ABC’s coverage of the NBA Finals will begin on Thursday night and with it, a little bit of history will be made. The broadcast team will feature the ESPN/ABC top team of Mike Breen, Doris Burke and JJ Redick along with sideline reporter Lisa Salters. Burke has called the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio as an analyst for the last four years and before that spent nine years doing sidelines for ABC. This week she will become the first woman to serve as a television game analyst for any major men’s professional championship.
Mike Breen will handle play-by-play duties, marking his 19th consecutive NBA Finals. To date, Breen has called 100 NBA Finals games. Redick will call his first NBA Finals as he joined the team in February after Doc Rivers left to become the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Redick is rumored to be the top candidate to replace Darvin Ham and be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Malika Andrews will also be working her first NBA Finals as the host of NBA Countdown. She will host pregame and halftime shows along with Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers, Michael Wilbon, Adrian Wojnarowski and guest analyst Josh Hart of the New York Knicks.
ESPN Radio will carry each game of the finals as well. Marc Kestecher will call the play-by-play and will be joined by analyst P.J. Carlesimo and reporter Jorge Sedano.
