ESPN has unveiled its highly anticipated roster of NBA game commentators for the 2025-26 season, bringing fresh perspectives and familiar voices to fans across the globe. A significant highlight is the formation of a new lead broadcast team, alongside key contract extensions for popular analysts, promising an engaging viewing experience for the upcoming basketball season. These changes highlight ESPN’s commitment to delivering top-tier NBA coverage with experienced and beloved commentators.
🎤 A New Lead Team Takes Center Stage
ESPN is excited to announce that veteran analyst Tim Legler will join the network’s main NBA broadcast team. He will team up with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen, analyst and NBA Champion Richard Jefferson, and esteemed reporter Lisa Salters. This dynamic quartet is set to call some of the biggest games of the season, including the prestigious NBA Finals on ABC, the thrilling Conference Finals, high-stakes games during the first and second rounds of the NBA Playoffs, a special Christmas Day matchup, and the marquee NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC. This year marks Tim Legler’s 25th anniversary with ESPN, where he has served as an analyst since 2000.
✍️ Richard Jefferson Continues His Journey
NBA Champion Richard Jefferson has signed a new multi-year agreement with ESPN, cementing his role as a key voice in their NBA coverage. Jefferson, who served as an NBA Finals analyst for the first time in 2025, originally joined ESPN in 2019 as a studio analyst. Fans can look forward to hearing him continue to call ESPN’s top NBA games, bringing his valuable insights and experience from his playing career directly to the broadcast booth. He will also make select appearances in the studio.
🌟 Doris Burke’s Enduring Legacy Extended
In another significant development, ESPN has extended its multi-year agreement with the highly respected analyst and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Doris Burke. Burke will continue to be a prominent voice, calling high-profile NBA games across ESPN and ABC, including the popular NBA Sunday Showcase series. Her assignments will span a full slate of games throughout the regular season and into the intense NBA Playoffs. She will regularly work alongside play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch. With this new deal, Doris Burke’s remarkable tenure at ESPN will stretch beyond 35 years, having first covered basketball for the network in 1991. Her impressive career includes assignments for 17 NBA Finals, serving as a game analyst for six of them and a sideline reporter for eleven.
📺 Commitment to Top-Tier Broadcast Talent
These announcements underscore ESPN’s dedication to maintaining a strong and experienced team of broadcasters. By securing veteran talent like Tim Legler, Richard Jefferson, and Doris Burke, along with previous extensions for figures such as Lisa Salters, ESPN ensures that viewers will continue to receive expert analysis and engaging commentary for the biggest moments in the NBA. Fans can anticipate a season filled with insightful discussions and exciting play-by-play action from these familiar and respected voices.
