Malika Andrews: Confidence, Criticism & Preparing for High-Pressure Moments

ESPN’s lead NBA host and one of the most trusted voices in sports media joins Kate for a thoughtful conversation about preparation, confidence, and performing under pressure. They explore what it takes to succeed in high-visibility roles, from building self-trust and handling criticism to staying grounded while expectations and scrutiny continue to rise.

The discussion also dives into the mindset behind consistent performance, why preparation creates confidence, and how to balance growth with self-compassion in demanding careers. This episode offers insight for anyone navigating ambition, visibility, and the pressure to show up at a high level—on camera or off.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In twenty twenty two, you were the first woman to
ever host the NBA Draft.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
There's not a single moment that represents everything you've worked for.

Speaker 3 (00:09):
The draft.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Is that the twenty twenty five NBA Draft, the Dallas
Mavericks select Cooper Flag pick comes in. I get a
tap on my shoulder. Okay, I see that it's Cooper Flag.
I flip to that page in my binder so that
by the time Adam Silver says it, I'm into my
page of notes.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Malika Andrews is ESPN's lead NBA host and reporter, one
of the.

Speaker 4 (00:30):
Most trusted versatile voices in modern sports media. Recently covering
the Australian Open.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Today, she shares how obsessive prep helped her handle comparison,
criticism and public pressure. I moved out at a very
young age and I never went back. I've grown up
at ESPN, and I've grown up and found my Everything
that you want is on the other.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Side of.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Hi, guys, it's your host, Kate Max. Thank you so
much for tuning into today's episode. Your support truly allows
us to keep growing this show and bringing you conversations
we can learn from together. If you've been enjoying the podcast,
Please make sure to follow us wherever you listen and
connect with us on social at Post run High and
my personal account at Kate Max.

Speaker 4 (01:14):
We always love hearing from you.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
We have a really great episode coming up today with
Malika Andrews. She's ESPN's leading NBA journalist and host of
NBA Today. Malika is trusted with the league's biggest moments,
live interviews, breaking news, and high pressure conversations. Milika was
also the first woman to host the NBA Draft in
twenty twenty two and has done it every year since.

(01:38):
She has become one of the most respected voices in
modern sports media. And after this short break, we're going
to get to hear our conversation with her. We'll be
right back.

Speaker 4 (01:58):
Malika Andrews, Welcome to Post on Kate.

Speaker 3 (02:00):
Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited
to be here.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
And I do I have that Post run High because
we just we did it.

Speaker 4 (02:06):
Yeah, we just ran two miles through West Hollywood. So
how are you feeling?

Speaker 3 (02:10):
I feel great.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
I was, as I mentioned on the run, I was
a little bit nervous because I liked I like to win,
and I don't know what winning looks like in a
run where you're just having fun with a friend.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
But I felt like that was a winning run, so yeah,
well done.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
Winning is like finishing the run, you know, like Malika
did such a good job. You guys will have to
watch our running interview show to see it. But your
breath control was incredible. Yes, I don't say that to everybody.
I appreciate that.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
I felt like the entire time I was Darth vadering
into the mic, so I'm very very pleased to hear that.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
But it was.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
It was a lot of fun, and I think we're
going to have to do it again. But I will
say the hardest part was not the running. It was
thinking while running. Because I don't know about.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
You, but I am.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
I listened to music while I run, that is, and
trying to think and then articulate those thoughts while also
moving my feet was way more like patting my head
and rubbing my belly than I thought it was gonna be.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
We talked about this a little bit in the beginning
of our run, but it's movement a big part of
your life.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, so my dad is a personal trainer. I grew
up playing a little bit of everything, being not particularly
good at one thing, but always being an athletic person, right,
And so for me, I fully subscribe to the movement
is medicine, and not just as I've gotten older. Yes,
it's physically, but for me it's mentally. So it's funny.
I do not think that I spoke more clearly as

(03:26):
we ran, but I always.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
Think that I do my best runs.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
I do my best exercise when I have a problem
that I am trying to solve, because it allows me
to reshift the Rubik's cube in my own head and
look for different solutions, or replay a conversation or look
at something from a different angle. I feel like I
always do that best, and I always do that most
considerably when I'm running, and then that also distracts me

(03:52):
from the pounding the pavement that I'm doing at the
same time. So for me, I try to move in
some way, shape or form every day, and I try
to have that be more conventional exercise, whether that be
in the gym or a solid core class five days
a week. And then the horseback riding and going for
walks my husband calls the old man walks around our neighborhood.

(04:14):
Those sorts of things sort of fill in the exercise
around that, because I always grew up with, yes, you
want to spend your hour at the gym, but what
are you doing outside of that? Because if you're you're
sitting the rest of the day, then oftentimes that's really
the trap that we fall into, is how the rest
of your twenty four hours looks outside of the hour
you spend getting those curls going and you know, getting

(04:36):
that kind of exercise.

Speaker 4 (04:37):
It it's so true.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
And I feel like just by being in LA for
such a short period of time, like you know, we
try to come for at least like four months out
of the year, three months out of the year, and
we're going to be here now until February, and I
do find that I feel like people just live really
healthy lifestyles here, whereas in New York when it's like
freezing in the winter, people do do that, like you
just get your one hour of movement in and then

(04:58):
it's kind of like that's it.

Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yes, I agree with you.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
And do you think you get more steps when you're
in Los Angeles or do you think I found myself
getting more steps?

Speaker 3 (05:08):
And when I lived in New York City, I went to.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
New York a couple of weeks ago to interview Jalen Brunson,
and I walked from my hotel in the freezing cold
to a coffee shop that was a couple of blocks
away and back and I looked at my step counter
and it was already four thousand steps just going to
get a coffee and coming back. And that happenstance. I
feel like in New York, it just pops up on you.
In Los Angeles, I have to plan for my movement,

(05:33):
maybe a little bit more because we're a commuter city
as opposed to.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
A walk, get on the subway. See what pops up.
It's New York. I feel like is a little bit
more of a character.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
In Los Angeles, is a little bit of the background
at times.

