ESPN commentator apologizes for saying black colleague was promoted for 'diversity'

ESPN's Rachel Nichols apologized live on air after leaked audio of her saying ESPN wants Maria Taylor to host the NBA Finals to relieve pressure on the company to promote more diversity. The leaked audio of Nichols said that ESPN asked her to step aside to allow Taylor to host the finals for what Nichols says is  ESPN "feeling pressure on [their] long time crappy record on diversity."

"So 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 on "The Jump" on ESPN 2 according to the New York Post. "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."

The apology comes after an apparent outburst of frustration after Nichols was unhappy she was being asked to give up the NBA Finals hosting gig for what she thought was unscrupulous reasons. The leaked audio recording made the rounds on social media which show Nichols venting about how she thinks she's being treated unfairly in order to push onscreen racial diversity.

"I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world — she covers football, she covers basketball," Nichols said in the leaked audio. "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. Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away." Nichols added, "I just want them to go somewhere else — it’s in my contract, by the way; this job is in my contract in writing."

Taylor is also in a contract dispute with ESPN which saw her turn down a $5 million contract extension and ask for "Stephen A. Smith money" which is approximately $8 million per year. Since then, ESPN has undergone a "market correction" and is cutting salaries.

The $5 million offer is no longer on the table and now Taylor is being offered somewhere around $2-3 million according to the New York Post. Taylor's contract ends July 20 which would mean she would not be around for all seven games of the NBA finals which would end on July 22.