How often do you have your classmates/co-workers take your personal belongings? While it can strain a relationship, given you might never see it again, it seems Malika Andrews has a system that works perfectly with one special ESPN employee. After all, she also happens to be her younger sister!
The 30-year-old recently took to her official Instagram account to share a post with her 606,000 followers. Malika and Kendra Andrews recently recreated the viral ‘Is this illegal’ TikTok trend in which the PinkPantheress song Illegal plays in the background. The two ESPN journalists humorously highlighted their sisterly bond and the “special negotiation” that comes with sharing a wardrobe.
Kendra was the little sister who loves to ‘borrow’ clothes, while Malika is the older sister with the dream wardrobe. Kendra is the one who ‘asks before taking something’, but the older sister ‘forgets’ that she said yes to lending them. Aka, the proper definition of a sibling relationship. And while the two sorted out their ‘contract’ over clothes on a beach, a much more high stakes negotiation awaits Malika – the one for her professional future at ESPN.
Back in February, ‘Front Office Sports’ reported that Malika Andrews’ current contract is set to expire in the fall. The news, unsurprisingly, has sparked significant discussion, as her potential free agency comes at a pivotal time for sports media. She won’t be alone, as the contract of Brian Windhorst’s, with the network will also expire.
Now, under normal circumstances, no one would think to leave a big sports coverage network like ESPN. However, starting in the 2025-26 season, things will change. Back in July 2024, the NBA signed an 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal that took it from TNT and sent it to Disney (ABC and ESPN), Comcast (NBC and Peacock), and Amazon.
‘NBA on Prime’ has already brought in several big names like Stan Van Gundy and Dell Curry to serve as Color commentators, while the ‘NBA on Prime Video’ studio show will be hosted by Taylor Rooks, along with Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Candace Parker and Udonis Haslem set to serve as studio analysts in rotation. Meanwhile, on NBC, the ‘NBA on NBC’ show will be returning after a 23-year gap. The network is also set to bring in Michael Jordan as a ‘special contributor’ for the NBA coverage.
Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Malika Andrews on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Amid this landscape, ‘The Spun’ reporter Chris Rosvoglou highlighted, “there’s a slight chance Andrews will be on the move,” suggesting she could become a free agent and explore offers from other networks. And with so much speculation surrounding Malika Andrews’ personal life, her lighthearted interactions with her sister Kendra offer a rare glimpse into their unique relationship.
The Andrews’ sister act: a look at their on-air relationship
It isn’t news to NBA fans that Kendra doesn’t always ask when ‘borrowing’ her elder sister’s things. After all, one of the most viral moments of the two ESPN journalists was when Kendra was caught wearing Malika’s watches live on air in May 2022! Kendra was on the Chase Center court discussing the “mindfulness” with which Draymond Green needs to play in the playoffs. Malika, who was taking in her younger sister’s remarks from the studio, went on to say, “But is that my watch?” The look on Kendra’s face confirmed it as the elder sister added, “Yep, that’s my watch”, and everyone had a good laugh over the incident.
With co-workers like these, forming those ‘special negotiations’ isn’t too hard. After all, if something isn’t returned on time, you know where to find them even outside of work!
Kendra Andrews joined ESPN back in 2022, almost 4 years after her sister. Malika was certainly tense about Kendra’s job interview, but she also recalled that “I didn’t lose any sleep over it. I’m kind of kidding! I tried to stay out of the process beyond where I was invited into it, and that was from Kendra’s side”. Today, the younger Andrews continues to play an important role in ESPN’s NBA coverage by continuing to write and report for ESPN.com, and contributing reports to ESPN’s television platforms, including SportsCenter and NBA Today, the latter of which is hosted by the 30-year-old.
No matter what happens with Malika’s contract decision, her potential exit also raises the question of whether Kendra Andrews will also follow suit. But regardless of the outcome, one can be sure that Kendra still won’t be leaving her sister’s clothes and accessories alone!
The post Malika Andrews and ESPN Employee Discuss Special Negotiation Ahead of Contract Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.