Speaker 4 (05:46):
It's true, where do you prefer living? New York or LA?

Speaker 2 (05:49):
This is like asking me what my favorite child is.
For a long time, I would have said New York City.
I think, pound for pound, the city has always felt
like And maybe because we talked about this a little
bit on the run, I grew up on sex and
the city.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
I grew up with New York being synonymous with me for.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Success and specifically fashionable, successful women. I feel like that
was like walking down the street in New York City
and a pair of Manola Blannis that you bought yourself
and you can pay off your credit card, darn it.
Like that to me was synonymous with success, and so
moving to New York was a dream for me as someone.
I think because I grew up in California, I was

(06:29):
able to romanticize New York City in that way. But
now that I've been in LA for oh my gosh,
it's already been five years, and I built a life
in LA, I would miss the life that I built
here versus when I first moved here.

Speaker 3 (06:45):
All I wanted to do was move back to New
York City. But don't tell me what a good time.
If you say I could be back in New York City,
I wouldn't mind that. I would not mind that.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Do you have a prefer because you said four months
out of the year, that's pretty awesome that you get
to do that.

Speaker 4 (06:55):
Yeah, we try to.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
I mean it's going to change a little bit, I'm
sure once, Like we're currently pregnant in June, and like
I think that might change things like as like as
our daughter gets older and whatnot. But did you always
know you wanted to find out if what the gender is.
Oh my god, yeah, okay, I'm so impatiently.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
I'm impatient too, and I've always wondered that in the
future if having kids is something that I Because my
parents found out with my sister or my younger sister,
they were a surprise with me. They wanted to be
able to talk to me in concrete terms about your
having a little sister, so a two year old can
envision what that is. But they had the discipline that

(07:35):
I don't know that I would have to not find
out with. Oh.

Speaker 1 (07:39):
I feel like now that I know that I'm having
a girl, I could make the next one a surprise
because I just feel like, as I don't know, I
can't speak for every girl, but personally for myself, like
I have always wanted a daughter. So now that I've
checked the hopefully not cone with now that I almost
have checked that off the list, I'm like, okay, Like
I think I could maybe.

Speaker 4 (07:55):
Wait a little bit longer.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
Changed it has Like I'm a lot breathier on runh
that I normally am, like, you know, prior to when
I'm not pregnant. I like my VO two Max is
like like at a professional level in the sense that
like I can hold a conversation with anybody at whatever
pace they want to hold and not be breathy while
interviewing somebody. And that's just because I've gotten so many
reps in doing it, Like everybody, one of my most

(08:18):
common comments is like, how is she not out of
breath while interviewing?

Speaker 4 (08:21):
And it's like when you.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
Do something over and over again, like you get good
at it, you know, but now.

Speaker 4 (08:26):
It's totally different.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
So I've had to train harder to be able to
keep my like Votwo Max up, which is I think
it's called Theoto max, right something like that.

Speaker 4 (08:35):
You guys, we're gonna call it bot max on this uh.

Speaker 3 (08:37):
Which is amazing that you're No one is going to
say that about me. They're gonna be like, no, you were.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
Good, but on that when you said, you know, it's
nice that you have to be in LA for a
few months out of the year, like we really have
to because with the running interview show, it's just too
cold in New York, Like I think it's currently snowing
in New York City.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Have you done You've done snow runs? So we have
in the background. Yes, yeah, we have.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
It's just it's just harder, Like it's harder to book talent. Yeah,
And it's also fun to be able to come to
the West Coast and collaborate with some of the people
that are here that don't get to New York as often.

Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
I don't know, but going back, going back to New
York now is always something that I look forward to.
So whenever I go to New York, I'm going to
New York here in a week.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
And a half, it always is an exhale.

Speaker 2 (09:22):
When I'm in New York City. For me, it always
feels like, oh, yeah, this is the place, this is
a this was a tangent, this is This represented goals
to me. This represented success to me. This represented being
when I had my first New York City apartment, even
though it was a tiny, tiny studio with a kitchen
that folded into the closet. To me, it was my

(09:43):
own slice of something that I've been working towards. And
I think that you know, you asked me for quotes
on the run, and one of them that I'm trying
to recognize in real time is comparison is the thief
of joy. And remember the universe's con firing in your favor. Right,
we are incredibly lucky. I am incredibly lucky, and I

(10:04):
think that for me when I am in New York,
sometimes goals, as you're moving so fast through the world,
sometimes you can't touch them.

Speaker 3 (10:14):
Sometimes you can't feel them.

Speaker 2 (10:15):
Sometimes they feel like things that are perpetually dangling in
front of you, and it's hard to recognize that where
you are now is where you wished you were two
or three years ago. And so New York for me,
has always been a goal that I could touch, and
when I had a slice of that, it was very
very special for me because it's something that I wanted
my whole life.

Speaker 3 (10:35):
And now that I've.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Lived it and done it and come out to Los Angeles,
I love living here.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
It's the weather is always beautiful.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
One of my favorite hobbies in the world is horseback riding.
It's something that I told myself I couldn't do when
I lived in New York because it just wasn't feasible.
New York is incredibly expensive all of these different things.
But I think it's nice when you can have goals
that you can hold because sometimes it's easier to remind
yourself of when you meet them than the thing that's

(11:01):
kind of always nebulous.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
In the future that you're constantly chasing.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
I find it so interesting that comparison is a thief
of joy is a quote that somebody like yourself is
even thinking about because you have achieved so much success
in your career and you're widely considered one of the
best hosts in at ESPN for the NBA. So what
does that quote mean to you? Like, who do you
find yourself comparing yourself to?

Speaker 3 (11:28):
That's a really good question. I think for me, it
means that I am.

