Nine years after winning an NBA title, Richard Jefferson is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.
Jefferson, 44, made his foray into broadcasting after retiring from the NBA in 2018. Ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, he was promoted to ESPN's top crew, meaning he'd be one of two analysts on the call for ABC's production of the 2025 NBA Finals.
With Jefferson on the call, his unique perspective as a former champion comes into the spotlight, as will his relationship with another former champion-turned-broadcaster, Bill Walton.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here is everything to know about the connection between Jefferson and Walton.
Richard Jefferson-Bill Walton relationship, explained
Jefferson's relationship with Walton dates back to the late 1990s.
In 1998, Jefferson began his college career at the University of Arizona. In 1999, he was joined by Bill Walton's son, Luke. Through Luke's recruitment and eventual enrollment at Arizona, Jefferson and Walton quickly became best friends and he developed a strong bond with the entire Walton family.
“To have my best friend’s dad be like, ‘Okay, I know what happens in college, I know what happens in the NBA, I know what happens in the broadcasting space. When you retire, I’ll give you the guidebook,” Jefferson said of Walton's influence on Mark Jackson's podcast.
NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket
“At 17, to have your best friend’s dad being a legend in so many fields, I didn’t even know how blessed I was.”
When Jefferson was officially named as part of the team for the 2025 NBA Finals, he spoke on that bond and what it means to him.
"The part that makes me most emotional is the last player to win and call a championship was Bill Walton, who was my OG," Walton said on ESPN's "NBA Today" in February.
"So, the fact that I'm here in this position. He was a father to me, and he just passed away so to be in this booth a year after his passing, that means a lot more than anything."
Walton, who played in the NBA from 1974 to 1988, began a broadcasting career after retiring. He won a championship as a player in 1977 and 1986 and was on the call for numerous NBA Finals, including a Finals series that featured Jefferson and the Nets.
Walton died from colorectal cancer on May 27, 2024, days before the 2024 NBA Finals began. Jefferson's first broadcast as an analyst for an NBA Finals game comes just over a year after the league honored Walton's life and legacy through numerous tributes.
Jefferson now has an opportunity to honor his father figure in a familiar role.
MORE NBA FINALS
- Pacers vs. Thunder prediction and keys to the series
- How Paul George blockbuster trades helped set up the 2025 NBA Finals
- How the Thunder built their 2025 NBA Finals roster
- How the Pacers used savvy moves to build NBA Finals roster