Behind the Mic: Richard Jefferson to Join Mike Green and Doris Burke for 2025 NBA Finals Broadcast Booth

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry.

In this weeks edition, Laura Rutledge resigns her contract with ESPN for a second decade; Noah Eagle to join NBC Sports NBA coverage this spring; and more.Richard Jefferson Joins Mike Breen and Doris Burke to Form 2025 NBA Finals Broadcast Booth with Lisa Salters ReportingESPN announces that NBA event and studio analyst Richard Jefferson will join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcasters Mike Breen and Doris Burke to form ESPNs 2025 NBA Finals team, with Lisa Salters reporting.

The team will also call the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals and marquee games throughout the remainder of the regular season and during the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs.It marks Jeffersons first time calling the NBAs crown jewel event.

The 17-year NBA veteran has joined Breen and Burke for several broadcasts this season, including most recently on NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC on February 22.Jefferson joined ESPN in 2019 and has served as a studio analyst for NBA ESPNs weekday NBA studio show, and for select editions of NBA Countdown, ESPNs NBA pregame show.

Jeffersons role expanded when he regularly began calling games during the 2023-24 season.Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, airing exclusively on ABC.ESPN Re-Signs Laura Rutledge to Multi-Year Contract; Extends Popular Host and Reporters Tenure into Second DecadeESPN has re-signed Laura Rutledge to a multi-year contract, extending the versatile and popular host and reporter who has enjoyed a prominent role since 2014.

Rutledges presence during her new agreement will continue to include hosting the Emmy-nominated NFL Live year-round and see her remain on the broadcast team for marquee NFL and college football games as well as signature events, such as the NFL Draft, the Masters, SEC Kickoff and more.

Rutledge is the host of SEC Nation each Saturday morning during the football season, a role she has maintained since 2016.In addition to on-air roles, Rutledge remains a company ambassador at signature industry events.

Additional responsibilities may be added during the duration of the agreement.Laura is a consummate professional and wonderful teammate, says Burke Magnus, ESPN President of Content.

Her versatility allows us to utilize her in multiple roles, across numerous sports, throughout the year.

We are fortunate to have her.Says Rutledge: ESPN has provided me the support and freedom to build my dream career since I arrived eager to learn and grow.

I appreciate its continued faith in me and hope they recognize the gratitude and pride I have working for the company.

On a personal level, so many colleagues have become mentors and dear friends during my 10 years and I have relationships with them that will always be special, including my NFL Live team who I consider family.Excellence in Sideline ReportingRutledge possesses vast sideline experience, having boosted her NFL role the past three seasons in conjunction with ESPNs expanded NFL regular season and postseason games portfolio.

In the coming seasons, Rutledge will continue to report from the sidelines for the companys Monday night Wild Card and Divisional Playoff game, alongside Lisa Salters.During the regular season, Rutledge is on the broadcast team for Monday Night Football when ESPN has multiple MNF games in the same week, while also joining Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Salters for multiple weeks throughout the season.In January 2024, Rutledge was on the sidelines for ESPNs first NFL Divisional Round playoff game and then again in January 2025 for Texans-Chiefs in the same round, ESPNs most-viewed NFL game ever (33.8 million viewers).

She made her NFL debut in 2018.On the college side, Rutledge will continue to be part of the broadcast team for one College Football Playoff Semifinal each year, an assignment she began seven seasons ago.

In the regular season, she will continue to help amplify highly anticipated matchups, often joining Holly Rowe, as she did for several SEC on ABC showdowns, as well as this seasons SEC Championship.

Rutledge began her ESPN career as a sideline reporter for SEC Network.NFL Live Has Thrived with Rutledge as HostNFL Live has achieved industry recognition and immense viewership success during the five years (2020 present) Rutledge has been at the helm with Ryan Clark, Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky and Marcus Spears as the primary analysts.

In both 2023 and 2024, NFL Live was nominated for Sports Emmy Awards, as a finalist for the Outstanding Studio Show - Daily.The daily shows four most recent seasons (2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021) are the four most-watched seasons for the program dating back to 2016.

