Mark Jackson laid off by ESPN with Doris Burke and Doc Rivers slated as replacements, AP source says

By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer

Add Mark Jackson to the list of ESPN reporters and commentators who have been laid off over the past five weeks.

Jackson was let go on Monday with two years remaining on his contract. With Jeff Van Gundy also being laid off in late June, ESPN is expected to replace them with Doris Burke and Doc Rivers, two people close to the move told The Associated Press.

They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they aren’t at liberty to publicly discuss personnel moves.

Burke and Rivers would join Mike Breen on ESPN and ABC’s top NBA broadcast crew.

Burke would be the first woman to serve as a game analyst for the NBA Finals on television. She has called the finals on ESPN Radio since 2020 and has been an analyst on ESPN’s NBA games since 2017.

Rivers, who was fired as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in May, called games on ESPN during the 2003-04 season.

Jackson first joined ESPN in 2006 before leaving in 2011 to take the head coaching job with the Golden State Warriors. He returned to the network in May 2014 after being fired by the Warriors.

Van Gundy had been the network’s top NBA analyst since 2007 and recently called a record 17th NBA Finals. Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson called 15 finals together.

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