ESPN and Maria Taylor have issued statements.

ESPN and Maria Taylor jointly stated today that they were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension after much discussion. Maria's final assignment for ESPN was thus last night's NBA Finals telecast. Jimmy Pitaro and Maria Taylor make the following observations:

Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN and Sports Content, makes a statement.

“Maria's extraordinary achievement is a clear reflection of her abilities and hard ethic. Without a doubt, we will miss Maria, but we remain committed to building a strong and diverse talent roster that accurately reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. While she chose a different path, we are happy of the work we accomplished together.”

Maria Taylor's statement: 

"I am so appreciative of Jimmy and all of my incredible teammates and friends at the SEC Network, College GameDay, Women's and Men's college basketball, and the NBA Countdown family - the individuals that believed in me, encouraged me, pushed me, and lifted me up. Words are insufficient to describe my unending gratitude, and I hope to do them proud.”