ESPN announces major broadcast change for NBA Cup showpiece after refusing to make decision on commentary booth

ESPN has made public their choice of who will be included in the NBA Cup Championship Game broadcast booth.

In the past, the network has declined to discuss the future of its NBA lead analyst duo.

ESPN revealed on Friday that Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson, two experts, will accompany play-by-play commentator Mike Breen as he calls the NBA Cup Championship Game.

Jefferson might take third place on the elite NBA broadcast team, according to the statement.

The future of the presumed lead trio has not yet been disclosed by ESPN.

Doc Rivers was a member of the broadcast team during the start of the 2023–24 NBA Season last year.

But once Rivers resigned to become the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, the network brought in JJ Redick to take his position.

Redick, a former NBA player, left to coach the Los Angeles Lakers after calling the NBA Finals the previous season.

In an effort to locate their NBA Conference Finals and the Finals booth, ESPN has tried to recruit a second commentator to accompany Burke.

In the NBA 2024–25 season, which is still in its early stages, they have done this by mixing and matching broadcast teams.

When ESPN first announced its NBA broadcast intentions for this campaign, it mentioned Jefferson as well as analysts Tim Legler and Jay Bilas.

Breen, Burke, and Jefferson will call an NBA Cup semifinal game together for ESPN.

The three are probably being tested by the network to see how well they get along and whether they can operate a Finals booth.

On the other hand, ESPN will use Breen and Burke as a two-person crew for a quarterfinal match.

While the network is looking for someone to join Breen and Burke, ESPN content president Burke Magnus stated during an appearance on SI Media with Jimmy Traina that the third seat might stay open.

Reporter Lisa Salters will also comment on ESPN’s coverage of the NBA Cup Semifinal and Championship Game.

Reporter Cassidy Hubbarth will join us for the NBA Cup Quarterfinal.

On December 17, the NBA Cup Championship Game will be broadcast exclusively on ABC and ESPN+ from Las Vegas.

ESPN made the news after announcing earlier this month that it will begin airing Inside the NBA in 2025–2026.

Starring on the TNT program are Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and presenter Ernie Johnson.

Throughout the deal, TNT will keep producing Inside the NBA on its own from its studios in Atlanta.

TNT will stop airing the 21-time Emmy Award-winning program in the 2024–25 season.

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