• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Doris Burke Set to Make TV History With NBA Finals Call

  • The Hall of Famer is the first woman to call a major U.S. men’s championship on TV.
  • She has called the Finals on ESPN Radio for the last four years.
Oct 22, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN broadcasters Doris Burke (left) and Ryan Ruocco during the NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN analyst Doris Burke will make history Thursday night when she becomes the first woman to call any major U.S. men’s championship on television.

The Hall of Famer will call Game 1 of the Mavericks-Celtics Finals on ABC from Boston, working alongside Mike Breen and fellow first-time Finals broadcaster JJ Redick, who earlier this season replaced Doc Rivers on ESPN’s top team.

“Nervous as hell,” Burke said earlier this year when asked how she feels about calling the Finals. “If you happen to watch Game 1, I’m going to try and not have my voice quiver.” Burke then credited her many years as a sideline reporter for the Finals, as well as the mastery of Breen, Redick, and the entire production crew, as reasons why she feels more prepared and knows it will go well.

This isn’t Burke’s first time calling the NBA Finals. She was the series’ first female game analyst back in 2020 when she covered it on ESPN Radio, which she has done for every series since. She also spent nine years as the Finals’ lead sideline reporter. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame awarded Burke its Curt Gowdy Media Award in ’18.

Rivers and Burke, who has covered hoops at ESPN since 1991, earned their spots on the top team after the network let go of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. Van Gundy was one of 20 on-air talents laid off last summer, while Jackson reportedly parted ways with ESPN with two years left on his contract after being offered a demotion to the No. 2 broadcast crew.

Her teammate Redick is linked to the Lakers’ head coaching vacancy, which would mean his departing the network after the Finals, though he is not the only option on the table. Burke, on the other hand, should be calling Finals for years to come, as ESPN is reported to once again receive the NBA’s best media-rights package and keep the championship series on ABC.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Chelsea

Chelsea Club World Cup Run Banks at Least $100M for Mark Walter..

The Blues will likely take home between $100 million and $120 million.
TSU Hockey at Bridgestone

Tennessee State’s HBCU Hockey Ambitions Delayed at Least a Year

The school will not launch the first-of-its-kind program as intended.

Has the WNBA Outgrown the Matinee Madness of Camp Days?

Caitlin Clark will return from injury in a Wednesday noon game.
Jonas

Jonas Valančiūnas Is Cryptic About Nuggets Standoff in Lithuania

The Nuggets expect Valančiūnas to honor his NBA contract. 

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.
July 7, 2025

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
July 8, 2025

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 2, 2025

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.