The 2025 NBA Finals could be the first and last for ESPN’s current top broadcasting trio.
The future of the booth featuring longtime play-by-play voice Mike Breen and analysts Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson is up in the air, as Burke’s spot “is not guaranteed for next season” and Jefferson is on an expiring contract, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported Wednesday.
Jefferson has drawn interest from Amazon, the report said, ahead of its first season airing NBA games starting in the fall, though ESPN “intends” on bringing the former Nets star back.
One factor ESPN will weigh is whether Burke would be better suited as part of a two-person or three-person broadcast crew, according to The Athletic.
Burke rose to ESPN’s No. 1 NBA team after the network dumped Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy following the 2023 NBA Finals.
Doc Rivers, who had been fired by the 76ers, originally joined Burke and Breen, but he then left to become the Bucks’ head coach in January 2024.
JJ Redick replaced Rivers, but his tenure was also short-lived as he took the Lakers’ head coaching job last June.
TNT just completed its final season broadcasting NBA games in the U.S., though the acclaimed “Inside the NBA” will air on ESPN beginning next season through a licensing deal.
Amazon has reached deals with Ian Eagle and Kevin Harlan to be its top play-by-players next season, while game analysts will include Stan Van Gundy, Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash.
NBC will have Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle calling games, with Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford joining them as game analysts. Michael Jordan has also joined NBC as a special contributor.
