ESPN has finally announced its reimagined NBA game and studio coverage plans for the 2023-24 season.
Here a few key takeaways:
• Malika Andrews to Lead All ESPN and ABC NBA Studio Coverage, Serving as the New Host of NBA Countdown.
• Two-Time NBA Executive of the Year Bob Myers joins ESPN as Analyst for NBA Countdown on ABC and Games
• Ryan Ruocco, JJ Redick, and Richard Jefferson form a new, Regular Broadcast Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Hubie Brown Enters 20th Season with ESPN and Unprecedented 50th Season in the NBA
Moreover, NBA Champion Head Coach Doc Rivers will join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcasters.
Doris Burke and Mike Breen to form the new lead commentator team. The trio, with reporter Lisa Salters, will call the NBA Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs, Christmas Day game, and the NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC series.
The team will debut during ESPN’s opening week of NBA coverage starting in October.
Furthermore, ESPN has reached a multi-year deal with Rivers and a multi-year extension with Burke.
Doris Burke, who has called the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio for the last four seasons, will become the first woman to serve as a television analyst for the championship event. She was also the NBA Finals on ABC sideline reporter for nine years.
Mike Breen is entering his 19th season as the voice of the NBA Finals and ESPN’s lead NBA play-by-play commentator.
Malika Andrews, the host of NBA Today and Wednesday editions of NBA Countdown, will now host all of ESPN and ABC’s NBA Countdown shows, including NBA Finals pregame and halftime broadcasts. Andrews, an accomplished reporter, will continue to host NBA Today in addition to her new role.
Analyst Stephen A. Smith, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame journalist Michael Wilbon, and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski will all return to the show.
Myers joins Andrews, Smith, Wilbon, and Wojnarowski to round out the new lead NBA Countdown team.
The Wednesday and Friday editions of NBA Countdown on ESPN will be hosted by Andrews, with analysts Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, and Chiney Ogwumike and Wojnarowski reporting.
ESPN has formed a second core NBA broadcast team for the season ahead. It will pair play-by-play voice Ryan Ruocco with analysts JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson.
The team will call the NBA Sunday Showcase series on ABC, plus work together for other marquee events throughout the season and into the NBA Playoffs.
Jefferson’s expanded game analyst role is part of a multi-year extension with ESPN. The team will debut during ESPN’s opening week of NBA coverage starting in October.
ESPN play-by-play commentators Mark Jones and Dave Pasch will also return to call NBA games in 2023-24. Jones served as Sacramento Kings’ play-by-play voice and has called events for 33 years for ESPN. He joined in 1990.
ESPN NBA Game Commentator Lineups:
• Play-by-Play: Mike Breen; Ryan Ruocco; Mark Jones; Dave Pasch
• Analysts: Doris Burke, Doc Rivers, JJ Redick, Richard Jefferson, Hubie Brown, Bob Myers
• Reporters: Lisa Salters, Cassidy Hubbarth, Monica McNutt, Katie George, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, Jorge Sedano
Malika Andrews will continue to host NBA Today, ESPN’s weekday afternoon NBA show, which is now entering its third season. Andrews will join analysts Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, and senior writers Zach Lowe and Ramona Shelburne.
On select dates, Ogwumike will be the host as she did last season. NBA Today airs Monday through Friday on ESPN from 3-4 p.m. ET.
