Rachel Nichols Joins Showtime Basketball in Multi-Platform Role

Nichols will contribute to multiple programs and projects from SHOWTIME Basketball across multiple platforms.

By: Sep. 30, 2022
Rachel Nichols Joins Showtime Basketball in Multi-Platform Role
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SHOWTIME Sports® announces veteran journalist, host and NBA analyst Rachel Nichols is joining SHOWTIME Basketball, the fast-rising content vertical that features edgy, authentic and compelling content from every corner of the sport. As both a host and producer, Nichols will contribute to multiple programs and projects from SHOWTIME Basketball across multiple platforms.

The announcement comes as SHOWTIME Basketball's successful video podcast ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES AND STEPHEN JACKSON drops a new, revealing interview, her first sit-down since her 2021 departure from ESPN, where Nichols opens up about her journey in sports media and what has led to this next chapter in her expansive 25-year career.

Credited as one of the architects of today's NBA studio television landscape, Nichols will contribute to SHOWTIME Basketball's premium, award-winning storytelling as she bolsters a group that features Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, JR Smith and KING of NBA Twitter Josiah Johnson.

"We are delighted to welcome Rachel Nichols to the SHOWTIME Basketball family," said Brian Dailey, Senior Vice President, Sports Programming & Content, Showtime Networks Inc. "Rachel brings unmatched journalistic credibility, great familiarity with our roster and a work ethic that will take us to another level."

"I've been so fortunate to live my dream job alongside some of the best journalists in the business for more than 25 years, and this new development deal with SHOWTIME Sports gives me my most broad playing field yet," said Nichols. "They've asked me to produce, create and host new sports programming across platforms, working alongside Hall of Famers, multiple guys with championship rings and an uber-creative team behind the camera. We're going to have so much fun."

Known most broadly for her work in creating and hosting the daily NBA program The Jump on ESPN from its inception in 2016 to 2021, Nichols is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist. She has been covering sports for more than 25 years, including multiple Super Bowls, World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, Olympic Games and tennis and golf majors. Nichols spent nearly a decade writing for theWashington Post's award-winning sports section covering the NHL, NBA, MLB, tennis and the Olympics.

Nichols also worked at Turner Sports from 2013 to 2016 where she hosted UNGUARDED WITH RACHEL NICHOLS on CNN, covered the NBA on TNT, the NCAA men's basketball tournament on CBS and TBS, the MLB playoffs on TBS, the NFL and boxing. Nichols' first stint at ESPN began in 2004, where she covered the NFL, NBA, contributed as a correspondent for E:60 and frequented SportsCenter. Nichols returned to ESPN in 2016, creating The Jump, a show that quickly developed into a place where many current and former players, coaches and reporters came to discuss and break league news.

The content from SHOWTIME Basketball supports programming on the SHOWTIME subscription service. Basketball-themed content on SHOWTIME includes feature length documentaries and docu-series including KEVIN GARNETT: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, PASSION PLAY: RUSSELL WESTBROOK, Emmy®nominated QUIET STORM: THE RON ARTEST STORY, Emmy-nominated SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE, which is produced by LeBron James' SpringHill Company, KOBE BRYANT'S MUSE, and from Kevin Durant's 35 Ventures,BASKETBALL COUNTY: IN THE WATER and the newly released NYC POINT GODS. All are available via the SHOWTIME streaming service on SHOWTIME.com, on the SHOWTIME app and via SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® found on all supported devices.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers.

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