Doris Burke has long been regarded as one of the most respected NBA color analysts. On Sunday, up-and-coming NBA analyst Dwyane Wade praised Burke for her remarkable ability to break down an entire half’s worth of action in just 30 seconds. During ESPN’s broadcast of the matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Burke expertly summarized how the Timberwolves overcame a 12-point first-quarter deficit to lead 63-61 at halftime in a fast-paced game.
.@dwyanewade is all of us watching Doris Burke games 👏
He had to give Doris her flowers 💐 pic.twitter.com/JGtZxKSl2I
— espnW (@espnW) February 24, 2025
“Well, that was entertaining,” said ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, to which Burke responded, “So much fun. The pace was incredible. It was a 40-point second quarter dominated by Minnesota. The action in the final minute was extraordinary. Naz Reid’s contributions were critical to the comeback, and Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) made a tough baseline play. This was a series of remarkable moments. The rookie (Jaylen) Clark is showing promise with plays like that three-pointer followed by the forced turnover into a tough bucket. Let’s hope the second half is just as exciting.”
This insightful first-half breakdown garnered attention from Wade, who missed the first half but was thankful for Burke’s recap, feeling like he had watched the game. In a post on X, Wade expressed, “Doris Burke just broke down the first half of this OKC/MIN game in about 30 seconds. She covered every play shown on the screen, making me feel like I had seen the first half (which I hadn’t). That’s incredibly hard to do! I have immense respect for the voices of our game.”
Doris Burke just broke down the first half of this OKC/MIN game in about 30secs. She hit on every play that was shown on the screen and It made me feel as tho I watched the first half( I didn’t) That so hard to do! I have so much respect for the voices of our game 👏🏾 👏🏾👏🏾 @NBA
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 24, 2025
As a Hall of Fame player who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, Wade has received rave reviews for his performance during the Olympics. With NBC set to partner with the NBA next season, he is likely to join their broadcasting team. In the meantime, he is clearly observing and learning from established analysts, like Doris Burke, as he hones his on-air skills.
