ESPN/ABC NBA Broadcast Team Sees Major Changes: Doris Burke Demoted, Tim Legler Elevated
August 28, 2025 | Boston — ESPN/ABC has announced a significant revamp of its NBA broadcasting lineup, demoting Doris Burke from the top team and promoting Tim Legler. Burke, a trailblazer in sports media and a former Providence College star, has served as a color analyst for ESPN/ABC’s premier broadcast team since the 2023-24 season, making history as the first woman to call a championship game in a major American men’s professional sports league during the 2024 NBA Finals.
Despite the role change, Burke, who is also a recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award, has agreed to a multiyear contract extension and will now team up with Dave Pasch on ESPN’s No. 2 crew. The identity of the sideline reporter remains unconfirmed, though Katie George is a potential candidate.
Tim Legler, an accomplished former NBA player and 3-point contest champion, will join play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and analyst Richard Jefferson in the No. 1 slot. Lisa Salters will continue her role as the sideline reporter. Legler has been with ESPN since 2000, taking on various roles in basketball analysis.
ESPN’s NBA broadcast team has experienced considerable shifts in recent years, particularly after the summer 2023 firings of long-standing analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. Following their departure, Burke was elevated, and Doc Rivers joined but left mid-season to coach the Milwaukee Bucks. JJ Redick briefly filled the analyst role but left after the Celtics’ 2023-24 championship victory.
The restructuring marks a new chapter for ESPN’s NBA coverage as they continue to adapt and evolve their lineup to keep up with viewer preferences.
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