ESPN replaces Rachel Nichols as sideline reporter for NBA Finals following Maria Taylor comments
Rachel Nichols will not be reporting from the sidelines for ABC during the NBA Finals, ESPN announced.
Nichols, who is mired in controversy after it was reported that she claimed fellow ESPN reporter Maria Taylor was hosting last year’s NBA Finals because the network was facing pressure to be diverse, will instead continue to host “The Jump,” ESPN’s weekday show providing NBA analysis along with Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson, the network said in its release.
Malika Andrews will take over the sidelines for the NBA Finals coverage on ABC. Mike Breen is set to continue as the play-by-play commentator with analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson.
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On Monday’s episode of “The Jump,” Nichols publicly apologized to Taylor and others for her comments, saying that while she didn’t want to be the story, she also felt she needed to take the chance to address her comments.
“The first thing they teach you in journalism school is, ‘Don’t be the story.’ And I don’t plan to break that rule today or distract from a fantastic Finals,” Nichols said. “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 a part of this outstanding team.”
