The first game of the 2024 NBA Finals was a blowout victory for the Celtics, but for other reasons, it was also historical for Doris Burke.
While she was already long considered a legend in the industry, Burke joined ESPN’s lead NBA broadcasting team earlier this season. Later in the season, when broadcasting partner Doc Rivers left the booth to take over as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, JJ Redick took over and join Burke.
So as the two of them joined Mike Breen on the call for the NBA Finals, it’s worth noting that Burke’s appearance was legitimately historic during Game 1 on Thursday night. She became the first woman to serve as a game analyst on the television broadcast of a championship final in either the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL.
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
After the broadcast ended before the lead-in to SportsCenter, it was time for Redick to acknowledge this accomplish:
“I just want to say how proud I am of my teammate Doris Burke, who made history tonight calling this NBA Finals game. Look, I’m a newbie at this. I called my first tonight. It’s meaningless in the grand scheme of things. What she did tonight is historic. I’m so proud of you. I love you. It’s so great working with you.”
Burke seemed genuinely moved by the praise and told Redick not to make her cry because he is “the best” teammate.
Scott Van Pelt, who was hosting the evening SportsCenter show, echoed Redick’s comments and hoped that Burke was able to find time to enjoy her achievement.
