Has ESPN’s Decision Hurt Doris Burke’s Legacy as First Woman to Call NBA Finals on TV?

“We live in a little bit of a funky business in that you are living contract to contract.” 

Those were Doris Burke’s own words of insecurity about media jobs to Andrew Marchand in 2019. Farsighted (safe to say). Yes, the media world is a race with no finish line. It is always on the hook, always chasing the next perfect call, the sharper headline, the cleaner delivery. It’s a treadmill that never slows, and even the best are forced to run harder just to stay in place. But on August 28, the chase froze. Headlines read: “Doris Burke has been demoted by ESPN.”

What happened with Doris Burke at ESPN?

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported Thursday that ABC/ESPN demoted Hall of Famer Doris Burke from its NBA Finals team. Who could have possibly predicted that move with the seasoned Doris Burke? It is now a reality that refuses to settle. People want clarity, closure, or at the very least, an explanation. Yet the most irresistible question of them all circles back to a single word. Why?

ESPN, of course, has kept its lips sealed. But here’s the new equation:

Burke leaves behind her groundbreaking run as the first woman to analyze a Finals broadcast in America’s four major leagues. And now Tim Legler (25-plus years with ESPN) joins forces with Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson to call the NBA Finals. Jefferson, fresh off his debut in June, locked in a new deal to stay with ESPN. But for Burke, the chapter isn’t closed from ESPN, but the Finals.

According to Marchand, media executives were already in talks over a contract extension with Burke as her deal wraps after this season. However, the announcement still landed as his report claimed Bruke could likely shift to ESPN’s No. 2 broadcast team. And within hours, ESPN delivered:

Doris Burke has signed a multi-year extension with ESPN, the network announced. She will be on ESPN’s No. 2 NBA broadcast team with play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch.

Yes, that was The Athletic’s tweet on August 28. Meanwhile, in 2024, Celebritynetworth.com valued the 60-year-old’s fortune at $4 million. That figure continues to rise steadily, fueled by an ESPN salary that hands her a cool million each year. But coming back to the extension, why was it necessary?

Was ESPN truly celebrating Doris Burke’s trailblazing journey, or was it quietly tucking her legacy away in the background? Balancing is the right way to portray.

Besides, the common emotion towards the 60-year-old Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer wasn’t so pleasant. Several controversial commentaries during live games brought the spotlight to Doris Burke.

EssentiallySports’ Uncover: the possible reasons behind the demotion

Doris Burke no longer sits well with many NBA fans, even though in the 2010s, she ranked among the most admired voices (with little backlash). So, when exactly did the tide turn? Popular opinion, after hearing her for decades, is, she thrived more as a sideline reporter. Yes, she rose higher, but recent live game moments sparked the shift and stirred opinions that might have forced ESPN to take the hard call.

While on the call, she slipped in a surprising history note after Rudy Gobert dunked on Isaiah Hartenstein. “I don’t know much about history, but I know the French and German don’t like one another,” she declared as the replay rolled before the break.

She did not stop there, adding with flair, “And Rudy says, ‘Bonjour, Mr. Hartenstein, have a little bit of that left-handed dunk!'” That sparked instant confusion from Mike Breen, who cut in with, “What are you trying to start here?” As expected, social media erupted almost instantly. Clips of the Second World War references flooded timelines, and fans were hilariously split over whether to laugh, groan, or shake their heads.

Bruke had said the same in Game 1 when critics accused him of foul baiting. And then, as SGA returned to the line, Burke remarked, “This is why he’s called the free throw merchant,” after his dazzling 40-point, 9 rebound, 10 assist masterclass sealed OKC’s 128-126 win.

Too many fumbles, hard to ignore! And maybe that’s why, when fans complained how ‘unbearable’ Burke had become, ESPN began dropping hints.

ESPN might have hinted at the major shift

Locking in Richard Jefferson may have given the network a moment of calm. Yet July 2025 erupted with a jaw-dropping curveball. NBA insider Ary revealed, “BREAKING: Doris Burke’s role as an analyst for the NBA Finals broadcast for ESPN is under serious internal review and is expected to be removed, league and industry sources say.” The report shook the sports media waters, sparking fiery debates and leaving Burke’s future dangling in uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Andrew Marchand revealed that the storm inside ESPN boiled down to chemistry and controversy, with executives debating how Doris Burke clicked on air and if her sharper moments backfired.

The buzz circled “if they feel Burke is better on a two-person team as opposed to the three-person team.” Moreover, Marchand noted she “hasn’t seemed to mesh as well with Breen,” since their calls rarely built together. All speculations so far, because the reason can be more than one. It depends on who speaks first, Bruke or ESPN, because it will come at some point in life.

Thus, this Doris Burke saga feels less like a quiet shuffle and more like a headline still being written as details await more truth. She has the accolades, the paycheck, and even the extension, yet the spotlight flickers with questions that refuse to die. Is this a graceful pivot or a subtle exile? Either way, Burke’s chapter remains deliciously unfinished.