No one likes the air of uncertainty. You don’t know what is about to happen next. Will you stay or will you leave? Look for ESPN, the concept of uncertainty didn’t haunt much until recently. They signed their superstar, Stephen A. Smith, to a $100 million, 5-year contract extension. However, with others like Molly Qerim, the conversation never reached a solid conclusion. And now, Qerim is out. But Malika Andrews is walking into the scene with grand news.

After days of long-term contract discussion, both Andrews and ESPN have come to a decision. Hours after Qerim’s goodbye message, the network took to their X handle to announce: “ESPN has reached a multi-year extension with Sports Emmy Award-winning host & reporter @malika_andrews.“

Malika Andrews will continue leading ESPN’s biggest basketball shows while adding more sideline coverage to her plate. She is at the front of NBA Countdown, NBA Today, and the NBA Draft. She now appears on WNBA broadcasts as well. The network has clearly chosen her as one of its defining voices for the future.

Her rise has been nothing short of remarkable. She first joined the company in 2018 and quickly turned heads by reporting from inside the NBA Bubble. Soon after, she became the youngest voice on both Finals and Draft broadcasts. By 2023, she stepped into the top Countdown chair. Today, ESPN is expanding her role even more, securing her place as a standout in sports media.

Well, Malika Andrews’ contract with ESPN was coming to an end in September or October 2025. But of course, the broadcasting moguls wanted to keep her as their multimedia powerhouse. However, given the long discussions, many had believed that with the NBA’s $76 billion media expansion, Andrews could bolt for a bigger opportunity elsewhere. Rumors also said that NBC and Amazon Prime were already in the conversation. But she has settled things now. And who knows, she might be the heir to Molly Qerim’s First Take legacy?

Could Malika Andrews take over Molly Qerim’s ESPN show?

Molly Qerim is preparing to close her chapter on First Take by the end of the year. Reports note that ESPN offered her a deal, but she chose to step away, signaling new opportunities ahead. Though she has stayed quiet on the reasons, speculation runs high. Meanwhile, Courtney Cronin has filled in before, but ESPN may delay naming a long-term replacement.

Well, for those who are hoping to see Malika Andrews enter First Take, here’s a point to understand. Andrews stepping into Molly Qerim’s chair feels unlikely right now. She already leads NBA Countdown, NBA Today, and the Draft, while carrying major sideline duties and WNBA hosting. She is already managing the network’s top basketball properties. Therefore, ESPN might hesitate to overload her further, even if her presence could electrify the First Take desk.

Simply put, Malika Andrews is rewriting her story with ESPN. She has risen from NBA Bubble rookie to the network’s basketball linchpin, and now the network has locked her in for the long haul. Yet the First Take throne remains a question mark. For now, she’s everywhere at once, owning courts and cameras, leaving fans buzzing, and proving that sometimes being unstoppable means knowing where not to sit.