Maria Taylor is leaving ESPN after she and the network jointly announced Wednesday that they were unable to reach a contract extension.
Taylor’s contract with ESPN expired Tuesday, July 20, and Taylor’s assignment during last night’s NBA Finals was her last with the network.
Taylor is leaving ESPN following the uproar over comments made by her colleague Rachel Nichols in 2020, where she suggested Taylor was picked over her to cover last year’s NBA Finals because of her race. Nichols’ comments drew swift backlash and public support of Taylor, who had been a rising star at ESPN.
“Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic. There