NBA analyst Doris Burke has been demoted from ESPN’s NBA Finals team, according to a report.
The Hall-of-Fame analyst made history in 2024 as the first female sportscaster to call the NBA Finals and returned to the booth for this year’s seven-game showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.
However, just two months later the 60-year-old has been ousted from the network’s No 1 team.
ESPN has demoted Burke and replaced her by promoting longtime network commentator Tim Legler, according to The Athletic.
And basketball fans welcomed the news after many slammed Burke during this year’s finals, claiming she ‘ruined’ the championship matchup.
‘Good call. She’s terrible,’ one fan claimed on social media, while another agreed adding: ‘Nothing against her– Absolutely the right call!’
Hall-of-Fame analyst Doris Burke reportedly has been demoted from ESPN’s NBA Finals team
Burke made history last year when she became the first female sportscaster to call the Finals
Others claimed that their basketball viewing experiences would be imprived by the decision to oust Burke and bring in Legler.
‘About time man she was hard to listen to,’ one posted, as another wrote: ‘(Now), I can finally enjoy watching NBA games.’
‘HUGE upgrade and a great decision by ESPN!!,’ said a third.
‘Move her back to being the lead sideline reporter and nobody would care if she’s on the Finals crew. Hell, she’s one of the best sideline reporters ever… but her as an analyst is terrible,’ one more complimentary social media user argued.
‘Very knowledgeable but her biased commentary and comments about SGA being a free throw merchant got her demoted. Can’t do that to the best player in the world,’ said another, suggesting her analysis of Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was specifically to blame for Burke’s demotion.
Burke joined ESPN in 1990 and has covered the finals since 2009.
She was a sideline reporter for ABC’s coverage from 2009-19 before serving as an analyst on ESPN Radio for the past four finals.
The sportscaster also made history in 2017 when she was named a regular NBA game analyst for ESPN – the first woman to hold the position for a full season.
Basketball fans welcomed the news after many slammed Burke during this year’s finals
Until 2024, the cable giant had featured the popular trio of play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, ex-coach Jeff Van Gundy and former player and coach Mark Jackson.
ESPN replaced the two with Doc Rivers and JJ Redick, who went on to take coaching positions with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively. The network then brought in Burke and Richard Jefferson.
Burke was behind the mic as the Oklahoma City Thunder managed to claim the franchise’s second-ever championship with a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
But fans quickly took to social media to vent their frustrations at her performance throughout the contest.
