Renowned American sports analyst, Maria Taylor, is one of the famous women in the United States. She is currently working at ESPN and the SEC Network. She is talented and hardworking and has a wealth of experience in the industry.
If you are a fan of college football, volleyball, NBA, NFL, and college men's/women's basketball, then Maria Taylor may not be new to you. She has covered most of these events on ESPN and SEC Network. So, how much do you know about the American sports analyst?
Maria Taylor's profile summary
- Full name: Suzette Maria Taylor
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: May 12th, 1987
- Age: 34 years (as of 2021)
- Zodiac sign: Taurus
- Place of birth: Alpharetta, Georgia, in the United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: African American
- Profession: Sideline Reporter
- Years active: 2009 - present
- Education: University of Georgia
- Net worth: $2 million
- Hair colour: Black
- Eye colour: Dark Brown
- Height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m)
- Weight: 132 pounds (60 kg)
- Body measurements: 32-24-35 inches
- Sexual orientation: Straight
- Marital status: Married
- Instagram page: @mariataylor
- Facebook page: Qmariataylor
- Twitter account: @MariaTaylor
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Maria Taylor's biography
She was born on May 12th, 1987, in Alpharetta, Georgia, in the United States. Maria Taylor's parents are Steve and Suzette Taylor. Unfortunately, not much about them is available. However, she is supposedly the only child in her family.
Educational background and playing college basketball
Where did Maria Taylor go to high school? She attended Centennial High School. Maria then went to Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She also graduated from the University of Georgia.
While in these three institutions, she actively participated in games. At Centennial High School, she has a successful basketball and volleyball career in which she achieved a lot. Next, she enrolled at the University of Georgia thanks to an athletic scholarship she won. She continued her run with both basketball and volleyball playing from 2005 to 2009.
Maria Taylor's basketball stats
Where did Maria Taylor play college basketball? She has played for the three academic institutions she studied in. Her stats are impressive. She has played a total of 41 games.
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- Points per game: 4.8
- Assists per game: 0.9
- Rebound per game: 4.7
- Steals per game: 1.4
- Blocks per game: 0.7
Sports broadcasting career
Maria began her career in broadcasting at IMC College, the larger collegiate sports marketing company. She covered the University of Georgia for three years. She also made numerous guest spots on SEC Men’s Basketball Tonight, Sports Nite, and Dawg Report.
In 2013, Maria began working for ESPN 2 as a sideline reporter. She covered the Saturday night primetime college football telecast and the Orange Bowl. She was also an analyst for NCAA Women’s Basketball Shows and Tournaments.
In 2014, she joined SEC Network as a college football reporter. She worked alongside Brent Musburger and Jesse Palme. She is also an analyst on other SEC telecasts, including volleyball and women's basketball.
In 2017, she agreed to join the ESPN College GameDay broadcast team to replace Samantha Ponder. She was an ESPN host and reporter for the College Football Playoff between Georgia and Oklahoma.
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Two years later, Taylor began hosting NBA Countdown, the pre-game show for ESPN’s Friday night and Sunday afternoon NBA games. In 2020, she was the sideline reporter for Pittsburgh Steelers vs New York Giants Monday Night Monday opener.
Maria Taylor's contract with ESPN
ESPN has a contract on the table for Taylor worth $3 million per year. The deal is roughly three times better than her current deal. Taylor’s current contract expires in less than a week, on July 20th, which is the date of a potential Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Interestingly, Amazon is interested in Taylor for its exclusive Thursday night package, which begins in 2022. She could be on the sideline or a host. It is unclear whether she will grab the contract or not.
How long has Maria Taylor been with ESPN? She has worked there since 2013. At the moment, she is still under contract with ESPN. However, the shot clock is winding down on her current deal, leaving doubts about whether she will finish The Finals.
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Social works and charity
Apart from her career, she is also involved in numerous humanitarian works. She is a co-founder of a called Winning Edge. It is a social organization that aims at developing leadership qualities in women, mainly from minority groups.
How much is Maria Taylor's net worth?
Over the years, the sports journalist has made an incredible amount of wealth for herself. She is reportedly . She has amassed her fortune from her career as a sports broadcaster.
What is Maria Taylor's salary? In her current contract with ESPN, she reportedly takes home a whopping $1 million annually.
Who is Maria Taylor's husband?
Maria is a married woman. On May 5th, 2019, she tied the knot with Rodney Blackstock. They both have a passion for basketball, and similar to Maria, Rodney Blackstock has a bright career.
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Mr Blackstock has made his name as a sports director and an owner of an insurance company that is started he August 2020. He is also the owner and professional agent of The Auto Club Group Buckhead, Georgia.
Maria Taylor's height and weight
Taylor stands at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m), and her body weighs 132 pounds (60 kg). Her body measurements are 32-24-35 inches.
Equally interesting are Maria Taylor's hands. She has enormous hands that would comfortably grab a basketball. However, she takes pride in them, which is clear from her tweet on December 4th, 2017. While responding to a follower who likened her hands to those of a man, she said,
Clearly, you’ve never been an athlete... my hands paid for college & led to a career. P.S. how do you body shame hands???Rachel Nichols controversial remarks on Maria Taylor
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In July 2020, Rachel was caught on video speaking about ESPN’s decision to have Maria host the NBA Countdown. She felt frustrated that she hadn’t gotten the role. She alluded that ESPN’s interest in diversity was a factor in the decision. She said,
If you need to give her more things to do because you are feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity—which, by the way, I know personally from the female side of it—like, go for it. Just find it somewhere else.As a result of these remarks, Nichols was taken off her sideline reporting assignment for 2020's NBA Finals. She reached out to Taylor personally to apologize via texts and phone calls. Unfortunately, the messages have not been returned.
Taylor took to social media and appeared to address the controversy surrounding herself and ESPN colleague Rachel Nichols. She tweeted:
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During the dark times, I always remember that I am in this position to open doors and light the path that others walk down. I've taken some punches, but that just means I'm still in the fight. Remember to lift as you climb and always KEEP RISING!Taylor has worked for ESPN since 2013 and has been one of the renowned sports analysts for the network.
Fast facts
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Maria Taylor has become a household name, thanks to her impressive career as a sports analyst. She has made a name working at ESPN, and today she is a force to reckon with among many young and upcoming sports journalists.
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