Doris Burke, an American sports announcer and NBA analyst, is the youngest of eight children born to an Irish-Catholic family headed by George and Mary.
She was the first female commentator to call a New York Knicks game on the radio and television.
Highlights
- Doris Burke’s parents neither pushed her into sports nor discouraged her passion.
- George Sable was a construction worker who woke at 4:30 a.m. daily for 45 years to support his large family.
- Mary, an Irish immigrant, raised eight children while battling severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Doris Sable played point guard at Manasquan High School and was a member of the Providence Friars women’s basketball team for four years.
During her first year, she was named to both the All-Big East and Big East all-tournament teams. As a senior, she was named an All-American in 1987.
She was the fifth woman to be inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame.
Doris began her broadcasting career as an analyst for women’s games for her alma mater on the radio in 1990. Later, she worked as an analyst on Big East women’s games on television.
She joined ESPN in 1991 and has been a part of ESPN’s coverage of the WNBA. She was the primary radio and television voice of the New York Liberty.
Moreover, she began calling the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio in 2020, making her the first woman to call on the radio.
She was, flat out, the best analyst. Initially, there were some raised eyebrows. I don’t think a lot of coaches had seen or heard her work. I told them, ‘At the end of the year, let’s talk.’ And they had nothing but glowing things to say about Doris.
Bob Steitz
Doris Burke’s Hardworking Parents, George And Mary Sable, Shaped Her
Doris Burke, the daughter of George and Mary Sable, was born on January 4, 1965, in Long Island, New York. Her parents raised her alongside eight siblings: four brothers and three sisters.
Her parents instilled the qualities of resilience, hard work, and unconditional support.
The youngest of eight children in a tight-knit Irish-Catholic family, Doris was raised in a modest home in Manasquan, New Jersey.
Her parents moved from Long Island to the Jersey Shore when she was only 10 because her father wanted a shorter commute.
They settled into a small house across from Indian Hill Park, where she spent countless hours playing basketball.
George Sable was a construction worker who woke at 4:30 a.m. every day for 45 years to provide for his family. His relentless work ethic left a lasting impression on Doris, who often speaks of his discipline.
Although he wasn’t interested in sports himself, he always supported his daughter’s passion for them. Growing up in a household where money was scarce, he firmly believed in the importance of hard work and self-reliance.
Meanwhile, Mary, an Irish immigrant who arrived in the U.S. at 17, raised eight children while battling crippling rheumatoid arthritis.
Despite her pain, she maintained a loving household. She didn’t complain to Doris about the challenges women faced in sports and let her play.
Mary could often spot her on the basketball courts at Indian Hill Park from her kitchen window. She was happy her daughter had a place to play.
I think it came from the fact that she was raised in a family without a lot of money, and if you wanted something, you had to work at it. Nothing was given to you. You weren’t guaranteed anything.
Schultz Sullivan
Neither George nor Mary pushed Doris toward sports, but they never held her back. In a family where resources were scarce, they taught her that everything was earned.
That lesson shaped her career, from her playing days to her rise as one of the most respected voices in the sport of basketball.
Additional Information
- Doris Burke earned a bachelor’s degree in health services administration and a master’s degree in education.
- She is divorced from Gregg Burke, with whom she has two children, Sarah and Matthew.
- As of 2025, her net worth is estimated to be $4 million, with annual earnings of $1 million.
