What a month for NBA fans. Despite no games being played, we’ve witnessed a whirlwind of changes and moves with the off-season kicking into full swing. The frenzy started on Wednesday evening when Kristaps Porzingis was shipped to the Boston Celtics. The addition of the 3-point shooting 7-footer will definitely be an advantage for the Celtics’ roster. Marcus Smart joined the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the multi-team deal, and the Washington Wizards acquired Tyus Jones to serve as their backup point guard after trading away cornerstone player Bradley Beal just a few days before. And as for the Charlotte Hornets, they chose Brandon Miller with the second pick in the draft.
While the former Alabama wing saw the spotlight primarily due to his talent, a reporter put him in a pickle when she brought up an alleged case on his big night. After she received backlash from fans, an NFL veteran recently vouched for her.
ESPN reporter puts Brandon Miller in an awkward spot on Draft Night
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Malika Andrews joined ESPN in 2018 and has been a crucial part of their basketball reportage. She was prominently featured in ESPN’s thorough coverage of the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
However, because she covered Brandon Miller of Alabama during the draft, Andrews received harsh criticism from viewers. Andrews bought up Miller’s involvement in a horrific shooting incident in Tuscaloosa, involving former teammate Darius Miles.
Since this happened before the Charlotte Hornets picked Miller second overall, fans thought it looked like she was casting doubt on the 20-year-old’s eligibility. The community did not go easy on her as they couldn’t understand why she addressed such a controversial subject on a night of supreme importance to the youngster.
Malika Andrews is like an encyclopedia of negativity pic.twitter.com/gUua1FLGod
— FlightMike (Mikerophone) (@TheFlightMike) June 22, 2023
Not everybody saw it that way though, and a former athlete spoke up against the fans’ bickering.
275-lb defensive end stands firmly in Andrews’ corner
Meanwhile, NFL veteran, Marcellus Wiley recently came to her defense. The former Bills draftee pointed out how Andrews bought this up during the pre-draft show, treading carefully to not ruin his night.
“But the fact that she actually spoke through a process that the number two overall pick just went through. And it was off the court and it was headline news, Y’all can’t cut her no slack on that one? I would in that situation.”
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As a reporter, people expect her to bring up the incident with Brandon Miller when she addresses him. If she didn’t address the incident, some may get annoyed and wonder why she brought the 20-year-old up without mentioning the relevant news. If she does bring his incident up, well… fans would criticize her. There’s no winning in this situation for her.
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According to Wiley, she was in a tough spot. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!
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