ESPN has spent the past two years making major changes to its NBA staff, as their NBA coverage team was hit hard by layoffs and has seen some unexpected departures on top of those firings. The top broadcast booth, in particular, has been a revolving door over the past two seasons after being one of the most consistent lead booths in sports for the decade prior.
Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were laid off before the 2023-24 season, with Doris Burke being elevated to the top booth alongside Mike Breen and ESPN bringing back Doc Rivers to join them. Rivers lasted just a few months before bolting back to an NBA bench, taking the Milwaukee Bucks job in the middle of last season, creating some turmoil for ESPN’s lead broadcast team. JJ Redick was eventually elevated into that third seat, but he left at the end of the season for a coaching opportunity of his own with the Los Angeles Lakers.
To start the season, ESPN just kept Breen and Burke together as a tandem, but eventually moved Richard Jefferson up into that third seat. Until Monday, ESPN had not committed to Jefferson being part of the top crew for postseason, but the network has now officially announced he would indeed be joining with Breen and Burke for the rest of the season and would be on the call with them for the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals in May and June.
Jefferson has been a good fit between Breen and Burke, as he’s adept at breaking down the game but really shines in helping bring Burke’s full personality out in a way Redick did not. That group has been more entertaining this year with Jefferson while still being able to provide great insight into the basketball being played.