Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele has revealed how recent Hall of Fame NBA coach Doc Rivers completely broke off personal ties with her over political differences.
Steele used to be a primary figure in ESPN’s on-air programming, specifically with the NBA, for years. But since leaving ESPN in 2023, the 53-year-old media personality has soured on the NBA over different political stances.
With her opposing the NBA with conservative rhetoric over the last few years, it led to personal backlash from an NBA coach who Steele used to consider a friend, Doc Rivers.
Doc Rivers called Sage Steele out personally for her political beliefs
Steele revealed on Dave Rubin’s ‘The Rubin Report’ that her relationship with coach Doc Rivers fell apart after her open support for the Republican Party and U.S. President Donald Trump.
“I’m going to show you later the DMs from this man. Pages and pages of why I’m such an idiot to be a Republican or conservative and support Donald Trump. Out of the blue, he would send me clips, and I’m like, ‘I just want to talk basketball with you’ or ‘How are your kids…?’ Instead, it’s, ‘I’m so disappointed.'”
Steele is a staunch supporter of President Trump, with Trump even publicly acknowledging and thanking her for her support in the past.
Steele also supports the stance against trans athletes competing against biological women in women’s sports, and her ESPN exit was primarily based on her opinion against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.
Rivers, on the other hand, has been an outspoken voice on the other end of the political spectrum, alongside Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
The 2008 NBA Championship-winning head coach took a lot of strong political stances in the last few years during his tenure as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach.
The 64-year-old Rivers has spoken out against ICE multiple times, criticised President Trump and his supporters, and was an active part of Kamala Harris’ 2024 U.S. Presidential Campaign, featuring as the narrator in a commercial supporting her bid against President Trump.
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