Rick Carlisle hits out at timing of ESPN's Doris Burke 'leaks'
Rick Carlisle didn't hide his true feelings after reports leaked suggesting ESPN was considering the future of Doris Burke
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was left furious by the timing of reports suggesting ESPN was considering the future of Doris Burke.
The Disney-owned network is said to be mulling over the future of Burke, who isn't under a long-term contract. ESPN has also allowed Stephen A. Smith to sign a new deal with SiriusXM, while Bill Simmons has called on the network to end Pardon the Interruption at a very specific point.
It's said that her future will be decided on whether network chiefs think she works best in a two-person or three-person broadcast team. The news emerged in the build-up to Game One of the NBA finals - which Carlisle's Pacers won in dramatic style over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Speaking at his pre-game press conference, Carlisle hit out at the timing of the report, while expressing his disappointment over ESPN for even considering removing Burke from its coverage.
He said: "I saw the things that were leaked yesterday about Doris Burke and I just wanted to say a couple of things. She has changed the game for women in broadcasting.
“Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there. It was just so sad to see the reports leaked, really unnecessarily, before such a celebrated event.
"Doris is a friend. I’ve asked her many times, when is she getting into coaching, because she has such great knowledge.
"There are many women who she’s paved the way for.”
The report, originally publishjed in the Athletic, claims ESPN is locked in negotiations with Richard Jefferson - who makes up part of the network's three-person broadcasting team with Burke and Mike Breen.
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However, Amazon Prime is lurking ahead of its foray into the sport next season, with the Jeff Bezos-owned streamer currently putting together its own broadcasting team.
Breen, for what it's worth, is under a long-term contract with the world wide leader in sports, and his position isn't under threat or consideration for next season.
