Rachel Nichols, the former host of “The Jump,” was fired by ESPN last summer after a recording leaked of her making insensitive comments about Maria Taylor, who has now left the company for NBC Sports. On the latest episode of “All The Smoke” with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Nichols spilled the real truth about the situation.
Basically, Nichols was using a new set of broadcasting equipment with ESPN and a certain app left an open line to her hotel room, basically listening and seeing everything she does. The worst part is no one ever told her about it. Via Ballislife:
“One person decided to just sit & watch, spying on me like I was their own personal TV show & when they heard something they thought was juicy they picked up their phone & started recording my conversation.”
"One person decided to just sit & watch, spying on me like I was their own personal TV show & when they heard something they thought was juicy they picked up their phone & started recording my conversation."
Rachel Nichols on #AllTheSmoke @shobasketballpic.twitter.com/QVvnfFsAjq
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 1, 2022
Rachel Nichols' comments were controversial without question. However, it looks extremely shady on ESPN's part to never let their employee know about this open line where basically everything she does is seen or heard.
To jog everyone's memory, Nichols was on the phone with Adam Mendelsohn, a former advisor for LeBron James, when she showed frustration over Taylor being picked to be a courtside reporter for the 2020 NBA Finals in the Orlando Bubble over her, saying it was ESPN's attempt to be more “diverse”. Someone at the company leaked the conversation, which led to her firing.
On a more positive note, Rachel Nichols is back around the sport, getting hired by Showtime Basketball as a host and producer on Friday.
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