ESPN's Lisa Salters missing Game 2 of NBA Finals due to personal matter after partner Stephanie White sits out Fever game
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Lisa Salters will miss ABC's broadcast of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Image 2 shows Lisa Salters (r.) interviews Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (l.) after Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5, 2025, Image 3 shows Fever coach Stephanie White (l.) with Caitlin Clark (r.)
ESPN's top NBA sideline reporter will not be on the ABC broadcast of Game 2 of the NBA Finals Sunday night.
Lisa Salters is missing the Thunder-Pacers matchup in Oklahoma City due to a personal matter, according to multiple reports.
Advertisement
Jorge Sedano will fill in for Salters.
Lisa Salters will miss ABC's broadcast of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Getty Images
Lisa Salters (r.) interviews Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (l.) after Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images
While it's unclear what the personal matter is, Salters' partner, Fever head coach Stephanie White, missed her team's win over the Sky on Saturday due to what the Indianapolis Star described as a family emergency.
Assistant coach Austin Kelly was the acting head coach for the game.
'I really want to win for Steph, she's going through a tough time with her family right now,' Fever guard DeWanna Bonner told the Star before Saturday's game. 'We want to rally together and get this one for her, but it's also Austin's first time at the helm, so it's double-duty right now.'
Advertisement
Salters, who is also the sideline reporter for 'Monday Night Football,' was a part of ABC's broadcast of the Pacers' Game 1 win on Thursday.
Fever coach Stephanie White (l.) with Caitlin Clark (r.) Getty Images
She's been with ESPN for 25 years, joining the network's NBA coverage in 2005 and taking over the 'Monday Night Football' sideline duties in 2012. She was previously a sideline reporter on ABC's college football broadcasts from 2006-10.
Salters, 59, and White, 47, live in Nashville and share four sons, according to the Indianapolis Star.
White was previously married to high-school sweetheart Brent McCarty; they got divorced in 2002.
Game 3 of the Thunder-Pacers series is set for Wednesday night in Indianapolis.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Top 5 Young Cores in the NBA Right Now, Including the Detroit Pistons
These five NBA teams have built foundations that could put them in title contention for years to come. Here's a look at the 5 most exciting and promising young cores set up to dominate the future of the NBA. Honorable Mention: Indiana Pacers Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Tyrese Haliburton (25), Andrew Nembhard (25), Aaron Nesmith (25) Advertisement Given the Pacers' impressive run to this year's NBA Finals, they had to be mentioned. With their superstar in Tyrese Haliburton being only 25 years old, this team has an immensely bright future. With a young core as a supporting cast, we likely haven't seen the Pacers' best basketball yet. But with significant contributions from NBA vets Pascal Siakam (31) and Myles Turner (29), the Pacers fall just outside the list. Also Read: NBA insider explains why Sacramento Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana Pacers instead of De'Aaron Fox 5. Orlando Magic Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Paolo Banchero (22), Franz Wagner (23), Anthony Black (22) Advertisement With back-to-back playoff appearances, the Magic are set up for future success. Led by a future All-NBA talent in Paolo Banchero, the Magic have a talented surrounding young core that will only get better with time. The upcoming season will be a huge test for the Magic as they will look to advance further than the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season. 4. Detroit Pistons Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Cade Cunningham (23), Jalen Duren (21), Ausar Thompson (22), Jaden Ivy (23), After a league-worst 14-68 record last year, Pistons star Cade Cunningham led the team to the 6-seed in the Eastern Conference and gave the New York Knicks a great battle in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. With four legitimate foundational players in Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Jaden Ivy all being 23 or younger, this roster has the potential to be scary good. The future is bright in Detroit. 3. Houston Rockets Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Jalen Green (23), Amen Thompson (22), Alperen Şengün (22), Jabari Smith Jr. (22) Advertisement Despite a disappointing playoff showing, the Houston Rockets finished as the 2 seed in the tight Western Conference race. This team is a deep, athletic scoring threat that has immense young talent on the defensive side of the ball as well. Şengün has drawn comparisons to Nikola Jokić, proving that the upside for him and this team could be at a championship level. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back after being upset in the first round of the playoffs by Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. 