Rachel Nichols Leaving ESPN for Showtime Basketball Coverage

Rachel Nichols is taking her talents to Showtime: The veteran NBA reporter is leaving ESPN to join Showtime as a host and producer for the network’s basketball coverage.

Nichols “will contribute to multiple programs and projects from Showtime Basketball across multiple platforms,” per the network. She also appeared on the video podcast All the Smoke With Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson to announce the move.

Nichols covered the NBA for ESPN since joining the network in 2004, but she stirred controversy last year when private comments she made about former colleague Maria Taylor leaked, implying that Taylor, who is Black, only got to host ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage because the network was “feeling pressure about” their “crappy longtime record on diversity.” Nichols apologized, but was later removed from the network’s NBA coverage, with her daily news show The Jump being cancelled as well. (Taylor left ESPN soon after to join NBC Sports.)

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Which of today’s TVLine Items pique your interest?