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24 Hours After Mark Jackson’s Firing, 20-Year ESPN Veteran Buddy Voices His Shocking Reaction: “Hard to Come to Grips With”

Published 08/01/2023, 4:19 PM EDT

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 ESPN, owned by Disney, continues its process of layoffs. These layoffs are like a needle to the hearts of many. Because of it, NBA diehards won’t be able to listen to Mark Jackson in the next batch of NBA Finals. The voice that has spanned over two decades of the NBA echelons has to depart now. This journey has brought countless memorable NBA moments in which Jackson participated wholeheartedly.

As he departs, one of his co-commentators expresses sadness and disbelief

Mark Jackson is no longer part of ESPN

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As a player, Mark Jackson was one of the best passers and a gutsy players who wasn’t afraid of taking contact on either end. As a commentator, he also flourished and that’s why ESPN gave him the keys as one of the voices of the NBA Finals. Now fans won’t be able to catch him call the action for the biggest stage in the NBA.

One of his commonly used phrases was “I’d take better offense than better defense”. One of them “Mama, There Goes That Man” usually came when a superstar made a decisive play. Another one “Hand Down, Man Down” referred to when a defender doesn’t put the hand up on a jump shot and it results in a basket. 

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The firing of Jackson is the nail in the coffin for many NBA fans. Earlier, the network laid off Jalen Rose, and Jeff Van Gundy. The former Indiana Pacers star and Van Gundy called 100s of NBA games together and built a reputable portfolio. This portfolio is incomplete without the one who has called more than 100 NBA Finals, Mike Breen. The trio of Jackson, Breen, and Van Gundy is one of the most iconic ones in the NBA fanbase. 

Now, Breen charts a lonely world. First, it was former New York Knicks coach van Gundy and now it is Mark Jackson.

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Mike Breen left jaded

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Reacting to the news of the former Golden State Warriors‘ coach firing, an emotional Breen expresses to the NY Post, “They were the dream partners, All the accomplishments were because of what we did together. I really do feel personally any success I had was because I had those two guys next to me. They just provided everything you would want in analysts. They’re smart. They’re funny. Adding, “They’re knowledgeable about their sport. They’re opinionated.”

USA Today via Reuters

He continues, “They love their sport but are not afraid to criticize. They just had a little bit of everything. “And we came off a Finals that we were so proud of. It was another Finals together and it was really a great story of Denver winning for the first time and we were on a high after it was all done so to come to grips with that was our final telecast is hard.”

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The financial hits taken by Disney’s ESPN linear network have accounted for some of the best voices in the league. Breen’s emotions are understandable.

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Written by:

Shubham Singh

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Shubham is an NBA Writer at Essentially Sports. He became a fan of the NBA in late 2000s and his interest skyrocketed after Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks upset the Miami Heat in Six Games during 2011 NBA Finals. He loves looking into playing styles of different players and teams while also trying to analyse what circumstances shape a typical NBA game.
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Edited by:

Anupama Ghosh