MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Is Rachel Nichols fired? ESPN cancels 'The Jump', removes host from NBA programming

Nichols was earlier removed from the network's NBA Finals coverage and Maria Taylor left the network for NBC

Rachel Nichols will no longer be involved in ESPN’s coverage of the NBA, the latest report revealed. The latest news comes months after Nichols's tape where she was heard passing "racist" comments about another ESPN host, Maria Taylor.

Sports Business Journal reported that ESPN has removed Nichols from all of the network’s NBA programming. In addition, Nichols’ weekday afternoon shows 'The Jump' will be canceled. It was also reported that ESPN will be launching a new afternoon NBA show leading up to the 2021-22 season, but no details about the show’s format or host have been announced yet.

RELATED ARTICLES

Where was Rachel Nichols during NBA finals? Trolls say she was 'crying a river watching Malika'

Who is Rachel Nichols married to? ESPN reporter's husband Max targeted by trolls

Has ESPN fired Rachel Nichols?

“We mutually agreed that this approach regarding our NBA coverage was best for all concerned,” Roberts told SBJ in a statement. “Rachel is an excellent reporter, host and journalist, and we thank her for her many contributions to our NBA content.”

The news of Nichols' exit comes less than two months after a New York Times report exposed internal conflict at ESPN over comments Nichols allegedly made about colleague Taylor during the 2020 NBA bubble suggesting that she rose to her position on ESPN airwaves because of a diversity effort rather than her merits. Nichols is White and Taylor is Black. Since that report, Nichols was removed from the network's NBA Finals coverage and Taylor left the network for NBC at the conclusion of her contract in July 2021.

Social media did not hold back from giving its opinions. One person said, "That audio leaked, rachel nichols’ reputation became irreparably damaged, ESPN fumbled the damage control, maria taylor left, and they had to cancel all nichols’ programming anyway. ESPN down horrendous." Ben Axelod said, "I actually thought Rachel Nichols had survived the storm." Journalist Alex Reimer said, "Wow. One mistake in a recorded private moment cost Rachel Nichols her career at ESPN. That's pretty scary."

While another one sarcastically said, "Rachel Nichols didn’t want Maria Taylor working over there. Maria Taylor got the bag from somewhere else, and now Rachel Nichols is outta there anyway. I’m crying." Another one said, "Rachel Nichols canceled? No more PR for Lebron? No more voting for FMVP? Everyone." While one wrote, "Saying Rachel Nichols "made a mistake" is acting like she accidentally did a racism, instead of it being accidentally made public. She intended to say what she said. She just didn't want people to know about it."