Jeff Van Gundy is back, but Mike Breen is still out, for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Plus: C.J. McCollum is the latest active NBA player to begin a TV career, Jason Garrett could be moving up the ranks at NBC, and more.
Van Gundy back, but Breen still out, for NBA Finals Game 2
ESPN/ABC NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy will return from a one-game absence to work Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals alongside his usual partner Mark Jackson, but play-by-play voice Mike Breen is still out due to COVID-19. Mark Jones will again fill in for Breen, who has now missed a full week of games dating back to last weekend’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. [ESPN PR]
McCollum latest active NBA player to become TV analyst
ESPN last week announced the hiring of active NBA player C.J. McCollum as an NBA analyst. McCollum, who made his debut Thursday during an alternate presentation of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, will serve as a year-round studio analyst across ESPN’s various shows and as a game analyst during the NBA Summer League. He joins Warriors F and Turner Sports analyst Draymond Green as active players serving as TV analysts for the leagues in which they play. [ESPN PR]
Garrett contender to replace Brees on NBC
Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, who is working for NBC as a USFL analyst, is in the running to replace Drew Brees on NBC’s Football Night in America studio show and on Notre Dame football games, per the New York Post. Garrett could end up working Notre Dame games alongside his USFL partner Jac Collinsworth, as NBC’s previous Notre Dame play-by-play voice Mike Tirico has moved up to the NFL. [NYP 6.2]
Plus: Salters, Fitzpatrick, Musburger
ESPN on Thursday announced a contract extension with NBA and NFL sideline reporter Lisa Salters. … Recently-retired NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is close to a deal to join Amazon as a studio analyst for Thursday Night Football, the New York Post reported Thursday. … Raiders radio voice Brent Musburger has announced that he is leaving the position after four years. Musburger, best known for his long runs with CBS Sports and ESPN/ABC, came out of a brief retirement to join the Raiders in 2018. [ESPN PR, NYP 6.2, Musburger/Twitter 6.3]
