ESPN beauty reporter Rachel apologized to colleagues

Rachel Nichols, a longtime ESPN reporter, apologized on Monday's "The Jump" show for previous comments to colleague Maria Taylor.

Nichols said she had great respect for everyone at ESPN and was "deeply" sorry for her remarks about Taylor. She also said she was "grateful" to be part of the ESPN family.

Last week, the New York Times detailed Taylor's conversations with PR consultant Adam Mendelssohn about Taylor's coverage of the 2020 NBA Finals, after which Rachel Nichols became the subject of a lot of criticism.

Nichols has long been a sideline reporter and pre-Finals host, but the station left that spot to Taylor last summer. The decision apparently annoyed Nichols, who said in a phone conversation with Mendelssohn that ESPN was "feeling pressure" when it comes to diversity. Mendelssohn, an adviser to LeBron James, also faced criticism for his remarks.

The New York Times report, not to mention the leaked phone call, has stained Rachel Nichols' career and garnered a lot of support from Maria Taylor, one of the fastest-promoted world leaders. Many people quickly noticed Taylor's long background and development trajectory, which proved that she was getting more than just the opportunities she deserved.

However, there are still some who have expressed support for Nichols. Former NBA Forward Podcast host Stephen Jackson made a series of pro-Nichols remarks. In the video above, both Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson appear to have returned to Nichols' side, though they neither defended Nichols's words nor denied the gravity of the incident.