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23 hours ago
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The NBA Finals broadcasting crew has been released and the first word that fans reacted with was "Bang!" That's right, Mike Breen is back, along with a star-studded crew.
Through a rights deal between Disney and the NBA, ABC has gained the rights to broadcast the 2026 NBA Finals, and it is likely far from their last.
This season's lead crew contains mostly familiar faces, but there is one new name on the docket. For those who only tune in for the NBA Finals, this name might sound unfamiliar.
Here's who you can expect to hear on your TV screens during this season's NBA Finals.
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2026 NBA Finals announcers
The NBA Finals are once again on ABC, utilizing ESPN's lead announcing team, thanks to a shared ownership between the organizations. The booth itself will contain three broadcasters yet again, with Breen on play-by-play, joined by Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler. Lisa Salters is the sideline reporter, with Steve Javie back as the rules expert.
Mike Breen
Breen already has the record for the most NBA Finals as the play-by-play announcer. But what's one more year to tack onto his own record?
This will be year 21 for Breen and the first time he will call the Knicks in the NBA Finals on TV. As a radio broadcaster, Breen got to call the Knicks' NBA Finals appearance in 1994, where they lost to the Rockets in 7 games. Breen was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 for his broadcasting work.
Richard Jefferson
After a successful first season as an NBA Finals analyst, ABC has brought back 17-year NBA veteran Richard Jefferson. After his playing career ended in 2018, Jefferson jumped into the broadcasting world shortly after.
He worked his way up the ranks through YES Network and ESPN, eventually joining ESPN's lead broadcasting team. As a player, Jefferson was a Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2001-02. He was never an All-Star, but became a role player on several teams, including the 2016 Cavaliers, who won the NBA Finals. He will take that finals experience into this role as an announcer.
Tim Legler
The newest addition to the NBA Finals broadcast crew is Tim Legler. He played 10 years in the NBA, from 1989-2000 and led the league in three-point percentage in 1996 at 52.2%.
Despite being an analyst for this year's finals, Legler has never won an NBA title of his own, failing to reach the championship in his career. After his playing career, Legler went on to appear on numerous ESPN shows, including First Take and SportsCenter. He was promoted to ESPN's lead broadcast crew in August, taking over for Doris Burke.
Lisa Salters
Another veteran is on the call in Lisa Salters, joining the team once again for her sixth NBA Finals. She'll serve as the sideline reporter in this year's contest.
Salters is an Emmy-winning journalist who played Division I basketball for Penn State. She spent time as a TV reporter in Baltimore and for ABC News before transitioning to sports with ESPN. Today, she also provides sideline coverage for the NFL's Monday Night Football.
Steve Javie
Steve Javie will serve as the rules expert for ABC's NBA Finals broadcast, his 15th year on the job. Javie is a former NBA referee who spent more than two decades on the court for some of the sport's greatest moments.
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