ESPN is making sure analyst Doris Burke is a part of its NBA coverage for years to come.
On Tuesday, the network announced that Burke had agreed to a multi-year extension which will keep her on top NBA broadcasts for ESPN and ABC during the regular season and playoffs. Often paired with Mark Jones or Ryan Ruocco on play-by-play, Burke is the first woman to be a full-time national NBA game analyst for a network.
Additionally, Burke will continue as the color commentator for the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio, a role she’s had since 2020.
“Doris is recognized and admired across the media industry and in the NBA for her ability to educate, inform, entertain, and teach the game,” said ESPN senior coordinating producer Tim Corrigan.
“Her passion for the craft combined with her ability to connect and build trust with the audience is as good as anyone in the business. Doris is a star and we are thrilled to continue with her trailblazing career.”
Burke has covered basketball for ESPN since 1991, beginning with broadcasting WNBA and women’s college basketball telecasts before moving to men’s college basketball. She became part of the network’s NBA coverage for the 2003-04 season, working as a sideline reporter before moving to color commentary and analysis on NBA Countdown. Burke has been in her current role as game analyst since the 2017-18 season.
In 2018, Burke was honored with the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Prior to becoming a broadcaster, Burke was a star at Providence College, where she finished her career as the school’s single-season leader in assists and free throws (with which she also held the program’s career record). She was an assistant coach for the Friars for two seasons before moving to the broadcast booth, where she called Providence games on radio.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
