NBA: Magic Johnson leaves ESPN NBA studio; Doris Burke joins

[hooperflash]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...aving/2960031/

Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said Thursday he is leaving his job as an NBA analyst for ESPN. Veteran broadcaster Doris Burke will join NBA Countdown in a different capacity, ESPN announced.

"I don't feel confident that I can continue to devote the time needed to thrive in my role," Johnson said in a news release.

Johnson, who is also part of the group that owns the Los Angeles Dodgers and runs his business empire, said in a statement that he loves ESPN but that his schedule and other commitments prevent him from continuing in his role, primarily on ESPN's NBA Countdown.

Johnson's agent, Lon Rosen, refuted a Deadspin report that said Johnson abruptly left the show because of colleague Bill Simmons' growing influence over the show and Michael Wilbon's diminished role in NBA coverage, which included Doug Collins replacing Wilbon on NBA Countdown.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...aving/2960031/

[thunderup]

Thank god Aids is gone yall.

[Thebesteva]

Worst analyst ever

[RD2191]

Magic is a clown, wasn't he saying the Lakers were going to upset the Spurs?

[Clipper Nation]

Simmons and his nails-on-chalkboard voice needs to follow Magic out the door, tbh....

[Arnold Toht]

Lateral move.

[Joseph Kony]

Murdering Dr. Buss with his AIDS

[lefty]

lol Boris Durke

[DJR210]

I guess he needs some time to deal with the AIDS. Best wishes to you Magic.

Worst analyst ever

Worse than belly button tatted Reggie Miller?

[UZER]

Swapping one gay for another.

[Findog]

Sounds to me like Magic Johnson has an Acquired Intense Dislike for Simmons

[UZER]

Sounds to me like Magic Johnson has an Acquired Intense Dislike for Simmons

Why? Because Simmons didn't blindly kiss Laker ass?

[anakha]

Simmons, Jalen, Burke and Collins will probably be better than the show ESPN had out last season.

Wilbon was a Magic asskisser of the highest order and Magic himself was a worse analyst than even Reggie Miller.

Collins is at least knowledgeable and if Burke doesn't say anything the whole season, she's already an upgrade over Wilbon. For all the (justified) flack Simmons gets for his writing, he at least knows how to host a show (his podcasts are generally OK) and he and Jalen can be entertaining together.

[Thebesteva]

For some odd reason, Magic always liked bashing Kobe. It's like his "I'm unbiased" shtick so lets talk about Kobe. I have Magic well above Kobe in the top 10 list, but as an analyst he tries too hard to prove he's anti Lakers.

[Clipper Nation]

For some odd reason, Magic always liked bashing Kobe. It's like his "I'm unbiased" shtick so lets talk about Kobe. I have Magic well above Kobe in the top 10 list, but as an analyst he tries too hard to prove he's anti Lakers.

Magic has called Kirby the greatest Laker ever and predicted that the Lakers would beat the Spurs these past playoffs, what else does he have to do to prove his outrageous Laker homerism? Then again, you call every obvious Laker homer in the media "anti-Lakers" as part of your schtick, tbh....

[UZER]

Lets not forget Magic was scared for the Miami Heat.

[Thebesteva]

Magic has called Kirby the greatest Laker ever and predicted that the Lakers would beat the Spurs these past playoffs, what else does he have to do to prove his outrageous Laker homerism? Then again, you call every obvious Laker homer in the media "anti-Lakers" as part of your schtick, tbh....

You're too biased man...it's impossible to even have a normal basketball conversation with you. Magic Johnson is NOTORIOUSLY known for bashing Kobe and the Lakers. Then again, you're just a 22 year old Korean bandwagoner fan named Fang Tu Soe and would suck the black off Lebron's if you ever got the chance.

[racm]

Worst analyst ever

Can't spell analyst without anal, tbh

Also, who did Burke have to sleep with to get the job?

[Clipper Nation]

You're too biased man...it's impossible to even have a normal basketball conversation with you. Magic Johnson is NOTORIOUSLY known for bashing Kobe and the Lakers. Then again, you're just a 22 year old Korean bandwagoner fan named Fang Tu Soe and would suck the black off Lebron's if you ever got the chance.

If anyone in the media takes a 5-second break from sucking the black off Kirby's , you melt down and call them "anti-Lakers" and "Kobe bashers," tbh...

[racm]

If anyone in the media takes a 5-second break from sucking the black off Kirby's , you melt down and call them "anti-Lakers" and "Kobe bashers," tbh...

Besteva isn't even the worst Lakerfan to do that.

[AchillesHeel]

You know you're a bad analyst when Doris Burke's considered an upgrade over you.

Lakers will upset the Spurs in the first round

[HI-FI]

hope it's not HIV or buttslamming related.

[Sean Cagney]

lol Boris Durke

I agree fully on this here, she sucks.

[racm]

I'd tap det after a six-pack, tbh

[Thebesteva]

If anyone in the media takes a 5-second break from sucking the black off Kirby's , you melt down and call them "anti-Lakers" and "Kobe bashers," tbh...

I'm not really a pro Kobe kinda guy, I really respect him and a fan of his game. But overall, I am a Laker fan. It could be worst, I could be a Clipper fan who latches on to Lebron so I can get a glimpse of what victory would feel like.