Source: Meg Oliphant / Getty
After Rachel Nichols was outed for making insensitive comments towards Maria Taylor, Taylor received a promotion and is currently hosting the pregame and halftime shows during the NBA Finals. But she may not be returning to this role next season. It’s been reported that NBC Sports is trying to snag Taylor from ESPN.
According to the New York Post, NBC Sports would like Taylor to join their team after her contract with ESPN ends on July 20 so she could start on July 23 to cover the Tokyo Olympics. ESPN has reportedly offered Taylor a $3 million per year salary if she renews her contract, which is a step up from her $1 million a year salary. It’s also been reported that Amazon is interested in Taylor as well.
At ESPN, Taylor hosts NBA Countdown and is a sideline reporter for the college football national championship games and the NCAA Women’s Tournament. We will have to stay tuned to see if Taylor makes the jump to NBC.
Taylor began making headlines after the New York Times exposed now former ESPN anchor Rachel Nichols for making disparaging comments about Taylor. The Times released a year-old audio clip of Nichols having a conversation with LeBron James’ spokesperson Adam Mendelsohn that Taylor was only picked as the NBA Finals host because ESPN needed to improve their diversity record.
“I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world — she covers football, she covers basketball,” Nichols said. “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. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away.”
She added, “I just want them to go somewhere else — it’s in my contract, by the way; this job is in my contract in writing.”
Nichols later issued an apology on The Jump.
“I also didn’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect and 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,” she said.
Her apology didn’t save her job though. She was removed from her role as the NBA Finals sideline reporter and replaced by Malika Andrews.