2. San Antonio Spurs Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Victor Wembanyama (21), Stephon Castle (20), Devin Vassell (24), De'Aaron Fox (27) Advertisement The Spurs are nearly number one on the list based on Victor Wembanyama alone. He is a generational talent with future MVP upside. As he develops, there is no limit to the ceiling of this team's success. The Spurs also have this year's Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle. With back-to-back Rookie of the Year's in San Antonio, a strong supporting young cast, and this year's number 2 pick in the NBA draft, the Spurs' future will be exciting to watch. Related: Philadelphia 76ers rumors suggest big move coming in 2025 NBA Draft 1. Oklahoma City Thunder Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Notable young talent: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26), Jalen Williams (24), Chet Holmgren (23), Cason Wallace (21) Advertisement The heavy favorites to win this year's NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are arguably the most talented team in the league, regardless of age. With SGA winning the MVP at only 26 years old, and Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren being 24 and 23 years old, respectively, the Thunder have a legit big three that isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Not to mention, they have one of the deepest benches in the league. And are tied for the youngest average player age in the league at 24 years old. The Thunder will be a premier championship contender for years to come. Also Read: 50 Best NBA players right now: Where do Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton land? Related Headlines
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Christian Pulisic: 'I don't regret' skipping Gold Cup, calls some criticism 'way out of line'
Christian Pulisic, speaking for the first time since opting to skip this summer's Gold Cup, said Thursday that he doesn't regret the decision, and called questions about his commitment to the U.S. men's national team "way out of line." Pulisic, in an interview with CBS Sports Golazo's "Call It What You Want," also revealed that he "did want to be a part of" the USMNT's two pre-Gold Cup friendlies, and asked coaches to be included for those games against Türkiye and Switzerland. "And they said no, they only wanted one roster" for both the friendlies and the Gold Cup, Pulisic said. "I fully respect that. I didn't understand it, but it is what it is." Advertisement As for why he didn't want to play in the Gold Cup, a biennial regional tournament, Pulisic said that, "toward the end of the season" with his Italian club AC Milan, "my body just started talking to me, and my mind. And I started to think, 'What is gonna be best for me leading into next year and going into the World Cup?' And was that to play eight more games, and then get no rest at all, go straight into preseason, and grind another season, and go straight into the World Cup? "I had to make the best decision for myself, and also in the long run for my team," Pulisic continued, "even though clearly some people haven't seen it that way." Christian Pulisic gave his first interview since opting to rest this summer, a decision that sparked fierce criticism and controversy, including from former USMNT players. (Photo by Fabrizio Carabelli/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (SOPA Images via Getty Images) Pulisic addresses criticism from former USMNT players The decision sparked fierce criticism from both fans and former players. Landon Donovan, perhaps the most famous player in program history until Pulisic came along, rekindled the controversy Sunday while watching Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal celebrate their UEFA Nations League title. Advertisement "This is what it means to represent your country," Donovan said on the Fox broadcast. "[Ronaldo's] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding, hurt himself in the process. And I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off." Those comments triggered a response from Pulisic's dad, Mark, who, in an Instagram post, cited Donovan's late-career break from soccer and told the USMNT legend to "look in the mirror + grow a pair." Christian Pulisic liked the post. In Thursday's interview, Pulisic did not name Donovan, but seemed to implicitly address Donovan's comments. "You can talk about my performances, whatever you want," Pulisic said. "But to question my commitment, especially towards the national team, in my opinion, that's way out of line." He later added: "I just don't understand why also so many people are so big on just wanting to give out these takes when they've been through tough moments themselves. I don't understand the idea of wanting to divide this fan base, and bring a negative light over it in any way. But we tend to do that a lot." Advertisement Pulisic also admitted that, in general, the criticism from former players "is tough. You know, I looked up to those guys growing up. Some of these guys were my idols. I respect them so much as players." He said that, privately, some of the former players talk to him "and clearly want to show support, and be your friend and everything. And then they say something slightly different publicly." Pulisic said that he tries to "stay away from" the criticism. Other USMNT players have spoken about tuning out "noise." Tyler Adams told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday that "nothing seeps into my world." On a soon-to-be-released podcast, though, former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard revealed that Pulisic had reached out to him via Instagram, in response to some of Howard's public comments, to say: "I thought you were out of order, I didn't like what you said." (Howard said he gave Pulisic his phone number, and told Pulisic he could call to discuss further.) Advertisement Criticism of the USMNT as a whole ratcheted up in March after losses to Panama and Canada. It crescendoed again this week after a pitiful 4-0 loss to Switzerland, the team's fourth straight defeat. One of the common