Speaker 2 (11:35):
This industry is you're constantly competing for eyeballs and competing
for access, and competing to be the best version of
yourself for fans and have your show be the best
version of what fans are looking for.

Speaker 3 (11:52):
Right And so for me, I find.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
Myself constantly looking back and rewatching an interview that I
did and thinking, I, SHO should have asked this question differently,
I should have I should have asked this question this way.
Bob Costas would have done it, you know, one of
the all time legends would have.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
Done it this way. And so I find myself.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
Oftentimes looking at the ways in which I can be better.
And there's a fine line between looking at the ways
in which you can be better and looking at yourself
through a judgmental prism. And I think, especially as women,
that's kind of what I'm always trying to walk. Not
to mention, you look at yourself on camera and you're

(12:32):
wondering if you're standing kind of funny, and are people
going to notice that little wrinkle in my shirt that
maybe looks like a poo tier?

Speaker 3 (12:40):
And so I think it's.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
That harsh lens that I'm working to not always see
myself through, just.

Speaker 3 (12:47):
Like I think any of us are, right.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
I think you're always we're always looking to be a
little bit gentler and a little bit kinder in a
world that seems to have less and less space for that.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
So you have to create it.

Speaker 1 (13:00):
Yeah, And it's so much more magnified when you're seeing
yourself on camera, like almost every single day.

Speaker 2 (13:06):
Literally and physically, literally and figuratively, right, because literally the
camera is a fishy right, And so when you stand
towards even height wise right our cameras, if you stand
towards the outside of the camera and someone as tall
as my colleague Kendrick Perkins, who's clearly six' ten and.

Speaker 3 (13:23):
Way taller than.

Speaker 2 (13:23):
Me if he stands to the inside of, Me i'll
look taller than. Him, Right so there's there's a literal
lens that you're competing, against not to mention your own
sort of, worldview AND i think that for, Me I've
i've grown up in AT, espn And i've grown up
and found my voice at the same time the world

(13:44):
was hearing.

Speaker 3 (13:45):
It and that can be a really interesting.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
Dynamic, Yeah, like wasn't your the one of the shows
that you host IS Nba today and you starting to
host that show was the first experience you ever had with.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
Hosting, yeah SO i was.

Speaker 2 (14:01):
Twenty, FIVE i think when we STARTED Mba, today And
i'd never hosted a show. Before and we talked about
this a little bit on the run. Too BUT i
think in this business you have to be luck favors that,
prepared and you have to be ready for your moment
whenever it. Comes but you're also there are people who
believed in me and believed THAT i had the ability

(14:24):
to do different things THAN i was doing that MAYBE
i didn't already see myself. Doing and So Dave, roberts
who's one of the executives AT espn in twenty twenty,
one he'd asked IF i would After i'd done some
television And i'd done a trophy ceremony for The Milwaukee,
bucks And i'd done reporting on. Air that was the
kernels of WHAT i did IF i wanted to now

(14:45):
host this. Show and that sounded at the time big
and wild and like something THAT i didn't have any experience.

Speaker 3 (14:54):
Doing but at the end of the, day what is.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Hosting it is asking, Questions it is being deeply, Curious
it is setting up the people around you deliver their best.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
Information that sounds a lot like reporting to, Me and
so it was. Wild WHEN i got the. CALL i
was In Los angeles at the.

Speaker 2 (15:12):
TIME i was walking actually through the canals In, venice
AND i got the call with the official offer of
which you want to move To Los? Angeles AND i,
think like a little, girl jumped up and. Down SO
i couldn't believe. IT i could not believe that they
were going to take a. Chance AND i think when
you come from, that when you come from a PLACE
i so deeply admire people who come from an inherent

(15:36):
place OF i believe in, MYSELF i belong here AND
i know that this is my space to. OWN i
came in THINKING i need to prove. Myself i've never
been here. Before let me show you.

Speaker 3 (15:49):
All WHAT i.

Speaker 2 (15:49):
Got and That's i've always been the little engine that
could in that. Way and so when you say about
comparison and all, this that's HOW i came in and
so being able to grow into someone who feels very
confident in this place and has been doing it for
a number of. Years that's just the transition of going
from a twenty five year old to a thirty year

(16:11):
old that's into thirty five and, forty and that's just
that's that's kind of The caterpillar, story.

Speaker 1 (16:16):
RIGHT i, mean it is so wild too that that
opportunity came to you at twenty, five you, know because
like you, know you'd think that something like that would
come to somebody at, thirty, right because it is that
is so.

Speaker 4 (16:26):
YOUNG i mean twenty. Five it's like you think about you.

Speaker 1 (16:28):
Turned everybody turns twenty five and they're, like my prefrontal
cortex is, developing, right, YEAH i like rent a, car yeah,
Exactly like you are still so. Young SO i, mean
it's it's WHY i can't even imagine being thrown into.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
A little bit of an old. Soul i've always been
a little. Bit i've always been a little bit of an.

Speaker 2 (16:43):
Old, soul AND I i've Always i've always been so
even since college WHEN i DECIDED i wanted to do,
SOMETHING i want to do it.

Speaker 3 (16:54):
WELL i want to go back to the, RUN i
want to. WIN i want to do it. WELL i
want to.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
Do it with, humility AND i want to do it
with the learning. Mindset BUT i really really want to
own it and do it. Well and so for, me
them saying can you do this was a. Challenge it
was a question right to myself as, well like.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
CAN i do? This And i'm it's WHEN i think about.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Being twenty, Five, YES i was pretty young to be
offered this. Show but at the same, time and it's
taking me longer than it should to be able to
say this with my chest because that's how we're. CONDITIONED
i was an am good at WHAT i.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
DO i wasn't. PERFECT i had a lot to.

Speaker 2 (17:38):
LEARN i had a lot of reps to get because
just like you're talking at the level of a marathon,
runner at the same, time you can only do it
once you've done.

