ESPN today announced that NBA event and studio analyst Richard Jefferson will join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcasters Mike Breen and Doris Burke to form ESPN’s 2025 NBA Finals team, with Lisa Salters reporting. The team will also call the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals and marquee games throughout the remainder of the regular season and during the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs.
It marks Jefferson’s first time calling the NBA’s crown jewel event. The 17-year NBA veteran has joined Breen and Burke for several broadcasts this season, including most recently on NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC on February 22.
Jefferson joined ESPN in 2019 and has served as a studio analyst for NBA Today, ESPN’s weekday NBA studio show, and for select editions of NBA Countdown, ESPN’s NBA pregame show. Jefferson’s role expanded when he regularly began calling games during the 2023-24 season.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, airing exclusively on ABC.
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ESPN media contact: ben.cafardo@espn.com.