THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 23, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
NY Post
New York Post
31 Jul 2023


NextImg:ESPN’s NBA succession plan: Hiring Doc Rivers, demoting Mark Jackson and promoting Doris Burke

ESPN is closing in on promoting Doris Burke to the NBA Finals, hiring Doc Rivers to join her and jettisoning Mark Jackson to the “B” team or off the network, The Post has learned.

In the wake of Jeff Van Gundy’s firing in late June, ESPN set their eyes on making Burke the first woman TV analyst on the NBA Finals and hiring Rivers to join Hall of Fame play-by-player, Mike Breen.

The deals are not finalized but are quickly moving in that direction.

This has left Jackson in peril.

Sources said Jackson could stay on and join play-by-player Mark Jones on the network’s second team. If he balks at that option, he could be headed out of ESPN.

ESPN declined to comment.

Van Gundy was a victim of ESPN’s talent layoffs. While Van Gundy was one of the best game analysts in sports, top ESPN executives were wary of his desire to coach again.

Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen during the 2023 NBA playoffs.
NBAE via Getty Images

Van Gundy was also critical of the NBA and its officiating, which the NBA has expressed disappointment at over the years and even this season, according to sources.

However, there is no evidence of an edict from the NBA to make a change.

While ESPN could have simply put Burke in for Van Gundy, there was a strong feeling that the combination of Jackson and Burke would not have the same chemistry as Jackson and Van Gundy.

Doris Burke is being promoted to ESPN's top NBA team.

Doris Burke is being promoted to ESPN’s top NBA team.
NBAE via Getty Images

Unlike Van Gundy, Burke and Rivers are popular at the league offices. The league has always been a fan of Rivers in the broadcast booth.  

In 2004, Rivers teamed with Al Michaels on the NBA Finals. Michaels has told a story of then-commissioner David Stern calling Rivers up and informing Rivers he was taking the job with ABC/ESPN.

Rivers has very close relationships with many in the media, as he counts Michaels and Breen among his good friends. 

With Rivers, like Van Gundy, ESPN faces the possibility he could return to coaching.

Doc Rivers is going to be hired by ESPN

Doc Rivers is going to be hired by ESPN
AP

Rivers was fired by the 76ers this offseason and they reportedly owe him $16 million over the next two years. Rivers was a candidate for the Suns’ head coaching job but did not get it. 

While ESPN made these moves on their own, a byproduct of them is that it will likely make the NBA commissioner Adam Silver and league executives happy.

On Friday, ESPN began the latest round of its layoffs, with several big names among the expect 20 on-air personalities being let go.

Network stalwarts Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Matt Hasselbeck, Steve Young and Todd McShay were some of the biggest names let go of by ESPN.



It marked the third round of layoffs by the “Worldwide Leader,” with the previous two focusing on behind-the-scenes workers.

The massive layoffs come as part of mandates from parent company Disney, which announced earlier this year that around 7,000 jobs would be eliminated.

READ MORE

ESPN is expected to keep the NBA in the next round of billion-dollar deals. With ESPN’s contract up in two years, it does not hurt to please the NBA.

And, while breaking up the historic crew of Van Gundy, Jackson and Breen was odd, the new confab of Breen, Burke and Rivers could be good.