Speaker 3 (17:48):
It BUT i. HAD i have so many young people
now ask, me how did? You how CAN?

Speaker 2 (17:55):
I AND i think the answer is to have a
wavering belief in yourself that is matched with an unwavering
work ethic that you're going to put in the reps because,
ultimately you can't cheat.

Speaker 3 (18:07):
Work and that's that's sort of what it comes down.

Speaker 1 (18:10):
To.

Speaker 2 (18:11):
NOW i went into that with saying that with all
the vibrato in the world and still had a whole
lot to. Learn BUT i think that that's ultimately what
it came down.

Speaker 1 (18:18):
To what would you say was the biggest learning curve for?
You BECAUSE i know you came from, writing, right you
were a. Writer you were when you were living In
New York, city you were working at The New York.
Times so what was it like going from being a
writer to then being on?

Speaker 4 (18:31):
Camera you, know WHEN i know you're doing.

Speaker 1 (18:32):
Recording and you were saying you were working in The, midwest,
yeah but then you, know, hosting so, yeah writing on, CAMERA.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
I think it was people know what you look.

Speaker 2 (18:43):
Like it's not just what you, say it's it's how
you say, it, Right and SO i think that that
was when you're, WRITING i had all the time in
the world to go over and to make What i'm a, perfectionist,
right and there's so many quotes and people who, say,
like why be perfect when you can just be? You

(19:06):
being me is trying to be, perfect almost sometimes to my.

Speaker 3 (19:09):
Detriment.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
Right it can get rigid at, sometimes and that's where
the comparisons come. In but being a, WRITER i was
able to go back over drafts and make sure every
word is exactly the way THAT i wanted it to
be and how does this, sound and confer with someone
else and have a second set of.

Speaker 3 (19:24):
Eyeballs television is your first draft on?

Speaker 2 (19:28):
Air here you, Go and so learning that it didn't
have to be in my first, draft that there were
steps THAT i could take off camera to make sure.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
THAT i had honed WHATEVER i was going to say on.
Camera but then also having a.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
Face to your work was something that was different for.
Me having people come up to you and, say, OH
i watched the show or that was definitely a learning
curve for me to be able to have a face
attached to it and have it be that draft that
just kind of goes out to the.

Speaker 1 (19:58):
World, yeah because writing is one thing where it's your.
Voice but having your voice live on camera as a
completely other. Voice you know that you're sharing with people
and it is really. Raw and we've interviewed a lot
of actors ones that do both on screen work and you,
know a live theater, work and a lot of them say,

(20:20):
like we love live theater because it's the beauty of
just like what happens.

Speaker 4 (20:23):
Live on stage is what. Happens you kind of have.

Speaker 3 (20:25):
To roll with.

Speaker 4 (20:25):
It, Yeah so what is it like for.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
You when you're in moments where maybe you ask the
wrong question or not even the wrong, question but a
question where you're, LIKE i could have delivered that.

Speaker 2 (20:33):
BETTER I SO i still watch back almost every single
show THAT i, do AND i find myself doing a
lot of well that could have come off.

Speaker 3 (20:41):
Differently but also laughing at yourself as a.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
Skill, Right when you laugh at, yourself you take away
the power of other people to laugh at. You and you,
know what we all, make whether it's a mistake or
just say something silly or do something that we wish
we maybe said. Differently the other, DAY i said something
on camera about a chicken and a dry, rub and
my Colleague Hendrick perkins looked at me, Like, huh what

(21:05):
did you just, say AND i was total double entendre
THAT i didn't even realize in the. Moment but you know,
what the double entendra was even funnier than WHAT i
was initially trying to.

Speaker 3 (21:16):
Say and SO i think that.

Speaker 2 (21:19):
Laughing at myself is only a skill That i've gotten
As i've gotten, older BECAUSE i think that it's really
easy when you feel like your work is, fragile when
you feel like you are getting a shot but you
haven't nailed it, yet that you're not allowed to make.

Speaker 3 (21:34):
Mistakes and there.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
Was and mistakes can be anything from big to, little,
right but for, me it was anything less than perfect
was a mark against my credibility and ultimately could be
used as a reason That i'm not good enough in
my own head and other. People's that's the, icky ugly

(21:56):
weight of. Perfectionism and so ONE i got a. YEAR
i there's a player the other day who said that
he's a guy who's not got much play in time
for The Los Angeles. LAKERS a Do hero is his,
Name and he got run in A Boston celtics game
and he made a mistake and he looked over at

(22:18):
his coach thinking that after his first, mistake they were
going to yank. Him he's, like nope to you're shortlyast
to the. Bench and the first time out he looked
over AND Jj reddick didn't call.

Speaker 3 (22:28):
His number to sit.

Speaker 2 (22:28):
Down you let him play through his, mistake and he
said that's the first moment that he relaxed in the.
Game AND i think that laughing laughing at yourself has
been a evolution for me because at first it felt, like, oh,
well if everybody's laughing at, me Then i'm going to
get my number called and not going to get.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
The chance to try. Again and so NOW i think
that that just it's it's a.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
Skill that you have to have because fortunately you're not
expected to get it right every single, time and.

Speaker 3 (23:02):
It makes for a wicked sense of humor at the
end of the. Day it's more fun that, way.

Speaker 1 (23:06):
Yeah and showing your humanity to. People we talked about
this on the, run but it's, like you, know you
were saying you're nervous to do the run because you
because of like having because of wanting to look perfect
or a certain, way, Right but it's like that's the
beauty of going for a, run is like nobody looks
perfect when, running you. Know AND i think that's also
the beauty of like live television and making mistakes and

(23:27):
being able to laugh at yourself and you, know everything
that you're saying because it shows the humanity and it
also makes people love you. More it's like that's where
the real fandom comes. From people relate to one, another.

