Jemele Hill leaving SportsCenter for ESPN's The Undefeated

Kirkland Crawford
Detroit Free Press

Jemele Hill, the former Detroit Free Press sports writer whose criticism of President Donald Trump reached the White House last year, is leaving her post as co-host of "SportsCenter" to join the staff of The Undefeated, an ESPN sub-site.

ESPN confirmed the decision in a release on Friday afternoon.

“There is an old adage that says, the heart wants what it wants,” said Hill in the release. “I started at ESPN 11 years ago as a columnist and while I have worn many hats in the time since, my true love always has been writing, reporting and commentary. While I have grown in every way imaginable this last year on the 6 p.m. SportsCenter, deep down I knew it wasn’t my calling."

Hill said she approached ESPN executive vice president of content Connor Schell.

Sports Illustrated reporter Richard Deitsch first reported the news Friday morning. 

Attempts to contact Hill were not immediately successful.

The Undefeated blends sports, culture and race and this week published a series a stories on the state of the black athlete, where Hill had an extended interview with Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore.

Along with her role with The Undefeated, Hill will also contribute to "E:60" (ESPN's newsmagazine show), "SportsCenter," "Outside the Lines," "Around the Horn," "Highly Questionable," "Pardon the Interrupton" and other radio shows and podcasts.

Hill's final show as anchor will be Feb. 2, 12 months after she and Michael Smith began to host the 6 p.m. weekday version of "SportsCenter." The two co-anchors, formerly hosts of ESPN2's afternoon show, "His & Hers," tried to bring their brand of sports news, opinion and pop culture to a wider audience.

More:Jemele Hill, Michael Smith bring unique style brand to 'SportsCenter'

“I'd also like to thank my co-host Michael Smith for his encouragement, generosity and support,” Hill said. “I will be cheering him on as the 6 p.m. 'SportsCenter' evolves with him as lead anchor. The SC6 staff also has my utmost gratitude and affection. Thank you for your hard work and contributions.”

The new approach to "SportsCenter" was met with mixed reviews as some viewers decried not having a traditional news/highlights show at that time of day. 

“Jemele and I created something special, and I will always be proud of her and our work together," Smith said. "She will continue to do amazing things here at ESPN. I am honored to be part of the next iteration of American sports television’s signature brand — SportsCenter."

With the increased audience came increased scrutiny, especially when Hill made controversial comments about President Donald Trump in September, calling him a white supremacist on Twitter. Those comments echoed all the way to Washington, as Trump fired back with criticism.

Hill's later tweets created a similar stir for a violation of ESPN's social media policy. In October, she posted a series of tweets about Dallas Cowboys advertisers after team owner Jerry Jones said he would bench any player that knelt during the national anthem.

She was subsequently suspended for two weeks by ESPN.

Hill, a graduate of Detroit Mumford High School and Michigan State, worked at the Free Press from 1999-2005, primarily covering MSU. 

Hill has written for The Undefeated in the past, including on Sunday, when she had a column published on the Larry Nassar situation and its impact at her alma mater.

Another former Free Press writer, Kelley L. Carter, also writes for The Undefeated.