ESPN has demoted Basketball Hall of Fame NBA analyst Doris Burke and promoted Tim Legler to her position, the Athletic reported on Thursday (August 28).
Burke spent the past two year on ESPN's NBA Finals broadcasts, making her the first woman to call the league's championship series on television. Legler, who has contributed to ESPN since 2000, will join Hall of Fame play-by-play man Mike Breen and former NBA champion Richard Jefferson as the network's No. 1 NBA broadcast team.
Breen is currently signed to a long-term deal while Jefferson, who made his NBA Finals broadcasting debut in June, recently agreed to a new contract. The Athletic had previously reported that ESPN was considering reevaluating and discussing Burke's role, with belief that she could thrive more on a two-person broadcast team, rather than a three-person team.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, whose team lost the series in seven games, publicly praised Burke amid reports of her role being in jeopardy, while Jefferson wore a shirt that stated, "My favorite broadcaster is...Doris Burke" at the Women's College World Series. The decision was reportedly made by ESPN executive vice president Mike McQuade, while chairman Jimmy Pitaro and president Burke Magnus both had the option to veto the move, but declined to do so.
This story is brought to you by the Women's Sports Audio Network (WSAN). WSAN is the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. WSAN celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports. Check out more on the WSAN site.