"God has answered my players" - Fans react to Doris Burke's job reportedly being in jeopardy

Doris Burke has been one of the faces of ESPN's NBA broadcasts since becoming a national game analyst in 2017. She, Mike Breen and former NBA champion Richard Jefferson will call their first NBA Finals as a trio when Game 1 between the OKC Thunder and the Indiana Pacers tips off on Thursday. However, it might be the only NBA Finals that they call together.

Fans argued on social media when news broke that ESPN could replace Burke on their NBA broadcasts next season. After rising through the ranks as a commentator since 1990, NBA fans have become familiar with her style. However, her contract is not a long-term deal like Breen's is, according to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.

“Burke’s spot is not guaranteed for next season, according to sources familiar with ESPN’s preliminary plans," Marchand said. "While Breen, the Basketball Hall of Famer under a long-term deal, is not going anywhere, ESPN will evaluate its entire roster.”

ESPN is preparing to usher in a new era of NBA coverage, absorbing the "Inside the NBA" crew after TNT lost its rights to broadcast NBA games. Burke could end up being a casualty of the transition, leaving ESPN a tall task when it comes to finding someone to fill her shoes.

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Fans were split on the issue. Burke is one of the more divisive commentators that covers the NBA. That sentiment could be seen in the slew of reactions to the reports surrounding her ahead of the Finals. For example, one fan is thankful that she could be gone soon.

Other fans took to Burke's defense, saying that they don't want her to go anywhere.

Who could ESPN choose to fill Doris Burke's spot?

Doris Burke, Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson will call this year's NBA Finals, but their future together is murky. While ESPN is absorbing one of the most popular shows in the NBA media world, changes to their roster of analysts and commentators are inevitable. If the company decides that moving on from Burke is their best option, one name leads the race to fill her seat: Tim Legler.

Legler played in the NBA for a decade before joining ESPN in 2000. Since then, he has grown into one of the company's lead basketball analysts and called games throughout the regular season and playoffs. While he and Jefferson overlap as former NBA players, Legler's approach to covering the game is different and could bring a new flavor to ESPN's top coverage team.

Even if ESPN decides to move on from Burke, she won't be done calling professional basketball games. NBC Sports could hire her to help cover games in their first year covering the NBA since the 2001-02 season. Alternatively, she has experience calling WNBA games for the New York Liberty and would likely be welcomed as a top commentator by the league.

About the author

Zachary Howell is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with a degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University and over a year of experience in the field.

Being introduced to the digital side of content inspired Zachary to become a writer, and his love of basketball made this an obvious transition.

His favorite team is the OKC Thunder, and Zachary started following them in 2011 when they were on the rise with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. His favorite basketball players from the past are Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. Those three came to define their eras of basketball and were dominant without beating their chests too much. Zachary is a big fan of quiet greatness and these three players are good embodiments of that.

When not writing or watching sports, Zachary enjoys reading and exercising, as well as gaming. He loves to be outside and spend time with friends and family, including his three dogs.

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Edited by Zachary Howell