R.I.P. to ESPN’s NBA show “The Jump”

Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty ImagesI want to take a brief moment to pay my respects to the recently canceled ESPN daytime NBA gossip show, “The Jump”. For hoop nerds like myself who grew up in the 90’s fanatically watching “Inside Stuff” with Ahmad Rashad and devouring every Sports Illustrated basketball article like candy, The Jump was a guilty pleasure.

Hosted by the peppy Rachel Nichols, the show was a daily dive into the latest highlights and rumors around the Association. She had a rotating cast of co-hosts including legends like Scottie Pippen, Tracy McGrady, and my high school favorite hooper Paul Pierce. There were also journalists who dropped in like…