Speaker 3 (23:37):
And that's what you. Want.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
People my job is to talk about something that people
love in their living rooms every, Day LIKE i get
to talk ABOUT i have the best job in the
whole wide. WORLD i have The Monty. WILLIAMS i have
a get to, job not a have two. JOB i
get to do this every single. Day and getting to do,
it getting to talk about sport or means having a

(24:02):
conversation with fans who aren't expecting you necessarily to show
up as a perfect.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
Person and also every person that you're talking to is.

Speaker 2 (24:13):
Different so the way that what you say is going
to strike this span differently than it's going to strike this,
span then it's differently than it's going to strike this.
Span and so the more comfortable you get with just
playing and you're you no matter, what then if if
that's not good, enough then that's that is what it,

(24:36):
is you. KNOW i think that that's not your opinion
of me is none of my? Business isn't that the?
PHRASE i think it's that.

Speaker 1 (24:54):
You talked about this on the run where you always
say like journalists, First but when did you become a big.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
Sportspan huge part of my?

Speaker 2 (25:00):
Life SO i my main sports growing up were horseback
riding and, soccer but also, volleyball little, basketball. SKIING i
was a big skier because my dad sort of, said you,
know you can do.

Speaker 3 (25:14):
It you can do anything as long as.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
You're not sitting here meeting on my, couch like whatever
you want to, do as long as you're not sitting
on the couch on A saturday, morning go.

Speaker 3 (25:21):
Outside you. KNOW i grew up in a go outside.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
Family and so that though at, night when After i'd
played my soccer games and gone to my horseback riding,
competitions my dad loved to watch The Golden State, warriors
and we were a family that sat down for dinner
every night at seven o'clock altogether at the dinner, table
dinner in front of THE tv didn't happen unless it

(25:45):
was A Golden State warriors game that my dad really
wanted to. Watch and so that sort of became our
cheat code to have dinner in front of THE tv
is if The warriors were playing a big game that
my dad didn't want to.

Speaker 3 (25:55):
Record he wanted to watch. Live and SO i always was.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
Interested in, sports love sports, literate and. Sports loved to work.
OUT i was boxed for a. Time it was always
something THAT i, enjoyed BUT i never saw that as
a career UNTIL i got to. COLLEGE i was sent
to boarding school WHEN i was really, young and SO
i moved out at a very young. AGE i moved
out of my house at fourteen.

Speaker 3 (26:20):
AND i never went.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
Back AND i have a great relationship with my parents
and everything is wonderful. There but for, me that always
gave me a sense OF i was different AND i
didn't always find myself having a place of. Belonging and
so WHEN i was looking at, colleges first of, ALL

(26:45):
i was choosing a place that had very small class
sizes BECAUSE i was a graduating class of six.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
In high.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
School and, secondly when you talk about, STORYTELLING i was
still trying to figure out mine to articulate BECAUSE i
got so when people said something as innocuous as where
are you From, Oakland, oh where'd you go to high,
school because that's how people want to relate to each.

Speaker 3 (27:08):
OTHER i had this whole backstory.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
Of, WELL i went to boarding school In, utah and you,
know AND i didn't always want to talk about.

Speaker 3 (27:15):
It and so.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
WHEN i started writing for, me was always trying to
piece together my own story and my own voice and
what that looked like and how to articulate. That and
that is where my love of writing initially came. From
WAS i was just trying to voice WHO i, was

(27:39):
and even simpler than, that because that's a big, question
who AM? I how the heck DID i get? Here
BECAUSE i had these years THAT i.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
Was trying to fill in in a way that made
sense to people and was quote unquote. Relatable, Right that's
what everyone wants to, be is.

Speaker 2 (27:55):
Relatable AND i felt LIKE i was deeply unrel BECAUSE
i didn't have a high school experience that other people.
Had and the farther you get away from, that the
more chapters of life you have to use to relate
to other. People but WHAT i only had as an
eighteen year, old the past four years of people going
to prom and doing all of these, THINGS i felt

(28:16):
LIKE i had no. Relatability and SO i turned in
on myself and my own story and my writing to
try to just figure out how to explain to people.

Speaker 3 (28:24):
My why and my, who and that.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
Then turned into wanting to understand and be that voice
for other.

Speaker 4 (28:30):
People what do you feel like you?

Speaker 1 (28:32):
Realized so for and for a little bit of, context
the boarding school that you went to was like a
therapeutic therapeutic, program And maliko was struggling with anxiety and
depression at a young, age which a lot of people struggle,
with but, yours you took. It yours was maybe a
next level where you had to go to this program
and you did a little bit of like wilderness, camp,

(28:52):
Right so what would you say coming out of that
you realized your why?

Speaker 2 (28:57):
WAS i think that's something, Honestly i'm still figuring. Out
BUT i think that when sometimes What i've realized is
when you encourage people to be, authentic if that's something

(29:18):
that you're asking or requiring of your friend or your
neighbor or your, colleague recognize that when you're asking for,
authenticity your authenticity is not the same as. Theirs and
so for, ME i think THAT i would bristle when
people would, say, well tell me about high school and

(29:40):
looking for that to be a point of, relatability when
for me it wasn't a point of relatability to. People
and so this and that transfers over to now, this
the most authentic version of me speaks With oxford without
An oxford comma and with m dashes in my sense
and says and for some people that feels uppity or.

(30:05):
Forster but just realize that your version of authenticity is
not someone. Else's and that is WHAT i think THAT
i have grown to realize was my both pain point
and ALSO i think gives me empathy now because, yes
my producers.

Speaker 3 (30:23):
Are always telling me to.

Speaker 2 (30:24):
Like let, loose be, more you, know, real AND i
was like, THIS i sit, straight that is what is
real to, me and that's, Okay like that there is
room for that entire shade and that entire. Rainbow and
SO i think that that's probably WHAT i take away
from that, most because my high school reads a little

(30:48):
bit more like a novel that is a novelty than it.
DOES i never went to PROM i never all these
things that other PEOPLE i didn't, Have and for a
long TIME i was embarrassed to be different in a
world where people were saying being different is. COOL i
felt like my different wasn't. Cool, yeah and THEN i

(31:08):
think my lesson is so what if it's not? So
so what if it's not, Cool it's still your story
and it's the only ONE i.

