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Malika Andrews is reportedly the front-runner to become ESPN’s lead studio host for the WNBA following Elle Duncan’s departure, according a report by Front Office Sports. No deal has been finalized, and ESPN declined to comment on the report.
Duncan, who currently co-anchors SportsCenter at 6 p.m. alongside Kevin Negandhi and serves as the lead analyst for ESPN’s women’s college basketball coverage, is expected to leave the network at the end of the year.
The Athletic first reported that she is poised to become the face of Netflix’s expanding sports studio offerings.
Andrews has already hosted WNBA coverage for ESPN, including last year’s opening night, and is widely seen as a natural successor. She also serves as the lead host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown. This season, NBA Countdown has been scaled back as ESPN licenses Inside the NBA from TNT. That show features Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and host Ernie Johnson.
Andrews joined ESPN in October 2018 as an online NBA writer covering teams like the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. She quickly became one of the network’s most prominent voices. Her rise accelerated during the 2020 NBA Bubble, where she worked as a sideline reporter. She later covered the 2021 NBA Finals in the same role.
In late 2021, Andrews became the host of NBA Today and, in 2022, made history as the first woman to host the NBA Draft.
Her reporting style, praised for professionalism and storytelling, blends deep basketball knowledge with attention to social and cultural issues. Industry recognition followed. She earned a Sports Emmy Award for Emerging On-Air Talent. In 2021, Forbes included her in its “30 Under 30” list for sports.
This season, Andrews has continued her dual roles, serving as both a studio host and NBA sideline reporter, further solidifying her visibility across ESPN programming.
What remains unclear is how ESPN will restructure its women’s college basketball coverage or the 6 p.m. SportsCenter slot after Duncan’s exit.
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