Rachel Nichols (journalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Nichols
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Nichols in 2021
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| Born |
Rachel Michele Alexander
October 18, 1973 Potomac, Maryland, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Occupation | Sports journalist, television host |
| Years active | 1995–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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NBA on TNT Unguarded with Rachel Nichols SportsCenter Monday Night Football Monday Night Countdown Sunday NFL Countdown E:60 The Jump |
| Spouse(s) |
Max Nichols
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Mike Nichols (father-in-law) Annabel Davis-Goff (mother-in-law) |
Rachel Michele Nichols (born October 18, 1973) is an American journalist and sportscaster. She is well-known for covering many sports, like the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB). She also covered professional tennis, college sports, and the Olympics. She is most famous for her work with the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2014, Sports Illustrated magazine called Nichols "the country's most impactful and prominent female sports journalist."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rachel Michele Alexander was born to Jane and Ronald Jacobs. She grew up in Potomac, Maryland. From a young age, she loved sports. She said watching sports felt like a live storybook with heroes and villains.
High School and College Years
Nichols wrote for and edited her school newspaper at Winston Churchill High School. She graduated in 1991. After high school, she went to the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. During her summers, she worked as an intern at major newspapers like USA Today and The Washington Post.
When she was 18, she met Michael Wilbon, a sports writer at The Washington Post. He noticed her strong confidence. One of her first jobs was covering Chicago Bulls practices as a freelance reporter. This was when the team was winning many championships. At first, she mostly took notes. But then, Michael Jordan encouraged her to speak up. They started talking regularly, which helped her become a better journalist. She earned her bachelor's degree from Northwestern University at age 21.
Sports Journalism Career
Starting in Newspapers
Rachel Nichols began her career as a sportswriter for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. She covered the University of Miami football team and the Miami Dolphins. In 1996, she joined The Washington Post. There, she covered the NHL's Washington Capitals. She also wrote about other sports, including tennis, the Olympics, and baseball. She covered famous tennis players like Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and the Williams sisters early in their careers.
Moving to Television
In 2004, Nichols started working in television. She joined ESPN as a reporter.
First Time at ESPN
At ESPN, Nichols appeared regularly on shows like SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, and Monday Night Countdown. She was also a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football and NBA games. She worked as a correspondent for E:60. She became well-known for her good relationships with famous sports figures. Esquire magazine even named her one of the "Women We Love."
Working at CNN
In January 2013, Nichols left ESPN to join CNN and Turner Sports. She was chosen to host CNN's first sports show in 12 years. The show, Unguarded with Rachel Nichols, started in October 2013. During this time, Nichols also worked as a sideline reporter for the NBA on TNT and appeared on Inside the NBA. She reported from the sidelines for CBS and TBS during the NCAA men's basketball tournament. She also reported from the dugout for TBS during MLB playoff games. She was praised for asking tough questions to important sports leaders. The Hollywood Reporter called her one of the "10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports Media."
Returning to ESPN
In 2016, Rachel Nichols returned to ESPN. She suggested a daily show about basketball. This show, called The Jump, started in February 2016. It featured former players and reporters discussing the NBA. Sports Illustrated called The Jump "TV's smartest basketball show." Nichols also appeared as a guest host on the podcasts Pardon My Take and Pardon the Interruption.
During these years, Nichols interviewed many important people. She spoke with Meek Mill about changes to the justice system. She also interviewed Mark Cuban after an investigation into the Dallas Mavericks team. One of her last interviews was with Kobe Bryant. In 2021, she was nominated for an award for "Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Host."
In 2020, during the 2020 NBA Bubble, a private phone call involving Nichols was recorded without her knowledge. This recording was later shared with some people. ESPN said they were very disappointed about the leak. Nichols was the sideline reporter for the 2020 NBA Finals and hosted the championship trophy presentation.
About a year later, parts of the recorded phone call were shared with The New York Times. This happened before the 2021 NBA Finals. Following this, ESPN changed Nichols' role for the 2021 Finals. She later issued an apology on air. A few weeks after the NBA Finals, ESPN ended The Jump and removed Nichols from its programs. In January 2022, Nichols and ESPN reached an agreement, and she left the network.
New Opportunities
In September 2022, Nichols joined Showtime Sports to help with their basketball coverage. In August 2023, it was announced that she joined Fox Sports. She became one of the panelists on the morning debate show Undisputed. She works alongside hosts like Skip Bayless and former athletes.
Personal Life
Rachel Nichols married Max Nichols in 2001. Max is a film and music video director. His father was the famous film director Mike Nichols. Rachel and Max got married in a Jewish ceremony in Venice. Max's stepmother is Diane Sawyer. Rachel and Max have twin daughters, who were born in March 2011. Rachel also has two brothers.