Speaker 4 (31:16):
Got did you play basketball growing up or? No?

Speaker 1 (31:19):
Not, well basketball for you really was the.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Fandom basketball for me was the, fandom and it was THE.
Nba it was going to. Games it was seeing how
happy my dad. Was But i'm not A i'm not
a basketball player that was looking to stay in. Basketball
right my husband is and still plays basketball two three

(31:45):
times a, week and when he was looking he wanted
adulthood to show. Up is still having a connection to.
Basketball for, me it WAS i want to work IN
i want to be a. Storyteller, really writing is WHAT
i wanted to. Do AND i felt like the, richest

(32:05):
most textured.

Speaker 3 (32:06):
Stories lived in.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
Sports and, also BECAUSE i do think this is important
for young journalists to, hear there was a job opportunity
in sports right at the. Time very, literally the only
opening at my school paper was in school. Newspapers and
also there was a important reckoning that was happening with
sports coverage around the country in the wake Of Colin

(32:29):
kaepernick in twenty, sixteen and sports departments were looking around
and looking at their staff and, saying our staff needs
to better reflect the fans and the athletes that we.

Speaker 3 (32:39):
Cover and so that conversation that was.

Speaker 2 (32:45):
NECESSARY i knew THAT i needed to be.

Speaker 3 (32:49):
A part of telling stories at that.

Speaker 2 (32:51):
Moment and, so, yes it was a love of, sports
and yes it was a love of.

Speaker 3 (32:55):
Writing and it.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
Was also this is a, need a market need THAT
i THINK i can feel incredibly well because this is
my passion AND i THINK i can do it.

Speaker 3 (33:06):
Well so when AND i think that's.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
Important because this is a very competitive field and oftentimes you, hear,
well just take the job and figure. Out look around
and see what is needed in the industry right. Now
people are always have. Problems look for, it be a.
Solution be a, solution and be a solution with. Passion
and if those two things can, meet that's where you
get even. Luckier BUT i do think that that's important

(33:30):
to know for people who want to get into this
is to look around and see who's hiring, where why
and why should it be? You and SO i was
coming up during a time WHERE i really felt the
need for our voices to be better heard in the sports.

Speaker 1 (33:47):
Industry what do you feel like was the biggest learning
curve for you when you first started out in the sports.

Speaker 3 (33:52):
Industry you could do. It you could with, time, yeah,
sure but also you could. Cover you could.

Speaker 2 (33:57):
Cover i've wrote a story On Meb, kaflevsky the marathon.
RUNNER i knew nothing about marathon running WHEN i worked
For The, times and that was sort of it was
a dive in with two, feet ask the people who
are the experts and immerse. YOURSELF i covered underwater. HOCKEY

(34:17):
i think WHEN i was at The Denver, POST i
didn't even know that that was a sport that could be.
Covered SO i think that the hardest part in the
was finding stories and building sources at, first, right because
there are and that came from people Like Adrian woojnarowski

(34:40):
And Mark spears And Mark stein saying this Is malika
and you can trust, her and that's so.

Speaker 3 (34:47):
Huge trust is. All the trust is the currency.

Speaker 2 (34:50):
That MEDIA i won't even say HAS i will say
it has had and it is our job right now
in a time WHERE i was talking to someone the
other day about the anchor, voice you, know the nightly news,
voice AND i don't really have one of those nightly
news Voices welcome to the six o'clock, news and the

(35:12):
ones where you wonder how people order coffee with the same,
voice just these, rich, deep amazing. Voices AND i was
telling one of my, PRODUCERS i was, like, oh that's not.
ME i don't have that, voice and she, said, no
but you have your. Voice and the anchor voice in
air quotes is maybe less necessary than it was twenty

(35:36):
thirty years, ago because people nowadays trust their neighbors more
than they trust media. Outlets in many, cases, right the
trust has eroded in a lot of, ways and so
when you sound like you and that's your, neighbor that
is a way to have trust with viewers in a different.
Way it used to be that deep voice signal. Trust

(36:00):
now the voice that they know and that the people
recognize signals.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
Trust and SO i think that building.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
Trust is and was the, hardest the hardest and also
most important singular goal in This and whether that's big
covering The White house or fun covering sports and celebrity running,
interviews all of it's the, same all of. It, ultimately
people want to feel like they know who they're talking

(36:26):
to and they can believe what you.

Speaker 4 (36:28):
Say, YES i have found though.

Speaker 1 (36:31):
That, okay WHILE i, AGREE i think THE i think
the reporter.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
Voice, voice, OH i love a nightly news.

Speaker 4 (36:36):
Voice the nightly news voice is definitely fading out for.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
THAT i love. WHAT i like. IT, O i like.
IT i like.

Speaker 1 (36:42):
It BUT i do have to, say LIKE i think
it's it's more so now like as a woman, especially
it's like you have to find your strong voice and
know how to use it when you're on.

Speaker 3 (36:50):
Camera well you have.

Speaker 2 (36:51):
To you know that when you're, running it's from your
because you you can't back for a.

Speaker 3 (36:54):
Far you have to talk from your from your.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
Stomach you can't talk from your head, voice you have
to talk from your. Diaphragm because, YES i do think
that women are always we are always looking to, signal, signal,
authority signal that we, belong single signal that we. Belong
and so that goes from the how you walk into

(37:19):
a room to how you sound.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
In that, room all of these different.

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Things but, YEAH i, mean give me a give me
A Barbara walter's voice any.

Speaker 4 (37:27):
DAY i don't know What Barbara walter's, VOICE i need
to listen to.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
It I'm i'm Not Matt.

