Doris Burke, First Woman TV Analyst For An NBA Final, Saluted By LeBron James

Bruce Haring
·2-min read

The King has recognized The Queen.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James acknowleged a historic broadcasting moment ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

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Doris Burke, the longtime ESPN broadcaster, became the first woman to serve as a TV analyst for a championship final in one of the four major professional sports. Burke was working tonight’s Game 1 of the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.

James noted the milestone just before the game started.

“Important moment for our sport tonight. Love and respect to DB and everything she does to elevate all of us!” James wrote, then added a GOAT emoji, denoting the Greatest of All Time.

“My focus is in preparing for the games in front of me. … But I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I am sort of mindful that there is something meaningful here, right,” Burke said. “And the meaning for me would be if, in some way, this assignment makes life for women in sports easier or somehow aids in their process, then nothing could be more meaningful.

“Anybody calling their first NBA Finals game would probably be nervous, and I think if I allow my mind to drift too much into that space, it will make that nervousness a little bit worse.”

In 2020, Burke was a radio analyst for the conference and NBA Finals, the first woman to broadcast that deep into the tournament.

Burke has worked for ESPN since 1990, and has been a sideline reporter for ABC’s NBA Finals coverage from 2009-19 before moving over to the radio booth.

She joins play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and fellow analyst JJ Redick in the trio’s first NBA Finals together.

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