After blowing it with Maria Taylor and Rachel Nichols, ESPN will presumably try not to screw things up yet again with its newest NBA studio host, Malika Andrews.
ESPN announced Monday that Andrews will host Nichols’ former show “The Jump,” retitled “NBA Today,” starting October 18. She will be joined by regulars from “The Jump,” in the timeslot once held by “The Jump,” in the studio where “The Jump” was filmed — though unnamed ESPN sources told the Washington Post and New York Post that the show will resemble “NFL Live.”
“NBA Today” will travel on-site for the NBA Finals, though Andrews has not been given the hosting role for that event, at least not yet. ESPN has not announced who will hold the Finals hosting job, which was given to Nichols in 2019 before ESPN changed its mind and gave it to Taylor. Per the New York Post, “Get Up!” host Mike Greenberg — who has held zero NBA roles in ESPN’s twenty years holding rights to the league — is a contender.
There is no word yet on who will host ESPN’s regular NBA pregame show “NBA Countdown.” The Post reported last month that Stephen A. Smith is interested in a pregame role that will include Michael Wilbon and Magic Johnson, though that could be Countdown or Smith’s preexisting NBA-themed SportsCenter that precedes Wednesday night games.
The new hosting role coincides with a new contract extension for Andrews, who has been with ESPN since 2018.
[News from ESPN, NYP 9.20 $]
