Doris Burke Will Serve as Game Analyst for ESPN Radio's NBA Finals Coverage

Doris Burke is about to break another barrier. On Wednesday it was announced that she serve as a game analyst for ESPN Radio's coverage of the NBA conference finals and the NBA Finals. She will be the first woman to work in that capacity on a TV or radio broadcast of the NBA's two biggest playoff rounds.

Burke will be joined by Marc Kestecher and fellow analyst Jon Barry at the start of the conference finals. Her move to radio will open up the sideline reporting position for Rachel Nichols during the finals. Nichols will continue to host The Jump from the NBA's bubble in Orlando.

Stephanie Druley, ESPN's executive vice president of event and studio production had the following to say about the historic milestone:

""Doris is a trailblazer who continues to reimagine what is possible for women in broadcasting, and we know she'll thrive in this history-making radio analyst role.""

Burke has been part of ESPN's NBA coverage since 2003, and in 2017 she became the first full-time female NBA game analyst. She has worked the NBA Finals as a sideline reporter since 2009, but this is obviously a big step up.

In addition to the Burke news, ESPN announced that NBA Countdown will be the network's pregame and halftime show instead of The Jump. Maria Taylor will host the show from ESPN's studio in New York. Stephen A. Smith, Jalen Rosen, Jay Williams, Adrian Wojnarowski and Paul Pierce will make up the show's roster.