Rick Carlisle, Unprompted, Praises Doris Burke Amid ESPN Contract Rumors

Rick Carlisle is a huge fan of Doris Burke and made that known before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

During his pregame press conference on Thursday, the Indiana Pacers head coach discussed the reports that Burke could lose her spot on ESPN's No. 1 NBA broadcast team. He made it clear he believes that's a terrible idea.

"I saw the things that were leaked yesterday about Doris Burke, and I just want to say a couple things. She has changed the game for women in broadcasting," Carlisle said. "I have a daughter who just turned 21, who is in her second year at UVA. She's not in the basketball industry, but Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there.

"It was just so sad to see those reports leaked really unnecessarily before such a celebrated event," Carlisle continued. "Doris is a friend. I've asked her many times 'Why didn't you get into coaching? She has such great knowledge."

His full remarks are below.

Rick Carlisle begins his pregame availability with strong words of support for Doris Burke, the ABC analyst for the #NBAFinals

To end, he named some of the woman broadcasters working in the NBA because of her impact. pic.twitter.com/5CKguxgOyf
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) June 5, 2025

Burke will team with Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson to call the 2025 NBA Finals for ESPN. She has been working for ESPN since 1991 and was promoted to the network's top NBA broadcast team in 2023. That made her the first woman to serve as a TV analyst for a major men's American sports championship.

Carlisle, and many others, don't think that's a spot she should lose.