List of NBA on ESPN commentators
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The NBA on ESPN is a presentation of National Basketball Association (NBA) games produced by ESPN and airing on the ESPN networks and ABC in the United States. Games on ESPN air on Wednesdays throughout the regular season and Fridays on selected weeks beginning in January.
For the 2025–26 season, the lead commentary team consists of Mike Breen (play-by-play), Tim Legler, Richard Jefferson (game analysts), and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter).[1] Breen was previously joined by Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson from 2007 until 2011, when Jackson was hired as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, before returning in 2014. After Van Gundy and Jackson were laid off in 2023, Doris Burke and Doc Rivers were hired as replacements for the 2023–24 season. Burke became the first television analyst for the NBA Finals when she called the series in 2024 and 2025. JJ Redick replaced Rivers in January 2024 after the latter was hired as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. For the 2024–25 season, Jefferson was promoted to the lead broadcast team after Redick became head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The following lists the commentators and sideline reporters for the NBA on ESPN.
Current
[edit | edit source]Play-by-play
[edit | edit source]- Roxy Bernstein
- Mike Breen (lead)[1]
- Kevin Brown
- Kevin Calabro
- Ed Cohen
- Mike Corey
- Mike Couzens
- Brian Custer
- Rece Davis
- Dave Flemming
- Angel Gray
- Tom Hart
- Rich Hollenberg
- Mark Jones[1]
- Marc Kestecher
- Steve Levy
- Sean McDonough
- Beth Mowins
- Mark Neely
- Dave O'Brien
- Dave Pasch[1]
- Karl Ravech
- Ryan Ruocco[1]
- Jon Sciambi
- Doug Sherman
- Dan Shulman
- Paul Sunderland
- Joe Tessitore
- Bob Wischusen
Color analyst
[edit | edit source]- Tim Legler (co-lead)
- Richard Jefferson (co-lead)[1]
- Jay Bilas[1]
- Doris Burke[1]
- Cory Alexander
- Stephanie White[1]
- P. J. Carlesimo
- Jon Barry
- Caron Butler
- Jimmy Dykes
- Sean Farnham
- Jon Crispin
- Mark Adams
- Dan Dakich
- Fran Fraschilla
- Dick Vitale
- Chris Spatola
- Jay Williams
- Austin Rivers
- Sean Farnham
- Monica McNutt
- Corey Williams
- Mark May
Rules analyst
[edit | edit source]Sideline reporters
[edit | edit source]- Lisa Salters (lead)[1]
- Katie George[1]
- Monica McNutt (also analyst for ESPN and ESPN Radio)[1]
- Jorge Sedano[1]
- Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (also sideline reporter for ESPN Radio)
- Angel Gray (also play-by-play for ESPN)[1]
- Alyssa Lang
Studio host
[edit | edit source]- Malika Andrews (lead, 2023–present; also sideline reporter, 2020–present; also worked as ESPN and ABC's sideline reporter for the 2021 NBA Finals)
- Ernie Johnson Jr. (Inside the NBA)
Studio analyst
[edit | edit source]- Stephen A. Smith (lead)
- Kendrick Perkins (co-lead)
- Michael Malone
- Chiney Ogwumike (fill-in)
- Shaquille O'Neal (Inside the NBA)
- Kenny Smith (Inside the NBA)
- Charles Barkley (Inside the NBA)
NBA Insider
[edit | edit source]Contributor
[edit | edit source]ESPN Radio
[edit | edit source]- Marc Kestecher (lead, also alternate TV play-by-play)
- Sean Kelley (play-by-play)
- Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play)
- Jon Barry (game analyst)
- P. J. Carlesimo (game analyst, alternate TV play-by-play)
- Cory Alexander (game analyst)
- Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (game analyst, also sideline reporter for ESPN)
Former
[edit | edit source]The following people were commentators for ESPN's NBA coverage:
- Adam Amin (play-by-play, 2016–2020)
- Greg Anthony (analyst)
- Michelle Beadle (studio host, 2014–2019)
- Chauncey Billups (analyst, 2018–2020)
- Hubie Brown (analyst, 2004–2025)
- Kris Budden (sideline reporter)
- Rick Carlisle (game analyst 2007–2008)
- Doug Collins (basketball analyst, 2014–2017)
- Terry Gannon (play-by-play, 2010–2013)
- Michael Grady (play-by-play)[1]
- Ariel Helwani (sideline reporter, 2019–2021)
- Cassidy Hubbarth (sideline reporter, 2016–2025)[1]
- Mark Jackson (co-lead analyst; 2007–2011, 2014–2023)
- Magic Johnson (studio analyst, 2012–2014)
- Bob Myers (color/studio analyst, 2023–2025)
- Brent Musburger (play-by-play, 2003–2005)
- Brad Nessler (play-by-play, 2003–2004)
- Rachel Nichols (sideline reporter/host, 2016–2021)
- Dan Patrick
- Paul Pierce (studio analyst, 2017–2021)
- JJ Redick (co-lead game analyst, 2021–2024)
- Jalen Rose (studio analyst, 2012–2023)
- Doc Rivers (lead co-game analyst, 2023–2024)[2]
- Stuart Scott (studio host/reporter, 2006 and 2007 NBA Finals)
- Bill Simmons (studio analyst, 2012–2014)
- Maria Taylor (studio host 2019–2021)
- Mike Tirico (play-by-play, 2003–2016)
- Tom Tolbert (analyst, 2003–2007)
- Jeff Van Gundy (co-lead game analyst, 2007–2023)
- Stan Van Gundy (analyst/studio analyst, 2018–2019)
- Bill Walton (game analyst, 2012–2024)
- Michael Wilbon (studio analyst)[1]
- Allison Williams (sideline reporter)
- Adrian Wojnarowski (NBA insider, 2019–2024)