ESPN’s long-running NBA broadcast booth was split up last summer after a round of layoffs at the network, leaving Mike Breen the last man standing while Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were cast aside. The worldwide leader still hasn’t recovered from the unfortunate move, clearly missing the the chemistry it had in its top basketball announcing trio.
In an interview on The Mark Jackson Show released Thursday, Breen lamented the end of the trio’s work together and gave massive credit to Van Gundy and Jackson for his own success calling the NBA all these years.
“We had a friendship, the three of us, before we ever called games together,” Breen said. “So then all of a sudden, not only are you around these people that you love as brothers and you have such respect and admiration (for), and now all of a sudden you’re calling the biggest games in basketball with them, year in and year out. For me, it was such an honor.”
Breen was asked about his legendary career, which culminated in the Curt Gowdy Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He echoed his enshrinement speech in the interview with Jackson.
“The reason that I got that award was because of our work together,” Breen said. “It’s not a singular award, it’s our work together. We were a team. Just like playing basketball is a team sport, broadcasting basketball is a team sport. And that’s why I was up there on that stage that night.”
ESPN replaced Van Gundy and Jackson with the veteran Doris Burke and longtime head coach Doc Rivers. After Rivers left midseason, newcomer JJ Redick stepped into his place. By the offseason, Redick was also on his way out for a head coaching job with the Los Angeles Lakers.
ESPN reportedly will take its time to reshuffle the booth around Breen once again.
Breen gave Jackson credit for proving a veteran player in the league turned broadcaster could succeed as a first-time coach, a transition Redick will now have to make.
“From being around him, he loves basketball as much as anybody I’ve been around. He’s so smart about the game, he sees things, he’s just got a great mind for it. And I think he’s got a chance to be a great coach,” Breen told Jackson. “I’m sure people are saying, ‘well he’s never coached, why is he going to get the job? What kind of job is he going to do? But you (Jackson) showed what it was like, and I think he’s got that kind of potential.”
Whether it was truly because of their gripes about NBA officiating, cost-cutting, or fears that they would leave for coaching, ESPN had its reasons to part with Van Gundy and Jackson. But nobody appears to be happy with the arrangement, and ESPN is still reeling from its decision a year ago.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.