Amidst the roiling controversy at ESPN, the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reports the network is taking Rachel Nichols off her NBA Finals sideline reporting role and replacing her with Malika Andrews. ESPN released a statement on the lineup change.
“We believe this is the best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals. Rachel will continue to host The Jump.”
A New York Times Piece released Sunday detailed conversations between Nichols and adviser to Lebron James, Adam Mendelsohn, where Nichols accused ESPN of making Maria Taylor the NBA Countdown host because of diversity pressure last year.
“I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world—she covers football, she covers basketball,” Nichols said in the audio clip obtained by The New York Times. “If you need to give her more things to do because you are feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity—which, by the way, I know personally from the female side of it—like, go for it. Just find it somewhere else.”
“You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away,” Nichols added.
The host of The Jump addressed the elephant in the room on Monday with an apology that social media widely criticized for not addressing any of the things said in the leaked audio.
“So the first thing they teach you in journalism school is don’t be the story,” Nichols said to open The Jump. “I don’t plan to break that rule today or distract from a fantastic Finals. But I also don’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect, how much I value our colleagues here at ESPN. How deeply, deeply sorry I am for disappointing those I hurt, particularly Maria Taylor, and how grateful I am to be part of this outstanding team.”
Game One of the 2021 NBA Finals begins at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.