Rachel Nichols is being replaced as sideline reporter for the NBA Finals amid a controversy surrounding comments she made about a colleague.

According to multiple reports, ESPN announced Tuesday that reporter Malika Andrews will replace Nichols as sideline reporter for tonight’s Phoenix vs. Milwaukee Series,. Nichols will continue hosting her daily NBA show on ESPN, “The Jump.”

“We believe this is best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals,” ESPN said in a statement.

This decision comes as a response to the controversy Nichols faced regarding her comments on reporter Maria Taylor covering the 2020 NBA Finals.

A leaked recording from July 2020 revealed, white reporter, Nichols told long-time LeBron James advisor, Adam Mendelsohn, that she felt her black colleague, Maria Taylor was chosen to host the pregame and postgame coverage on the NBA Finals in 2020 because the network was “feeling pressure” about its diversity. The New York Times published the story over the weekend.

Nichols publicly apologized on her show “The Jump” Monday morning,

“The first thing they teach you in journalism school is don’t be the story, and I don’t plan to break that rule today or distract from a fantastic Finals,” Nichols said. “But I also don’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect, how much I value our colleagues here at ESPN, how deeply, deeply sorry I am for disappointing those I hurt, particularly Maria Taylor, and how grateful I am to be part of this outstanding team.”

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