Doris

ESPN announced some changes Thursday for its NBA broadcast teams going into the 2025-26 season — among them, a promotion for Tim Legler and a contract extension (but also a demotion) for Doris Burke.

Legler will join the network’s lead NBA crew, which also includes play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, fellow analyst Richard Jefferson and reporter Lisa Salters.

That team will call the 2026 NBA Finals on ABC, as well as the conference finals, several first- and second-round playoff games, a Christmas Day game and NBA Saturday Primetime games on ABC.

Legler is a former NBA journeyman who won the league’s three-point shooting contest during the 1996 All-Star festivities. He retired as a player in 2000 and joined ESPN as an analyst the same year.

ESPN did not provide details on Burke’s contract extension, other than to say it is for multiple years. According to a press release, Burke will call “full slates of games throughout the regular season and the NBA playoffs” on ESPN and ABC with play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch.

Burke has been with ESPN since 1991 and joined the network’s lead NBA broadcast team in 2023. When she called the 2024 NBA Finals, she became the first woman to serve as a TV game analyst for a championship-round game in one of the four major professional U.S. men’s sports leagues.

In 2018, Burke received the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Media Award for outstanding contributions to basketball.

The news that Burke’s future with the lead NBA team was up in the air was first reported by The Athletic in June ahead of the 2025 Finals. Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle spoke in support of Burke during his news conference before Game 1.

“She’s changed the game for women in broadcasting,” Carlisle said. “Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there.”

Also on Thursday, ESPN announced a multi-year extension for Jefferson, who has been with the network since 2019 and called his first NBA Finals this year.

Ireland: Keenan; Osborne, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Bealham; McCarthy, Beirne; O’Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Herring, Healy, Clarkson, Ryan, Conan, Baird, Murray, Crowley.

France: Ramos; Penaud, Barassi, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Gros, Mauvaka, Atonio; Flament, Guillard; Cros, Boudehent, Alldritt.

Replacements: Marchand, Baille, Aldegheri, Meafou, Auradou, Jegou, Jelonch, Lucu.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris, Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong have been ruled out of Saturday’s Six Nations game against Wales in Cardiff.

Leinster back row Doris has picked up a knee injury, while hooker Kelleher is struggling with a neck issue.

Prop Furlong missed Ireland’s wins over England and Scotland, and while the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said he was “making good progress” on Sunday, he remains unavailable.

After facing Wales, there is another down week before Ireland host France at Aviva Stadium on 8 March.

“We’re hoping they’ll be available for France, they’re just going through their processes they do with the physios, but they’re all making good progress,” said Ireland attack coach Andrew Goodman.

With Ulster’s Iain Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu also ruled out, Ireland called up six players on Sunday, including Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney.

Munster forwards Gavin Coombes and John Hodnett and Leinster back row Diarmuid Mangan were also added to interim boss Simon Easterby’s panel on Sunday.

“There are some guys who have been playing well for their provinces in those positions that are ready for an opportunity, so it’s exciting for them,” added Goodman.

When asked who will captain Ireland against Wales in Doris’ absence, Goodman said: “There’s some good leaders in the squad.

“The leadership group’s been growing well over the past couple of years and there’s a number of players who have captained their provinces, so we have some good options there.”