While the Celtics outclassed the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, commentator Doris Burke did something unprecedented. She became the first woman to commentate a men’s final live on television in one of the four major American professional sports.
Doris Burke is used to breaking barriers. She did it again last night, with the humility that characterizes her so much. His ESPN colleague JJ Redick did not forget to pay tribute to him live on TV, while others like LeBron James did so through sympathetic messages on Twitter.
Important moment for our sport tonight. Love and respect to DB and everything she does to elevate all of us! You’re a ????! ????????????????
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 7, 2024
A former NCAA player, Doris Burke began her career commentating college women’s basketball games. Then she moved to the WNBA on MSG, which gave her the opportunity to commentate the Knicks on radio and television (a first for a woman). From the Knicks, she moved more broadly to the NBA where her role at ESPN grew from strength to strength.
Arriving at ESPN in the early 1990s, Doris Burke was a courtside reporter for the channel for a long time, notably for the 2009 to 2019 NBA Finals. But she began commentating on NBA regular season games in 2017 (the first for a woman ). After working with ESPN Radio to commentate on the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals (first for a woman), Burke was integrated into the number 1 team of commentators after the departures of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson last year. This is how Doris now finds herself alongside Mike Breen and JJ Redick on the biggest stage possible.
What else can we say other than “respect” and “well done”?
JJ Redick shouts out Doris Burke on making history in the NBA Finals ????????@jj_redick | @heydb pic.twitter.com/vpPa6IehVt
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 7, 2024
2024-06-07 10:04:00
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