ESPN’s Rachel Nichols is being slammed after she was recorded how she could keep a Black co-worker from getting her gig during the NBA Finals.
Nichols and LeBron James’ publicist, Adam Mendelsohn, were discussing the changes taking place at sports broadcasting giant ESPN made known by the New York Times. Audio from the May 2020 hotel room conversation finds Nichols venting to Mendelsohn about ESPN approaching her with sideline reporting for the 2020 NBA Finals, which would have her and Maria Taylor, who is Black, split the reporting detail.
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.”
Listen to the entire convo below.
