ESPN taking Rachel Nichols off its NBA programming

By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — ESPN is canceling Rachel Nichols’ show “The Jump” and pulling her off NBA programming. ESPN will have a new daily NBA show that will premiere sometime before the regular season begins in October. The network will also revamp and find a host for the “NBA Countdown” show, given Maria Taylor’s departure to NBC. Nichols has been an integral part of ESPN’s NBA coverage since she returned to the network in 2016. She came under criticism after a New York Times report in July detailed critical comments she made about Taylor.