The men’s and women’s Final Fours unfold in Houston and Indianapolis, respectively, beginning this weekend. For one ESPN employee who works off camera, this time of year is special.
Graphics producer Shavonne Burke’s invitation to The Big Dance was a short but cherished one. In 2002, she and her No. 16-seeded Norfolk State (Va.) teammates endured a 95-48 loss to host Duke in an East Region opener.
Senior guard Burke scored nine points. Sometimes, an ESPN replay resurfaces that features Burke being burned by Blue Devils star Monique Curry. When it does, she sometimes gets needled. But as the game-action photo reveals, Burke had at least one shining moment against the airborne Curry.
“I got her with the pump fake, but I can’t tell you that I made that shot,” said Burke, smiling. These days, she works on the 6 p.m. ETSportsCenter, producing the “breaking news” graphics that try to fit plenty of details for viewers in a very finite space.
Norfolk State finished 22-9 that season but it was apparent early that top-seeded Duke truly had a better squad.
“I fouled the mess out of [former Duke star] Alana Beard and she still made the basket,” Burke recalled. “That’s when I knew they were on another level. They were very disciplined, very fast. At halftime, my feet were just burning from running up and down the floor.”
Still, playing in the tournament “was a great experience. We just had to make the best of it.”
As luck would have it, the person who snapped her NCAA action photo — Dr. Grady James — is a mentor of Burke’s. He encouraged her not only at Norfolk State but also insisted she apply for work at ESPN. He passed her résumé to ESPN recruiters.
“He was instrumental through my whole career there and on a deeper level than just basketball,” said Burke, who is in her fourth year as a graphics producer after a stint as a production assistant.
Burke knows her NCAA dance is in ESPN’s tape vaults. While she cherishes the experience of playing in the game, there’s one less-than-shining moment she’d like to forget.
“In the beginning of the game, I’m nervous. I shot an air ball. I’m going to find it and tape over it,” she said, laughing.
