Rachel Nichols is officially out at ESPN.
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Nichols and ESPN have reached a settlement agreement with a year remaining on her contract, which will now allow her to pursue other opportunities immediately.
Nichols, 48, was reportedly making roughly $1.5 million to $2 million per year.
Nichols’ exit comes about six months after she was sidelined indefinitely for private comments she made in 2020 that were publicized in a New York Times story back in July.
The New York Times story included a recording of Nichols complaining about the possibility that she would be replaced as host during the NBA Finals by Maria Taylor because ESPN was trying to make up for its poor record on diversity.
“Just find it somewhere else,” Nichols, referring to the network’s diversity, said. “You are not going to find it or take it from me.”
Taylor was ultimately given the role for the 2020 NBA Finals, before the recording was released. While ESPN knew about Nichols’ comments before it was publicized, it did not discipline Nichols because she was taped unknowingly, sparking legal fears.
After the recording was released this summer, which came weeks before Taylor left the network for NBC Sports, Nichols was removed as a sideline reporter prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
She returned to the air during the NBA offseason before ESPN decided to cancel her daytime show, “The Jump,” and replace it with a new show, “NBA Today,” hosted by Malika Andrews.
Nichols has apologized publicly but her attempts to apologize personally to Taylor have reportedly been declined.
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