Rick Carlisle defends ESPN's Doris Burke, slams network leaks just days before Indiana Pacers' NBA Finals debut
Rick Carlisle and Doris Burke. Image via:|Just hours before the Indiana Pacers tipped off Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, head coach Rick Carlisle shifted the pregame narrative away from basketball and directly into the ESPN broadcasting booth.
Carlisle passionately defended longtime broadcaster Doris Burke amid swirling reports that she may not return to the network's top NBA broadcast crew next season. The well-timed show of support came in the wake of a report by The Athletic detailing potential changes to ESPN's lead trio of Burke, Mike Breen, and Richard Jefferson.
Rick Carlisle calls leaked ESPN reports "sad" and praises Burke's groundbreaking legacy
During his pregame press conference Thursday, Rick Carlisle used his opening remarks to praise Doris Burke, not for her Finals coverage, but for her astonishing impact on sports media.
'She's changed the game for women in broadcasting,' Carlisle said. 'Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there. It was just so sad to see these reports leaked, really, unnecessarily, before such a celebrated event.'
The coach's comments come as Burke faces growing scrutiny from some viewers and uncertainty over her future with ESPN. While Mike Breen is reportedly signed long-term, Burke and Jefferson are both out of contract after the Finals.
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According to The Athletic, ESPN is weighing whether to scale back from a three-person booth that could leave Burke on the outside.
Carlisle, also president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, made his personal stake in the matter clear by citing his daughter and the many female professionals inspired by Burke's work.
'I have a daughter who just turned 21… Doris is a friend,' he said. 'There are many women she's paved the way for—Sarah Kustok, Lisa Byington, Kate Scott, Monica McNutt, Katy Wenge, Zora Stephenson, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Marney Gellner… I just want to say thank you to Doris for the example she has put forth for young women like my daughter.'
Carlisle also addressed Burke's basketball IQ, joking, 'I've asked her many times, why don't you get into coaching? She has such great knowledge.'
Criticism of Burke reached a boiling point when she referred to Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a 'free-throw merchant,' sparking online backlash. Burke addressed the negativity on The ESPN Communications Podcast, saying, 'Usually, I can tell I'm doing a decent job when multiple fan bases are pissed off at me… I love SGA. Absolutely love him.'
Also Read:
'Get your hands off me': Shaquille O'Neal throws Stephen A Smith out during pregame show in a lighthearted moment
While her future at ESPN remains uncertain, Burke certainly has powerful allies, including Carlisle.
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