Tim Legler replaces Doris Burke on ESPN’s lead NBA team
ESPN announced on Thursday changes to its NBA broadcasting teams before the 2025-26 season – among which, a promotion for Tim Legler and a contract extension (but also a demotion) for Doris Burke.
Legler will join the main team of the NBA of the network, which also includes the advertiser Play-by-Play Mike Breen, his other analyst Richard Jefferson and journalist Lisa Salters.
This team will call the NBA 2026 finals on ABC, as well as the conference finals, several qualifying matches in the first and second round, a Christmas match and NBA matches on Saturday at ABC.
Legler is a former NBA companion who won the three -point shooting competition in the League during the 1996 stars festivities. He retired as a player in 2000 and joined ESPN as an analyst the same year.
ESPN did not provide details on the extension of the Burke contract, except to say that it is for several years. According to a press release, Burke will call “the complete slates of matches throughout the regular season and the NBA qualifiers” on ESPN and ABC with the advertiser Play-by-Play Dave Pasch.
Burke has been with ESPN since 1991 and joined the NBA NBA broadcast team in 2023. When she called the NBA 2024 final, she became the first woman to serve as a television game analyst for a championship game in one of the four major American male sports leagues.
In 2018, Burke received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for exceptional contributions to basketball.
The news that the future of Burke with the main team of the NBA was underway was reported for the first time by athletics in June before the 2025 final. Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took the floor to support Burke at his press conference before match 1.
“She changed the game for women in broadcasting,” said Carlisle. “Doris is an excellent example of courage and get there.”
Also on Thursday, ESPN announced a multi -year extension for Jefferson, who has been working in the network since 2019 and called its first NBA final this year.
