NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics
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The 2025 NBA Finals aren’t just a battle between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, they’re a high-stakes test for ESPN’s broadcast booth. Mike Breen, Doris Burke, and Richard Jefferson form this year’s commentary team, but ESPN is expected to reassess its entire NBA on-air talent after the season, and Burke’s role is reportedly not guaranteed for next year, according to The Athletic.
Burke, who made history as the first woman to call the NBA Finals on television, has faced criticism for recent on-air missteps. Her comment calling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a “free-throw merchant” and a poorly received World War II joke involving Rudy Gobert sparked backlash from fans, as reported by Essentially Sports.
Constant Turnover in the Booth
If ESPN reshuffles the team, it would mark the third major change in two years. Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were let go in 2023. Doc Rivers briefly replaced them before returning to coaching, and JJ Redick was on the call before accepting the Lakers’ head coaching job. Jefferson, the current analyst, is reportedly being pursued by Amazon for its upcoming NBA package, as noted by Sports Media Watch.
Internally, Tim Legler is being discussed as a potential replacement if ESPN wants to move to a more traditional two-person booth alongside Breen.
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ESPN Bets Big on Inside the NBA
Starting next season, ESPN will integrate TNT’s iconic Inside the NBA studio show into its broadcasts. That means Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson will appear during halftime and postgame coverage on ESPN and ABC, thanks to a unique licensing deal between ESPN’s parent Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery. Full details were reported by Cinemablend.
It’s a huge studio upgrade for ESPN, but also creates uncertainty for existing on-air talent who may be shifted to smaller roles or other coverage windows.
The Inside the NBA partnership coincides with the NBA’s new $76 billion rights agreement that splits games between ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. As AP News reports, TNT is officially out, ending a four-decade run. NBC returns to the NBA for the first time since 2002, and Amazon becomes a primary streaming partner with exclusive national games and a rotating Conference Finals.
ESPN will continue to air the NBA Finals and one Conference Finals each season, but with fewer regular-season games on the calendar, the network is expected to reduce the number of production teams it uses.
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What’s at Stake for ESPN
This year’s Finals will likely serve as an audition for Breen, Burke, and Jefferson. If the trio delivers high-quality coverage and builds chemistry, ESPN may stick with them. If not, the network could make another move, possibly bringing in Legler or adjusting its booth format altogether.
With NBC and Amazon aggressively entering the market and Barkley’s crew set to join the fold, ESPN is entering a new, more competitive broadcast era. Getting this Finals presentation right matters more than ever.