Maria Taylor responds to criticism from Doug Gottlieb and others over her NBA voting ballot.
Taylor was one of the many media members who submitted ballots for NBA awards this year. Her ballot was highlighted by a Los Angeles Lakers writer for leaving Anthony Davis off of the all-NBA team.
Harrison Faigen looked at the ballot as a Lakers writer and noted who voted for LeBron James and Anthony Davis and where they were placed. He tweeted out that Taylor was the only voter who left Anthony Davis off of all the three NBA teams. Which really didn’t matter because Anthony Davis made the NBA first team.
The tweet was later deleted and Faigen apologized to Taylor via Twitter.
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1307395345245061125?s=21
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1307395346318778369?s=21
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1307402374483341312?s=21
Taylor has been getting bashed by other men in sports media like Doug Gottlieb. Gottlieb tweeted out, “Why does Maria Taylor have a vote? Real question. She is a studio host/sideline reporter in her first year covering the NBA. She works a ton, not just on the league. No reason for her to have a vote.”
Maria Taylor's ballot is terrible, there's no question about that.
However: When a guy makes a mistake, he makes a mistake. When a woman makes a mistake it’s because WE DON'T KNOW SPORTS.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) September 19, 2020
People who are questioning Taylor qualifications as a sports journalist need a reality check.
Maria Taylor was an all-state basketball player in high school in Georgia that was in the rotation for a 27-win Georgia team that made the Sweet 16 in 2007. That was while focusing on volleyball. She’s more qualified to talk hoops than 95% of people in media. She’s knowledgable and earned the privilege to vote. We watch flip-flopping male analysts on tv daily; never call for their jobs. Keep that same energy.
Because I PLAYED basketball…I COVER the league. And I DESERVE everything I’ve worked hard for. https://t.co/JwLjk6dsb9
— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor) September 19, 2020
Maria Taylor is living rent free in the critics’ heads. If we took away votes every time someone inadvertently left someone off a ballot, there would be no polls.
