All good things must come to an end. After an incredible run that involved basketball coverage, football reporting and much more, Maria Taylor has opted to part ways with ESPN following the 2021 NBA Finals.
“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. Words are inadequate to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud,” Taylor said in a brief statement.
Taylor reportedly has a number of job opportunities to choose from following her departure from ESPN. NBC and Amazon have reportedly expressed interest in Taylor as they expand their NFL coverage. Also, NBC could offer Taylor an opportunity to continue covering college football and the Tokyo Olympics.
At ESPN, the network will look to find a replacement for Taylor, who has anchored their NBA and college football coverage. The worldwide leader in sports has not yet identified who would fill her role at the network, but ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro issued the talented reporter and host a farewell on Wednesday.
“Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic. 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,” Pitaro added.
