ESPN says Rachel Nichols will not cover NBA finals after racism controversy

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Rachel Nichols will not report for ESPN on ABC for the finals of the NBA, following criticism of the reporter for her alleged comments about a Black colleague, Maria Taylor.

In an announcement on Tuesday, ESPN said Ms Taylor would replace Ms Nichols, who is white, for the finals of the NBA.

As recently uncovered byThe New York Times, Ms Nichols alleged that ABC had selected her Black colleague to cover the finals because ESPN was “feeling the pressure” on the issue of diversity.

Ms Nichols, who covered the finals for ESPN last year and appeared in coverage for recent games, was caught telling colleagues that the channel could not correct its “crappy” record on diversity by “taking my thing away”.

“I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world – she covers football, she covers basketball,” said Ms Nichols in July last year. “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”.

She added: “You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away.”

According to ESPN’s announcement, the reporter will continue hosting episodes of “The Jump”, a weekday show for ESPN online, throughout the NBA finals.

In an apology for her comments about Ms Taylor and ESPN on Sunday, Ms Nichols told viewers that she was “deeply sorry” and that she was told as a journalism trainee to “don’t be the story”.

She added that she did not “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.”

Ms Taylor will host episodes of “NBA Countdown,” ESPN’s pregame and halftime show, during the finals between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks.