Report: Leading candidate emerges to replace Doc Rivers at ESPN

Jan. 4, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; ESPN logo prior to the 2011 Sugar Bowl between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Louisiana Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN is reportedly moving closer toward naming a full-time replacement for Doc Rivers on its NBA broadcast team.

JJ Redick is the leading candidate to be promoted to ESPN’s No. 1 NBA crew, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. ESPN has considered sticking with Mike Breen and Doris Burke as a two-person crew, but there is growing momentum to promote Redick to work alongside them.

Redick has risen quickly through the NBA media ranks, having been promoted to the network’s No. 2 broadcast team this season. Initial reports suggested that ESPN would probably stick with Breen and Burke, but left the door open for another name to join them. As ESPN has stuck with a three-person No. 1 broadcast team for years, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would eventually ascend to join them.

ESPN’s previous No. 1 team did not last long, as Rivers landed the Milwaukee Bucks job last month. Redick has been somewhat critical of Rivers in the past, and now the 39-year-old might be the one to replace him.