Rachel Nichols, who was expected to be ABC’s sideline reporter for the N.B.A. finals, will not work that role when the first game of the series tips off Tuesday night, ESPN announced. She will be replaced by Malika Andrews.
Nichols was the sideline reporter for the finals last year and during ESPN’s most important N.B.A. games this season. Both ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney. “We believe this is the best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the N.B.A. finals,” ESPN said in a statement.
The decision to have Andrews be the sideline reporter instead was made after The New York Times reported that Nichols, who is white, made disparaging comments about a Black colleague, Maria Taylor, last year. Among other things, Nichols said that Taylor was picked to host N.B.A. finals coverage last season because ESPN was “feeling pressure” about diversity.
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