Rachel Nichols Apologizes On-Air For Comments About Maria Taylor [Video]

And here’s that apology we knew was coming.

Source: David Becker / Getty

On Monday’s episode of The Jump on ESPN, Rachel Nichols apologized for her recorded comments about fellow host Maria Taylor and like many on social media have pointed out, Giannis Antetokounmpo takes longer shooting a free-throw than Nichols did apologizing.

In a phone call, she didn’t know was being recorded–which later got uploaded to ESPN’s employee server–Nichols complained about Taylor getting a 2020 playoffs hosting gig instead of her, suggesting the only reason ESPN gave the job to her was because of the network’s push for diversity.

“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,” she said at the time. “Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away.”

Nichols addressed the recording during her opening comments on The Jump, taking 30 seconds to say that while she didn’t want to “distract from a fantastic finals,” she was “deeply, deeply sorry.”

”I also didn’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect and 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,” she said, pointing at her co-hosts.

Her co-hosts, Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson went on to spend longer defending Nichols than she did apologizing.

Obviously, a lot of fans aren’t happy with this apology, with many wanting ESPN to have some sort of repercussions following such disrespect to one of Nichols’ colleagues. But….we’re not exactly surprised.

Some particularly interesting tea on this situation came from NBA-player-turned-analyst Jalen Rose’s daughter, Mariah Rose, who pointed out just how ironic it is that Nichols was complaining about Taylor getting the job because she was Black, not because she was qualified.

Rose pointed out that Nichols is a relative of Diane Sawyer, arguably one of the biggest names at ABC who definitely could have helped Rachel get any gig she wanted. Plus, she drew attention to the fact that Maria Taylor actually played basketball herself, already giving her more qualifications to report on it than Nichols.

She also goes in on Nichols for laughing when the person she was on the phone with, Adam Mendelsohn, said, “I’m exhausted. Between Me Too and Black Lives Matter, I got nothing left.” She tells her to direct that energy she had for Taylor toward the higher-ups at ESPN who think there’s only enough room for one woman on that stage.

Thank you, Mariah, for dragging Rachel so beautifully that we don’t have to.