NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has denied any league involvement in the decision to replace Jeff Van Gundy in the ESPN broadcasting booth, addressing speculations surrounding the departure of the longtime NBA game analyst.
Silver’s remarks come in response to rumors that the NBA played a role in ESPN’s recent talent adjustments, which included the arrival of Doc Rivers and Doris Burke alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen as part of the network’s top NBA booth.
The commissioner clarified that while the NBA has influence over the league’s schedule, it does not dictate ESPN’s talent decisions.
In a recent podcast appearance on The Old Man and the Three with JJ Redick, Silver emphasized the NBA’s focus on scheduling rather than talent changes within ESPN’s broadcasting teams.
“Despite what was written even about some talent changes at ESPN, the league does not have a say there,” Silver said, per Brendon Kleen of Awful Announcing.
