Rachel Nichols, reporter, and host of ESPN’s The Jump pulled from NBA finals coverage
ESPN’s Rachel Nichols has been pulled from her reporting duties covering the NBA Finals. This follows recent news of a leaked recording that surfaced of her making disrespectful remarks about her colleague, Maria Taylor. The controversy dates back to last year’s NBA Finals broadcast when ESPN management chose Taylor over Nichols to host.
A frustrated Nichols voiced her unhappiness at not being chosen in a phone discussion with LeBron James’ advisor Adam Mendelsohn. In one excerpt from the leaked audio, Nichols said “If you need to give her more things to do because you’re feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity — which, by the way, I myself know personally — like, go for it, just find it somewhere else,”.
An ESPN camera in Nichols’ hotel room in the NBA bubble captured the call on tape. The footage automatically uploaded to an ESPN video server. It was there where the recording could have been accessed by any number of workers.
Response to the Controversy
On Monday’s episode of “The Jump,” a show she co-hosts on ESPN, Nichols apologized for her remarks. “I also don’t want to let this moment pass without saying how deeply, deeply sorry I am for disappointing those I hurt, particularly Maria Taylor,” said Nichols.
The online response to the incident was intense, concentrating on both Nichols and ESPN. Jalen Rose’s daughter Mariah said, “Maybe instead of crying and calling Maria a diversity token, you could direct that energy to the people who think there can only be one woman on that stage.”According to a statement released by ESPN, Throughout the NBA finals Nichols will continue to host “The Jump,”. Yet, hours before Nichols was to host Tuesday’s episode of The Jump, ESPN canceled that day’s show. Reporter Malika Andrews will provide sideline reporting in lieu of Nichols throughout the Finals.
let’s discuss rachel nichols….this is a tale as old as time 🤦🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/t7Rv9t6EQI
— mariah rose (@mariahcrose) July 5, 2021