ESPN unveiled its broadcaster lineup for the 2025-26 Men’s and Women’s College Basketball seasons—and the most glaring omission is the near-total evaporation of sideline reporters.
What was once a staple of immersive game coverage, providing injury updates, coach interviews, and human-interest nuggets, has been gutted to a skeletal crew. This isn’t just a tweak; it’s a seismic shift in how the Worldwide Leader plans to tell hoops stories.
Budden’s promotion
Kris Budden will serve as the network’s lead sideline reporter for Men’s College Basketball coverage, alongside Dan Schulman and Jay Bilas. While Holly Rowe returns as the Women’s College Basketball lead sideline reporter, teaming up with Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo.
In ESPN’s official press release of its broadcaster lineup for the upcoming season, Budden and Rowe are the only ones so far with dates of games they are working from the sidelines for the ESPN family of networks in their Men’s and Women’s College Basketball games.
The release only mentions three other sideline reporters working for the network all season. Angel Gray and Alyssa Lang are set to work courtside at ESPN’s Men’s College Basketball matchups.
Sims moved off top Men’s College Basketball crew
Jess Sims moves from the network’s top crew on its Men’s College Basketball broadcast team over to the No. 2 Women’s College Basketball crew, working with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli. However, Sims will not join her new broadcast team until after she concludes her work on the football version of ESPN College GameDay.
No reason has been given as to why the network is downsizing its sideline reporters for Men’s and Women’s College Basketball this season. ESPN can always change course, and announce additional talent at a later date.
Last year the network used Budden, Rowe, Gray, Lang, and Sims, among others. One notable name missing from this year’s roster is veteran sideline reporter Molly McGrath.
Other notable broadcast news from ESPN’s College Basketball announcer lineup is the addition of five notable analysts which include: Kevin Keatts, Emeka Okafor, Dennis Scott, Miles Simon, and Rodney Terry.
New faces in new places
Keatts, Okafor, and Terry are all first-time analysts, set to make their debuts with the network later this month. Simon returns to ESPN after previously working for the network in 2017. He spent his time away from television as an NBA assistant coach. Scott joins ESPN after working for TNT and NBA TV, covering the NBA.
And then there’s the feel-good story: Dick Vitale, the bald-headed beacon of college hoops, returns for his 46th season. At 86, Vitale’s cancer battles haven’t dimmed his “Awesome, baby!” enthusiasm. His opener? The inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational on November 4 (8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN), pitting Texas against No. 6 Duke. He’ll call it with Dave O’Brien, Bilas, and Budden—a fitting tribute to a Hall of Famer whose name will now grace an annual event.
