ESPN's Scott Van Pelt Delivers Classy Salute to Tim Legler as Contract Decision Looms

The ex-NBA guard's intelligent analysis has made him a fan favorite for decades.

Nov 13, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; ESPN announcer Scott Van Pelt prior to the game between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

If the topic of discussion is sports' smartest talking heads, it would not be complete without ESPN basketball analyst Tim Legler.

In a variety of roles, Legler—a former guard for La Salle and six NBA teams, most notably the Washington Wizards—has educated and entertained fans for almost 25 years. His media portfolio has come to outpace his fame as a player, and he has garnered respect throughout the basketball world.

ESPN, however, reportedly has a decision to make on Legler's contract in the near future. With hypothetical new NBA media partners potentially looking to fill out their talent rosters, another prominent member of the ESPN intelligentsia—SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt—gave Legler a nice tribute after Game 5 of the NBA Finals Monday.

Scott Van Pelt with a nice tribute to Tim Legler, whose contract at ESPN is reportedly set to expire this summer.

"I don’t want to lose you, but if we lose you some because you’re out there doing games, then that will be cool with me. Because you’re not good at this man, you’re… pic.twitter.com/rblfStYN3w

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 18, 2024

"I don’t want to lose you, but if we lose you some because you’re out there doing games, then that will be cool with me," Van Pelt said when the dust settled on the Boston Celtics' 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks. "Because you’re not good at this man, you’re great at this. Nobody’s better at talking basketball than Tim Legler and I think everybody out there gets it."

It seems safe to say that regardless of his ESPN fate, NBA fans will be able to enjoy Legler's work for years to come.