takes, especially coming out of March, was that this so-called golden generation of players lacked necessary passion and desire to fight for their national team. Pulisic, speaking Thursday, took exception with that line of criticism. "The only thing that does frustrate me is this narrative that people want to create that it's that we don't care, that it's a commitment [issue], and stuff like that," he said. "In my opinion, it can be a lazy take. "We don't step out there and not give 100%," he continued. "It's not something that we do. We all want it so bad." He concluded: "Just to say, always, 'these guys don't care, bring guys that have pride' — like, that's not really the answer, in my opinion. There's a lot more to a soccer game that you need to do to win than to care. And I think a lot of us care." Advertisement Pulisic also stood up for some of his teammates, several of whom are also missing the Gold Cup. "I promise you," he said, after disappointing results at the 2024 Copa América and 2025 CONCACAF Nations League, "we don't just lose these things and move on. We're all pissed about it. Weston [McKennie], Tim [Weah], Yunus [Musah], all these guys ... they're competitors. I talk with these guys regularly. We're sick about it. We want to get back out and win in the biggest games, in the biggest tournaments, on the biggest stages." Pulisic's communication with Pochettino Pulisic also revealed that he's spoken to USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino only once about the summer and his decision. "We had one phone call where we discussed everything," Pulisic said. "He understood where I was coming from. That's as much conversation as I've had with him. We haven't continued to talk." Advertisement When asked by former USMNT forward Charlie Davies, one of the show's three co-hosts, about whether he'd expect more communication, Pulisic said he didn't "have an issue with it," but did acknowledge that Pochettino's approach to communication has been "slightly different with some of my other national coaches." Pulisic: 'You guys will see ... I'm hungrier than ever' Pulisic stood by the Gold Cup decision, in part because, already, after a couple weeks of rest, he's feeling "really good." "I knew how I was feeling towards the end of last season. I was dealing with a couple small things that just kept lingering," he said. Some family time, and some Florida sun, were "just what the doctor ordered," he wrote on Instagram this week. Advertisement "And I'm excited that I'm already gonna start getting back into training again this week and work on some things that I've really wanted to work on myself," he explained Thursday. "And I know it's going to put me in an amazing position leading into next season." "You guys will see, man," he assured the show's co-hosts and viewers. "I'm hungrier than ever, truly. I'm really looking forward for big things to come."
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith blasts ‘ignorant' Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton for latest media criticisms
The post Stephen A. Smith blasts 'ignorant' Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton for latest media criticisms appeared first on ClutchPoints. After Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton called out the 'talking heads' of the media, saying he doesn't care about the narrative surrounding him, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith responded. With the Pacers having won Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Smith would take issue with Haliburton's point on the media. Advertisement As Haliburton would question 'what do they really know about basketball' in regards to the media, Smith would call the statement 'ignorant' and pointed to the former players who work in the field. 'That's a very ignorant statement on his part,' Smith said. 'You know, it is. Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaq, y'all you others, Kendrick Perkins, I'm just saying. So what do you mean? That's the media. That's who you're talking about. Now you're talking about me. I'm the guy that wanted him drafted by the New York Knicks. I'm the guy that said that the players were wrong to label him overrated. Did you remember that? So I give him credit. He was smart enough not to mention my name because he was assuming, because had he mentioned me, I'd go in deeper. But I won't.' Stephen A. Smith sends warning to Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Even LeBron James has called out the media aside from the Pacers star amid the NBA Finals, but Smith isn't agreeing with the current players. He would say that Haliburton needs to focus more on winning a championship and would send a warning if the point guard was subtly mentioning Smith in his comments. Advertisement 'What I will say to you is this, in the end, it just amazes me how cats can be sometimes. Win the damn chip, bro. In the first two games of this NBA final series, you had your moment with 1.3 seconds left. Other than that, you didn't play well,' Smith continued. 'That ain't on me. That's on you, you know. And, oh, by the way, just in case he was talking about me, my brother, I'm not going away. I'm gonna be here for a while. So next year, and the year after that…I'm going to be here, and players far more accomplished and far more superior have made their efforts trying to call me out. How has that worked out?' At any rate, Haliburton will look to lead Indiana to a 3-1 series lead with Game 4 happening on Thursday night. Related: Tyrese Haliburton shouts out 'Great White Hope' after historic Game 3 Related: LeBron James calls out media who can't sell NBA Finals
