Former Golden State Warriors GM and President of Basketball Operations Bob Myers has been hired by ESPN as a studio analyst and will also call some games for the network.
Myers is a two-time NBA Executive of the Year who led the Warriors to four titles. He resigned from his position after his contract with the team expired in June. The Warriors next promoted team manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to the new general manager.
Myers hosted a podcast on ESPN earlier this year called “Lead by Example,” in which he sat down with leaders from sports, business, politics, and entertainment to discuss their experiences.
Roberts said he does not expect Myers to be coy or cautious in his assessments of players, coaches and executives across the league.
“He has to be his authentic self. That’s all I expect, and that’s all he expects. I don’t think we need to worry about that,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s head of studio and events production.
ESPN also announced Monday that Doris Burke and Doc Rivers will join Mike Breen on ESPN and ABC’s top NBA broadcast squad, meaning Burke will become the first woman to serve as a televised game analyst for a championship final in one of four major professional American sports leagues.
“People will say, ‘Well, this is a groundbreaking move.’ You’re absolutely right, but the only way a pioneer is successful, whether African American or female or whoever, is based on the results and their achievements,” Roberts said. “Doris Burke’s achievements and results are unprecedented and unparalleled in this industry.”
Burke, who joined ESPN in 1990, has been an analyst on the network’s NBA games since 2017. She called the past four finals on ESPN Radio after being a sideline reporter for ABC’s coverage of the 2009-19 finals.
Rivers, who was fired in May as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, called games on ESPN during the 2003–04 season, as well as the 2004 Finals on ABC.
“Doc and Doris are good friends and have mutual respect for each other, both professionally and personally,” said Roberts. “With Doc Rivers, you have someone fresh off the bench and he’s done this job before. But more importantly, he has the kind of insight that’s needed when we talked about the relevance and currency, the NBA playing it next season goes in and out.”
Burke and Rivers replace the fired Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson as part of network job losses. Breen, Van Gundy and Jackson called 15 finals together.
Roberts said the financial impact of the layoffs was separate from the decision-making process of building a new team, even though it was the job cuts that accelerated the changes.
ESPN also announced that Malika Andrews will host all of ESPN and ABC’s “NBA Countdown” pregame shows. She will also continue to host the daily “NBA Today” show.
Ryan Ruocco, JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson will be calling the “NBA Sunday Showcase” games on ABC. It is the first time ESPN has designated a second core team for its NBA games.
Reddick and Jefferson called games together last season.
