Molly Qerim (Photo Via Instagram/@mollyqerim)
When Molly Qerim suddenly left First Take last month, fans thought it was just another routine change. TV hosts come and go all the time. But this felt different. It wasn’t just a short break, it marked the end of her nearly 20-year run at ESPN and 10 years hosting one of its biggest shows.

At first, reports said Molly Qerim would finish her time on First Take by the end of the year. But then, out of nowhere, she announced on Instagram that she was leaving right away. The next day, Stephen A. Smith confirmed the shocking news, Molly wasn’t just leaving First Take, she was leaving ESPN completely.

That’s when the real story started to unfold.

Russo Says Qerim Left To Save Face

Chris Russo (Photo By Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Veteran broadcaster Chris “Mad Dog” Russo thinks the move wasn’t as clean-cut as ESPN made it sound. Speaking on the SI Media Podcast, Russo said Qerim likely left because she “felt embarrassed” by the network’s internal plans to shift her off First Take.

“I think they probably wanted to move her around a little bit and try something different,” Russo said. “Not that the ratings were bad-it’s just the nature of the beast. You’re on air forever, they like to make a change for the sake of change.”

Russo added that Qerim probably didn’t want to stick around if she wasn’t hosting the show that made her a household name. “If I’m not going to do First Take, I don’t want to do SportsCenter,” he said. “She probably felt that would be a demotion. I think she precipitated it. She probably felt embarrassed being seen as a lame duck.”

But Russo isn’t the only one weighing in. Former ESPN star Marcellus Wiley also claimed Qerim had long felt underpaid and underappreciated. On his Dat Dude TV podcast, Wiley said she earned “around half a million dollars a year,” while Smith pulled in nearly 40 times more after signing a $20 million deal.

Wiley said Qerim wanted to branch out with her own show, but ESPN shut it down. “They weren’t signing off on her doing her own show or any other show,” he revealed. “Molly finally woke up and said enough is enough.”

ESPN’s President of Content, Burke Magnus, admitted Qerim’s exit caught the network off guard but confirmed she wanted to “do other things.” After ten years in the First Take chair, it seems Molly decided to go on her own terms.

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.

From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.