5 Rachel Nichols questions for

Q: What was your plan for “The Jump” when the show started?

A: I knew early on in the planning of this that we’d be able to get Tracy McGrady to come on. What I would tell people is that this should feel like you sitting around talking basketball with your friends — if one of your friends was Tracy McGrady.

Q: How has the chemistry developed between McGrady, Scottie Pippen and other players on the show?

A: I’ve covered these players for so long — since I was a stringer for the Washington Post and covering the [Michael] Jordan and Pippen Bulls. So, I’ve spent a lot of time talking to them off the court for interviews, for stories, so we have that basic experience that goes years and years back.

Q: Was the way your CNN show, “Unguarded” was handled leave a bad taste in your mouth?

A: I loved doing it, and was thankful that CNN let us do it. Then CNN decided to make a pretty big philosophy change with its programming — and shows that were dedicated to just one subject they were going to stop producing all of those shows because they wanted the network to be more flexible. And it turned out to be a good decision for them. You can’t really take that personally when they decide to make a big direction change like that, taking out that many shows in one swoop. It wasn’t about what we were doing.

Q: Do you expect be- ing hated to be a challenge for the Warriors? A: They’ve changed from David to Goliath, and it was not just getting Kevin Durant, it was when they were a 73-win juggernaut. Nobody wants to root for Goliath. But watching them go through that because they are the same guys, and their personal past hasn’t changed, but the way people react to them have. Q: What is the most interesting storyline aside from Warriors? A: I am fascinated by the Cavaliers. There’s a feeling that the Warriors lost that 3-1 lead, but the Cavaliers earned that title. What they decide to do with that — turn it into a chip on their shoulder, especially with the attention that the Warriors have gotten since. It is rare to have any champion that won in such a spectacular way, and is not getting a lot of credit for it.