Sage Steele Alleges Doc Rivers Criticized Her Political Views in Direct Messages
Sage Steele reported on the NBA Finals for ESPN from 2012 through 2020, but the ex-SportsCenter host has since stepped away from the league — partly due to some of its prominent figures.
In a recent appearance on Dave Rubin’s “The Rubin Report,” Steele, 53, criticized the league’s head coaches, including Hall of Famer Doc Rivers, claiming he attacked her on social media for her political views.
“It’s disheartening to see how many of them are hypocritical in their statements versus their actions,” she mentioned on the episode that aired on Wednesday, August 19. “Observing the passive-aggressive behavior from some of these coaches, whether it’s Steve Kerr or Doc Rivers — individuals I once considered friends, particularly Doc.”
Steele asserted that Rivers, 64, disapproved of her outspoken support for President Donald Trump, who Rivers has consistently criticized since the onset of his first campaign in 2016.
“I’ll show you later the direct messages from him,” Steele revealed. “Numerous pages detailing how foolish I am for being a Republican or conservative and backing Donald Trump. Out of the blue, he’d send me clips, and I’d respond, ‘I just want to chat about basketball’ or ‘How are your kids?’”
She further explained, “Instead, I received messages expressing disappointment and accusations of being a sellout as a coach. That behavior is off-putting for fans of sports. You can have an opinion — I certainly do — but I chose not to express it while working in sports.”
While Rivers and Kerr, 60, have been vocal about their beliefs, Steele has not held back either. In 2021, she was suspended from ESPN for controversial remarks regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, former President Barack Obama, and other topics. A year later, she filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming that her suspension infringed on her free speech rights and constituted a breach of contract.
In August 2023, Steele and ESPN reached a settlement regarding the lawsuit, leading to her departure from the company.
In an April 2026 interview with Sean Hannity, Steele recounted discussing the lawsuit with her children, asking them not to feel obligated to defend her.
“The night before the lawsuit was filed, I talked to each of my kids — one in college and two in high school — to prepare them for what was about to unfold,” she shared. “Every time I made a statement, my kids received threats. They tracked my children down on social media, and coaches, teachers, and parents said hurtful things to them because of my opinions, which is appalling, and that’s a separate issue.”
Steele also advised them, “Just remember, if someone criticizes me, remind them of the value of diverse perspectives and that we all have a right to our opinions, including your mom — your ‘crazy’ mom. That matters, and don’t feel the need to defend me.” Her son responded, saying, “Mom, it’s about time you stood up for yourself.”
