ESPN’s Rachel Nichols hasn’t lived the best days since fans listened to her calling out the network for picking Maria Taylor to cover the 2020 NBA Finals based on their “record on diversity”. Yet, that isn’t the end for the reporter. We came from that situation to rumors of her sleeping with players in the Orlando bubble.
NBA fans always find a way to make things bigger than they actually are and this seems to be one of those cases. Recently, they went crazy over rumors suggesting Nichols’ possible involvement with Jimmy Butler and Ersan Ilyasova in the bubble.
That said, fans started researching as they do when a player is linked to a team, finding details that fuel these rumors. Somebody recalled that Jimmy Butler was visited by a security guard last year due to a disturbance complaint. This led fans to make up stories, bringing Nichols’ name to the table.
“I don’t think Jimmy Butler was “dribbling a basketball” in the hotel room…” one Twitter handle wrote.
I don’t think Jimmy Butler was “dribbling a basketball” in the hotel room… pic.twitter.com/JHnHLShW7L
— 𝓜𝓪𝓽𝓽 ✈️ (@mldiffley) July 6, 2021
Of course, more fans joined this conversation and started making memes and edits about this situation.
https://twitter.com/reallhumanbean/status/1412563720992018435
No, people are just dragging Rachel cause she's been in the news.
— Clayton Bar (@dclaybar2) July 6, 2021
Broddie put on that jersey real quick to make a save , but it was too late
— ᴊ ʙ (@Yojaheem) July 6, 2021
LMFAOOOOO NO WAY THIS IS REAL
— Spurs Legacy (@spurs_four) July 6, 2021
Cracking cheeks in practice apparel is the most Jimmy Butler shit ever
— Moddy G (@GoodEatz_Moddy) July 6, 2021
Security at his door: so you were dribbling a basketball you say? pic.twitter.com/cziP6keMVk
— Boston Knick (@BostonKnick) July 6, 2021
Butler was playing 1 on 1 pic.twitter.com/XsMHBiALhm
— LeBabyGOAT 👑🐐 (@G04Tseazzon) July 7, 2021
He was “dribbling”, alright. 😂 pic.twitter.com/b0U4oeNR1x
— Marquis Lewis (@themarquislewis) July 7, 2021
mf was throwing dimes and collecting nichols 😈
— fnt (@FantaGT12) July 7, 2021
— therealAHole (@therealAHole) July 6, 2021
https://twitter.com/CLOWNEDBYBOOK/status/1412609125419159552https://twitter.com/J0shStuff/status/1412408876465598466
Wow
— Jim Little (@KingMiles79NHL) July 6, 2021
Nothing actually points out this is true, but the NBA community is very quick to make assumptions, especially when we talk about these types of stories.
Sadly, some unfortunate comments unleashed this chain of events where Ms. Nichols is the subject of all these rumors. The NBA world is a wild one, and most of the time, we don’t even realize that.