The most-recent Emmy nomination followed the shows superb January 2024 viewership, its most-watched month of NFL Playoffs since 2015.

The accolades and success have been continuously documented.Each February, Rutledge and NFL Live punctuate the season with onsite coverage at the Super Bowl.Rutledge Has Been Integral to SEC Networks SuccessRutledge has been part of the fabric of SEC Nation for the past 10 seasons, first as a reporter and then as the traveling shows host for the past nine seasons.

In addition to being a campus centerpiece each Saturday morning and onsite at select CFP games, SEC Nation is regularly among SEC Networks most-watched programming for the entire year.Beyond Saturday mornings, during the entire 10+ year run of SEC Network, Rutledge has been one of the most visible and celebrated on-air personalities across the SEC landscape.A Decade of Distinction In addition to her hosting and sideline responsibilities, Rutledges first decade at ESPN has seen her contribute across platforms.

Been a contributor on Get Up and anchored SportsCenter.

Been part of ABCs NFL Draft presentation for multiple years, a role she will maintain.

Debuted (April 2024) within ESPNs coverage of the Masters, which she will also continue.

Hosted SEC Kickoff coverage on SEC Network, a role she will maintain.

Hosted red carpet coverage at the NFL Draft, The Home Depot College Football Awards and the ESPYS.

Contributed to multiple shows across The Walt Disney Company, including ABC News and Good Morning America.

Most recently, Rutledge received widespread praise for her measured reporting on the New Years Eve terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Been part of broadcast teams for basketball, gymnastics, baseball and softball, including the NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championship and both the Womens College World Series and Mens College World Series.Noah Eagle Joins NBC Sports' NBA Coverage as Play-by-Play Voice Beginning This OctoberEmmy Award-winning sportscaster Noah Eagle will serve as one of NBC Sports play-by-play voices when its coverage of the NBA begins in October 2025 across NBC and Peacock.

He is expected to work one or more games per week beginning this fall in addition to handling play-by-play for Big Ten Saturday Night.Since joining NBC Sports in 2023, Eagle has served as a play-by-play voice on numerous high-profile events, including Team USA mens and womens basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics; Big Ten Saturday Night, the weekly primetime Big Ten Football game on NBC and Peacock; and Big Ten mens basketball on Peacock.

Hes also called an NFL Wild Card game and regular season NFL games for NBC and Peacock, along with Nickelodeons telecast of Super Bowl LVIII.Eagle already has extensive NBA experience.

After graduating from Syracuse University in 2019, he served as the lead play-by-play radio voice for the Los Angeles Clippers on AM570 for four years (2019-2023) and has served as one of the Brooklyn Nets play-by-play voices for select games on YES Network since 2023.I couldnt be more excited to be a part of the NBA as it returns to NBC and begins a new chapter on Peacock, said Eagle.

This league has been a massive passion of mine for as long as I can remember.

Working intimately in the NBA over the last six seasons has only grown that love.

I cant wait to get started with our talented team and be a part of the soundtrack to more iconic moments on the hardwood.With every high-profile assignment -- from calling Team USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics to NFL games to being the lead voice on Big Ten Football and Basketball -- Noah continues to demonstrate that he is one of broadcastings rising stars, a fact validated by his Sports Emmy Award for emerging talent, says Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports.

Were particularly excited about his ability to connect with the next generation of NBA fans and help grow the game.In May 2024, Eagle received the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Emerging On Air, his first win.

His work in Paris was critically acclaimed, especially his call of the gold medal game between the United States and France that saw Stephen Curry hit four three-pointers in the final three minutes to secure the win for the U.S.

Its a golden dagger! Eagle exclaimed as Curry delivered one of the most iconic Olympic basketball performances ever.

Paris was Eagles second Olympic assignment as he called 3x3 Basketball three years earlier at the Tokyo Olympics..

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