Following a series of controversies arising from leaked audio and discussions on diversity, ESPN has revealed a new show to take the place of its daily NBA flagship program hosted by Rachel Nichols, ‘The Jump’.
The forthcoming show, titled simply ‘NBA Today’, will be helmed by ESPN’s prominent NBA correspondent, Malika Andrews. Alongside Andrews, the program will feature insights from regular analysts Kendrick Perkins, Vince Carter, and Zach Lowe, in addition to contributions from established ‘The Jump’ reporters Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
In a statement from ESPN, Andrews expressed, “This is an exciting period to cover the NBA – a league teeming with intriguing personalities and narratives that resonate beyond the realm of sports. Our objective every day is to provide our viewers with exclusive information and analysis. I am thrilled to showcase the league and the talented individuals on our team.”
The announcement of the new show coincides with Andrews’ multi-year contract extension. ‘NBA Today’ is scheduled to premiere on October 18th, which also marks Nichols’ birthday.
In leaked audio-video recordings, Nichols was heard suggesting during a phone conversation that former ESPN broadcaster Maria Taylor secured an ESPN role that Nichols felt was originally intended for her, insinuating that Taylor’s race played a part due to pressure on ESPN over its track record on diversity.
Subsequent to this incident, Nichols offered an emotional apology on an episode of ‘The Jump.’
Taylor opted not to directly address the situation, choosing instead not to renew her contract with ESPN and signing a lucrative deal with NBC.
The final episode of ‘The Jump’ is slated for October 8th.
