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Maria Taylor’s time at ESPN has officially come to an end.
On Wednesday, Taylor and ESPN announced in a joint statement that the rising star is parting ways with the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Taylor’s final assignment at ESPN was Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
“So thankful to Jimmy and all of my great teammates and friends at the SEC Network, College GameDay, Women’s and Men’s college basketball, and the NBA Countdown family — the people who believed in me, encouraged me, pushed me, and lifted me up,” Taylor said.
“Words are inadequate to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud.”
ESPN & @MariaTaylor jointly announced today that after much discussion, an agreement on a contract extension could not be reached
As a result, her last assignment for ESPN was last night's NBA Finals telecast
Comments from Jimmy Pitaro & Maria Taylor: https://t.co/yNSoLzKCP8 pic.twitter.com/bFjIQ6myzX
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 21, 2021
“Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.
“There is no doubt we will miss Maria, but we remain determined to continue to build a deep and skilled talent roster that thoroughly reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. While she chose to pursue a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we’ve done together.”
While it has not officially been announced, Taylor is expected to quickly join NBC where she will be a part of the upcoming coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.
Taylor’s departure comes a few weeks after an explosive report from the New York Times that detailed behind-the-scenes drama at ESPN after Rachel Nichols made disparaging comments about Taylor and suggested she earned her gig in the NBA Finals as a diversity play.