Speaker 2 (37:33):
Friend i'm not a good, impressionist but she is a fantastic.
Voice Robin roberts is an incredible. Voice Katie kuric has
an amazing.

Speaker 3 (37:39):
VOICE i Am. Sawyer, yeah there's.

Speaker 4 (37:43):
His voice is.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
GREAT i actually got to Interview bob on a hartpet
kind of recently at like a sports LEGEND i would.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
HAVE i Love.

Speaker 2 (37:50):
BOB i, mean he's fantastic and it's been so kind
And Mike tarico great.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
Voice by the, way great voices are still a. Plus
we love a great.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
Voice it's just a different there's there's just a different
EXPECTATION i think, now or maybe even different tolerance for
different types of.

Speaker 3 (38:08):
Voices BUT i do love a nightly. NEWS i do.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
TOO i think the media is adapting and, changing and
certain things will always stay true and and you, know
have that nostalgic feel and something that people look for.

Speaker 4 (38:20):
In the, news like the nightly.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
News BUT i think it's going to be interesting to
see how how news outlets continue to change and evolve
with kind of media trends and what people are gravitating.
TOWARDS i think one of the things, too THAT i
like talking about with, people AND i feel like it
really is your is your career path Is you started
out as a writer and then you have now moved

(38:41):
into on screen hosting and live. Television AND i feel
like it's such a testament to you have to chase
the thing that gives you energy and you're passionate, about
which for you was writing but.

Speaker 3 (38:53):
Into the microphone to all your.

Speaker 2 (38:55):
Listeners but, anyways continue, yes you were saying, yes nice
things on, me AND i was just, like, okay you.

Speaker 4 (39:04):
Know things happen after the. Run you never, know we
never allotted it.

Speaker 1 (39:07):
Out but it's also like a testament to you, know
chase your, passion but don't be afraid of the opportunities
that come up along the.

Speaker 4 (39:14):
Way and for, you that was being on, camera BUT.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
I was a little.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
BIT i think any that the unknown can be, scary,
right the unknown can be, uh you can be a
little bit nervous about and that's. Okay AND i think
for me that unknown came FROM i know THAT i
am a good writer AND i love to, write AND
i felt that writing was hard and respected and there

(39:40):
is a work that goes in to the to the
printing the newspaper every, day AND i loved being a
part of, that AND i THINK i loved being a
part of it BECAUSE i love the writing. Piece and
also people didn't expect it of.

Speaker 3 (39:56):
Me for whatever.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
REASON i didn't come in the package that a newspaper
report often came, in and so THAT'S i felt gave
me a different. Credibility AND i worried that even in
saying out, LOUD i was afraid to say out, LOUD
i want to be on television because my critical voice
was telling, Me, oh you're just another young lady who

(40:17):
wants to be ON. Tv and by the, way that's not.
True by the, way television is incredibly. Hard by the,
way there are the most beautiful inside and out women
who are some of the baddest m efforts THAT i
know that work in this.

Speaker 3 (40:30):
Business but that's WHAT i would tell, myself, Right.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
And SO i think that it's okay to acknowledge when
something is comes, along you want to try, it but
you're a little bit afraid to. Jump AND i was
BECAUSE i had the comfort of the known over here
and the, excitement but also fear of possibility over. Here
and at some, point though the most successful people reinvent

(41:00):
themselves in this, business every three to five, years the
most successful people in this, business you're going to see
change switch ad because there is a the most creative
minds are allergic to being. Static and even THOUGH i

(41:21):
was a little bit, SCARED i also felt myself itching
for a, challenge AND i knew that this was going
to be a new.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
Challenge so for the people, listening can you walk us
through like what a week in the life looks like for,
you and like a day and the life and kind
of break down the different shows that you host on
that people can expect to see you on ON.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
Espn, Absolutely so My monday through Five. Friday My monday Through,
FRIDAY i HOST nba To day ON espn and that's
at Noon West coast time Noon, pacific three O'clock. Eastern
so my day for that. Show our production meetings at
seven am every, day SO i try to get up
five forty five six and have a little bit OF

(41:58):
i found myself WHEN i was getting up six six.

Speaker 3 (42:00):
THIRTY i just run straight into the.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
Meeting so this gives you time for, coffee meditate a little,
bit take a, shower maybe go for a, walk get
that ten minutes of sunlight you're supposed to get in the.

Speaker 3 (42:09):
Morning but that's.

Speaker 2 (42:10):
Aspirational sometimes at six thirty and you're running straight into the.
MEETING i aspire to be five forty five. Six THEN
i have my production meeting from, seven typically to seven.
Thirty i'll get a workout in head into the office
and work on the show in here and, makeup and
then downstairs in the newsroom with all of my. PRODUCERS
i help write the entire show top to, bottom and
we're live from noon to One pacific time every.

Speaker 3 (42:32):
Day we have a post show meeting at one.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
Thirty on non double show days and non game, days that's.

Speaker 3 (42:39):
When i'll go ride my.

Speaker 2 (42:40):
Horse it's about thirty minutes from the, office which is super,
easy and So i'll go Ride charlie and then try
to get home to watch games that start around four
O'clock pacific. Time on double show, days which Is wednesdays
and Some, FRIDAYS i will stay in the office reb

(43:00):
to a second production meeting around one thirty for my next,
show and then dive into writing that show with a
different team of. Producers and we're live somewhere between three
thirty and four, o'clock And i'll be at the office
until nine nine thirty because usually we have two, games
so you'll DO nba, today the pregame, show halftime of
both the, games a postgame wrap, up and THEN i

(43:20):
get to head.

Speaker 3 (43:21):
Home those are the DAYS i don't get up at
five forty five the next. Morning that's WHEN i sleep.

