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, previously praised Burke amid speculation surrounding her future at ESPN. “I just want to say thank you to Doris for the example she has put forth for young women like my daughter,” he said in a June press conference, adding, “She has changed the game, and that’s the reason that she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a couple of years ago.”

Jefferson, meanwhile, showed his support for his colleague while attending the Women’s College World Series in June by sporting a T-shirt that read, “My favorite broadcaster is…Doris Burke.”

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Fans have shared their strong reactions to Burke’s demotion via social media. “Why yall don’t like her? I mean Tim is extremely knowledgeable and deserving also, but I really don’t get the Doris hate. What’s the issue?” one person wrote via X, while another called the decision a “big mistake.”

“There is no difference in my view; she should have been allowed to remain on the finals team,” someone else stated via X. A different user tweeted, “Move her back to being the lead sideline reporter and nobody would care if she’s on the Finals crew. Hell, she’s one of the best sideline reporters ever… but her as an analyst is terrible.”

Another person wrote that Burke “got screwed” by the reporting change, adding, “Knows 🏀, played as a collegian. NBA Coaches/Players respect her integrity. True Pro behind 🎤.” Sharing a different opinion, a separate user stated, “Thank you. No malice towards her but I couldn’t.”