Tim Legler has reached the pinnacle of NBA broadcasting. Unlike many of his predecessors, he has no desire to parlay his media role into a coaching job.
The 10-year NBA veteran, who is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut for ABC/ESPN this year alongside Richard Jefferson and Hall-of-Famer Mike Breen, dismissed the possibility of taking an NBA coaching job in an interview with Front Office Sports.
“No, honestly, I haven’t put any thought into it,” Legler said Thursday in between Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals.
ESPN has seen members of its lead NBA broadcast team return to coaching several times. Mark Jackson called the NBA Finals from 2007–2010, coached the Warriors from 2011–2014, then returned to ESPN. ESPN brought Doc Rivers, who called the 2004 NBA Finals, into its lead broadcast team for the 2023–24 season, then he left midseason to coach the Bucks.
Most recently, JJ Redick called the 2024 NBA Finals and was announced as the Lakers coach after the series concluded.
