ESPN Takes Rachel Nichols Off NBA Programming

ESPN is moving Rachel Nichols off the network's NBA programming.

The news was first reported by John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. Nichols's weekday program The Jump will also be canceled.

"Got to create a whole show and spend five years hanging out with some of my favorite people talking about my favorite things," Nichols wrote on Twitter following Wednesday's announcement. "An eternal thank you to our amazing producers and crew - The Jump was never built to last forever but it sure was fun."

Nichols was removed from her role as ESPN's sideline reporter for the 2021 NBA Finals in July, shortly after The New York Times reported on a 2020 conversation between Nichols and media and athlete adviser Adam Mendelsohn. Nichols lamented the increased NBA assignments for fellow ESPN reporter Maria Taylor in her conversation with Mendelsohn, claiming that Taylor was given that work in part due to the network's "crappy longtime record on diversity." Taylor, who is Black, served as ESPN's host for coverage of the '20 NBA Finals, an assignment Nichols was reportedly expected to receive.

"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," Nichols said. "Just find it somewhere else."

"You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away."

Nichols has more than a year remaining on her contract with ESPN, per Sports Business Journal. It's unclear how often she'll appear on the network before her contract expires. 

“We mutually agreed that this approach regarding our NBA coverage was best for all concerned,” ESPN executive David Roberts said Wednesday. “Rachel is an excellent reporter, host and journalist, and we thank her for her many contributions to our NBA content.” 

ESPN will reportedly launch a new afternoon NBA show ahead of the 2021–22 season. The format and host have yet to be determined.