Doris Burke has mentored many analysts and broadcasters.
However, she will be one of the announcers who helped pave the way for Burke to become the first woman to serve as a TV game analyst for a championship game in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues, which she will watch with pride. Thursday night.
Before calling Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics, Burke said Robin Roberts was one of her biggest influences when she was starting out as an analyst calling women’s college basketball games.
Roberts, co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” said Burke’s appreciation for those who came before her is among her best qualities.
“What I really appreciate about Doris is that she is respectful and recognizes those who came before her and who helped pave the way. She knows how her presence there will make a difference, just as I and others have made a difference, for her to be where she is,” Roberts said.
Burke, who joined ESPN in 1990, has covered the Finals since 2009. She was a sideline reporter for ABC’s coverage from 2009 to 2019 before serving as an analyst on ESPN Radio for the past four Finals.
Burke knows this year’s task is different.
“My focus is to prepare for the games ahead. …But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m kind of aware that there’s something significant here, right,” she said. “And the meaning for me would be if, in some way, this task made the lives of women in sport easier or in some way helped their process, then nothing could be more meaningful.
“Anyone calling their first NBA Finals game would probably be nervous, and I think if I allow my mind to wander into that space too much, it will make those nerves a little worse.”
Ann Meyers Drysdale, the first woman to work an NBA game for one of NBC’s broadcast networks in 1997, said Burke deserved this opportunity.
“She worked hard. Someone gave her an opportunity, she took advantage of it and she was productive,” Meyers said.
Burke also acknowledged that he feels “happy to be operating at the point in history that I am operating at.” Quite simply, she saw the experiences that Roberts and Meyers went through, breaking barriers while forging their own path. But Burke is also in a position to mentor upcoming analysts and broadcasters.
“I say that every time I see her and Ann Meyers Drysdale. I wouldn’t have the role and position I have without them not only doing the job, but doing it with such skill and diligence,” said Sarah Kustok, Brooklyn Nets game analyst at YES Network. “The way she thrived in that role set the stage for so many of us.”
Burke’s influence goes beyond basketball. Jessica Mendoza said she pressured ESPN management to start playing baseball after seeing Burke call a game. Mendoza began playing MLB games in 2015, was part of “Sunday Night Baseball” from 2016-19 and has been a part of the World Series on ESPN Radio since 2020.
“When I heard Doris at an NBA game as an analyst, not a reporter, it completely changed my opinion about my own position, but also about women in general who play the sport,” Mendoza said. “She helped me with advice and how to approach things like she experienced in the early years. You know, all the questions I can only ask a handful of women in the world.”
During a conference call this week, Burke didn’t get emotional when discussing his milestone, but rather when praising his teammates — broadcaster Mike Breen and analyst JJ Reddick.
Breen will be calling his 19th final, but his first since 2006 where Jeff Van Gundy is not an analyst. Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were fired last July as part of the network’s job cuts. Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson 15 finals called together.
Last August, Breen, Burke and Doc Rivers were announced as ESPN’s top NBA team. Those plans changed in late January when Rivers left to coach the Milwaukee Bucks.
“He never said it was difficult, but knowing Mike and the position he’s in, you know, it probably wasn’t easy, necessarily, throughout the year,” Burke said. “There are times when Mike has led us through spaces and I am extremely grateful. JJ has been as good a teammate on and off the air as I could hope for.”
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