Malika Andrews has quickly risen through the ranks at ESPN to become one of sports media’s most recognizable voices. She joined ESPN in 2018 after stints at The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.
By 2020, she made history as one of the youngest sideline reporters during the NBA Bubble and went on to serve as lead sideline reporter during the conference finals — a rapid rise that has since highlighted her reporting talent and on-air poise.
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In the years since, she’s become the face of ESPN’s NBA studio coverage, hosting flagship shows like “NBA Today” and “NBA Countdown,” and in September she signed a new multi-year extension that expanded her responsibilities to include increased sideline reporting and broader playoff and draft coverage.
ESPN sideline reporter Malika Andrews.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Andrews has also built a strong reputation as an analyst of basketball and social issues, earning a Sports Emmy in 2022 and recognition from major journalism organizations.
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Her growing influence and versatility across NBA coverage have set her apart as one of the network’s key personalities.
Now, with the 2026 WNBA season on the way, a new opportunity appears to be on the horizon.
On Thursday, it was reported by Front Office Sports that Andrews is the leading candidate to replace Elle Duncan as ESPN’s lead WNBA studio host. Duncan, who has anchored the network’s “WNBA Countdown” and led coverage of women’s college basketball, is departing ESPN to become the marquee face of Netflix’s expanding sports coverage.
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Andrews already began hosting WNBA coverage for ESPN last season, including the league’s opening night, and her current roles as “NBA Today” and Countdown host, plus sideline reporter duties, make her a top choice to take on the expanded WNBA studio responsibilities.
If finalized, the move would position her as the central studio voice of professional women’s basketball coverage at ESPN, anchoring “WNBA Countdown” and related programming.
As the network reorganizes, Andrews stands poised to widen her influence and help shape how the WNBA, and basketball broadly, is presented to viewers, continuing her upward trajectory in sports media.
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Related: Erin Andrews Responds to Noise About Working on Thanksgiving
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
