After losing JJ Redick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason, ESPN has treated the NBA regular season as a trial for various game analysts. As the season nears its climax, Richard Jefferson emerges as the frontrunner. According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, ESPN and ABC plan to utilize Jefferson alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke during key national TV games for the remainder of the season, although there is no official confirmation yet regarding Jefferson’s role in the NBA Finals.
“The only three-person team they will have for the rest of the regular season is Mike Breen, Doris Burke, and Richard Jefferson,” Marchand reported on his podcast this week. “This seems to suggest that they might be the Finals team. However, it does raise questions if they’re not going to utilize any other trio from their current roster.” ESPN’s hesitation regarding Jefferson remains a point of interest.
Despite Jefferson’s capabilities, the 44-year-old’s contract is nearing its end, and he is being courted by Amazon Prime Video as they bolster their NBA broadcasting lineup. This predicament arose for ESPN when they opted not to officially replace Redick, even as competing networks like Amazon and NBC actively hire new talent.
Starting his broadcasting career by calling Brooklyn Nets games for YES Network post-retirement in 2018, the 17-year veteran and 2016 NBA champion joined ESPN in 2019, quickly rising to the network’s No. 2 NBA booth alongside Redick and announcer Ryan Ruocco. In December, Jefferson had a significant opportunity when he filled in for Burke during the NBA Cup final while she was unwell; the game attracted approximately three million viewers on ABC.
After experiencing setbacks with both Redick and Doc Rivers, ESPN entered the season without a definitive hierarchy among its broadcast teams. Jefferson has naturally excelled in this environment, pairing effectively with Breen and Burke; however, ESPN risks further disruptions if they secure Jefferson and later need to find a replacement.
