But it wasn’t until this season that Legler sat in the most prestigious seat, as a color analyst on ESPN/ABC’s top NBA broadcast team, the one that will call the Finals in June. His dues paid many times over, the 59-year-old was promoted to the No. 1 broadcast in August 2025, joining legendary play-by-play voice Mike Breen and analyst Richard Jefferson.
The trio, along with sideline reporter Lisa Salters, will call the Celtics-Cavaliers matchup Sunday afternoon on ABC. Legler acknowledges that it is fulfilling, and perhaps validating in a way, to finally have this opportunity after years of putting in the work.
“I’m just absolutely ecstatic to be in this position,” he said, noting that he has had strong relationships with Breen and Jefferson for years. “I’m really happy with how it’s been going. I know it’s going to get better as the games become more meaningful, and as the stakes are greater, that’s when we’re going to be at our best. So, I’m really looking forward to some of these important games coming up in the regular season, and obviously once the playoffs start.
“But in a lot of ways, man, it does feel good. I’ve prided myself in my work ethic and my consistency in preparing myself every game. My hope is to help people that are watching the game enjoy it more and maybe learn something they didn’t know. I want to find something in every game that was really important that you might have not known was that important, and explain it in a way that’s very understandable. It’s what I’ve always tried to do, no matter what might role was on a given broadcast or in the studio.”
It made sense — it was overdue, really — that ESPN/ABC would turn to the reliable Legler on its top team after a few years of instability. Doc Rivers and JJ Redick abruptly left ESPN/ABC within an eight-month span in 2024 for NBA coaching jobs, and Doris Burke was bumped to the No. 2 team following the 2024-25 season after the chemistry didn’t quite work in management’s estimation with Jefferson and Breen.
Legler laughed when he was asked if ESPN/ABC made him vow to never pursue coaching jobs before he was offered the new role.
“It’s funny, I don’t remember if that specific question was asked,” he said, “but I think based on what had happened, it was kind of assumed that that might be a good idea for me to keep my name out of those types of conversations.”
Legler said he’s fascinated by the Celtics, who have been better than most anyone expected this season (“I figured they’d be a few games above .500,” he said). He’s an admirer of Joe Mazzulla’s coaching style and Jaylen Brown’s ascent to a first-team All-NBA-caliber player. And he’s very curious, just as Celtics fans are, to see how Jayson Tatum acclimates in his return from a torn Achilles tendon.
“At one point several years ago I said that Brown and Tatum were both great players, but they operated independently of each other on the court,” said Legler. “That got quite a bit better the last couple of years.
“But there is going to be a transition period here, because they’re both ball-dominant players. The Celtics could lose a few games here and there while they’re figuring this out. That’s not the end of the world. No one is catching Detroit in the East, but you’d love to have home court for at least the first two rounds. But if the tradeoff is that they slip a spot or two but have Jayson Tatum rounding into form when the postseason begins, you take that tradeoff, because he represents a talent level that you just can’t replicate. I really can’t wait to see how it goes.”
Boston Globe Sports Report: Episode 18
Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com.