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“This is why Malika Andrews ain’t no Rachel Nichols!”: Jimmy Butler’s moment with former ESPN host could hilariously be undoing of successor

Ashish Priyadarshi
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"This is why Malika Andrews ain't no Rachel Nichols!": Jimmy Butler's moment with former ESPN host could hilariously be undoing of successor

Jimmy Butler and Rachel Nichols have had a lot of speculation about their relationship in the past, and in light of some footage resurfacing, questions have come up again.

Jimmy Butler is currently gearing up for the start of the NBA season after coming oh-so-close to taking his team back to the NBA Finals.

The Heat lost in the Conference Championship to the Boston Celtics in 7 games. They gave it their all, and Jimmy Butler put in some massive efforts to carry his team over the line, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

However, the Heat are still stacked and as balanced as any other team in the East, and with a superstar like Butler who can show up in the clutch moments, they’ll be contending for the East once again.

Also Read: How Much Does Zion Williamson Weigh?, And Why is his Chemistry with CJ McCollum Astounding Already?

Did anything come up between Jimmy Butler and Rachel Nichols? How does Malika Andrews tie in?

During the 2020 bubble, Jimmy Butler was living his best life. Not only did he make the Finals, but he also started his own coffee business where he charged $20 a cup, and he also might have found some luck with the ladies. Butler was on the receiving end of some noise complaints, and many speculated that Nichols may have been behind it.

Specifically, the lady in question was Rachel Nichols, former ESPN analyst. Nichols was fired from ESPN due to racially offensive comments made against Maria Taylor.

Malika Andrews has since replaced Nichols, and fans have argued that she doesn’t have the same charm as her old host did. Specifically, fans like to joke about the fact that Andrews doesn’t get Butler riled up like Rachel Nichols used to.

If you want proof, the videos are right here. The first shows Nichols’ entire interview with Jimmy Butler.

View on Website

The second shows a specific scene that sparks questions about Butler and Nichols’ relationship.

View on Website

Fans have clamored that Malika Andrews just isn’t as great a host as Nichols, and now with the Jimmy Butler picture in play, it’s funny to think about why fans, and perhaps even certain players, preferred Nichols.

Andrews has caught fire recently after she got into a heated debate with Stephen A. Smith over the Ime Udoka scandal. Andrews came to the defense of the woman Udoka was involved with, saying that the finger-pointing needs to stop.

However, Stephen A said that it wasn’t just Ime who violated company policies and that the woman is equally responsible. After all, it was a consensual, two-sided affair.

Also Read: “Ime Udoka’s NBA Career is Done”: Insider Admits Celtics Coach’s First Successful HC Season, could just be His Only Season Ever

About the author

Ashish Priyadarshi

Ashish Priyadarshi

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Ashish Priyadarshi is The SportsRush's content manager and editor. Ashish freelanced for 1 year in the NFL division before taking on an editorial role in the company. He then tacked on managing content while adding on a writing role in the NBA division. Ashish has been closely following the NFL and NBA since the 2012 season when the Patriots lost the Super Bowl and Derrick Rose was at the height of his powers. Since then, Ashish has focused on honing his knowledge for both leagues in, even writing crossover pieces. In his free time, Ashish is an avid basketball player, he loves to watch movies and TV shows, immersing himself in the cinematic world. Ashish studies computer science and data science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and would love to mesh his love for sports with his technical skills.

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