Speaker 1 (43:25):
In, no it's such an impressive schedule that you guys,
maintain BUT i feel like it's also a nice schedule
because it's not like you're sitting at a desk all,
day like you need to move, around and just from meeting,
YOU i can tell you're the type of person that
like it needs to be.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
LIKE i worked at a law firm straight out of,
college or actually before, college a straight out of high.

Speaker 3 (43:44):
School, RATHER i worked at a law firm and.

Speaker 2 (43:47):
It WAS i have so much respect for that job
and the importance of, it BUT i found that sitting
at a desk wasn't.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
Necessarily what was made for.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
Me my mom's an art, teacher my dad's a personal,
trainer so maybe it runs in my jeans or, something
BUT i knew THAT i wanted to whatever it. WAS
i didn't want my job to look the same every,
day and it certainly does. Not Sometimes i'm running off
to INTERVIEWS i Got delta miles is looking sitting in
a pretty.

Speaker 3 (44:12):
Place you. KNOW i get to use the points to
go on a vacation once a.

Speaker 2 (44:16):
Year so, YEAH i wanted a job where there was
a little bit of a twist and a surprise and
it kept you guessing and, busy and that's sort of
like your. Job that's definitely WHAT i, have AND i
meet the most tremendous. People that's been the coolest part
of my. JOB i had someone recently give me some

(44:37):
advice THAT i have taken to, heart and that, is.

Speaker 3 (44:42):
You're at a.

Speaker 2 (44:42):
Place in your life when you make a little bit
of money and you are in a little bit more
of a comfortable, position and you have a.

Speaker 3 (44:50):
Career treat your life as if it's graduate.

Speaker 2 (44:54):
School you have access to all of these wonderful and interesting.

Speaker 3 (44:57):
People ask them the.

Speaker 2 (44:58):
Question we talked to some of the most, successful, creative,
smart ambitious people in the. World not everything you asked
them has to be For why wouldn't you ask them
some of the questions that you've been pining after and
use your network of people to be your graduate.

Speaker 3 (45:18):
Course AND i.

Speaker 2 (45:19):
Kind of love that because that's the best part of
my job is the PEOPLE i get to talk.

Speaker 1 (45:23):
To it's one of my favorite things about being an
interviewer is being able to meet the breath of people
that we get to meet and have so many interesting
conversations and so many fun opportunities do come out of.
It SO i am completely aligned with you on that.
Note in twenty twenty, two you were the first woman

(45:45):
to ever host THE Nba.

Speaker 4 (45:47):
Draft what does that mean to?

Speaker 1 (45:50):
You?

Speaker 2 (45:50):
Wild, Right it's wild because it was twenty twenty two
and the draft's been you, know there's been decades of,
drafts and there was, many many, deserving qualified women before
me to do. IT i kind of just so happened
to be in the right place at the right. Time

(46:13):
it was also on the fiftieth anniversary Of Title, mind
so it was really. Special and SOMETIMES i, think you,
know people read my bio and that's usually in, there
the first woman to host The. Draft AND i REMEMBER
i took a nap before the draft AND i woke

(46:35):
up they made that announcement THAT i was the first
woman to host The draft WHILE i was, napping AND
i woke up to one hundred text messages on my,
phone and one of them was From Doris, burke who
is the first woman to occupy so many different, roles.

Speaker 3 (47:00):
And she said she just liked go get them AND.

Speaker 2 (47:02):
I was, like, okay If dora says, It dora says
it LIKE i was ready to.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
Run through a.

Speaker 2 (47:07):
Wall AND i thought a lot of responsibility BECAUSE i
think when you are the, first you want to make
sure that you are not the.

Speaker 3 (47:16):
Last i've hosted The draft every year.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
Since it's one of my favorite assignments because you get
to see. People it's that touching your dreams thing that
we talked about so Many so often there's not a
single moment that represents everything you've worked.

Speaker 3 (47:35):
For the draft is that for these young.

Speaker 2 (47:37):
People BUT i wanted to show THAT i and we
could do it and to not mess it. UP i
REMEMBER i wore a yellow suit From dianeva on FURSTERBERKUSE
i wanted to wear like a woman designer and she
her in charge mindset and the way that she champions

(47:58):
women was something.

Speaker 3 (47:59):
THAT i wanted to.

Speaker 2 (48:00):
Embody and then ONCE i got through the initial pomp
and circumstance of they wanted to say on the anniversary
Of title nine that this is something that we're, doing
it was like it was just, okay let's go nail this.
Assignment AND i was avited back so that it was

(48:21):
a cool.

Speaker 1 (48:21):
Thing it is really impressive that you've been able to
do it now every year since twenty twenty. TWO i
want to ask what preparation looks like going into hosting
something like, That like what does your preparation look?

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Like that's a good, question and it's, like the very
technical answer is THE Nba draft and THE Nba finals
are in very close. Proximity so unlike THE nfl or THE,
wnba when there's sort of months between the end of
the professional, season weeks between the end of the professional,
season and there's. Days there WAS i think three days
because it went to seven games this last. Year SO

(48:53):
i start in THE Nba finals working with my fantastic singular,
Researcher Matt, williams and we start going through the mock
draft every single, guy AND i create a binder that
has a page per player with notes and fun facts and.

Speaker 3 (49:13):
You, know their favorite dessert.

Speaker 2 (49:16):
Is and then a lot of the AGENTS i will
call AND i will, say, hey you know doing the
draft this, YEAR i want to set up a call
with you know the player BECAUSE i like to ask
guys there are some interviews that require a, hardness and
there's interviews that require a, toughness and you, KNOW i

(49:38):
don't share. Questions we're coming in to get to the
bottom of this and the. Truth and then there's interviews
and moments that this is going to be the soundtrack
to your dream coming. True AND i want to know
from guys what they would like said about themselves in
the moment that they walk across the stage and pass
this threshold from college or overseas to professional. Basketball and

(50:02):
SO i try to set up calls with as many
AS i can to get that input of they want
to hear about their. Grandma they don't want to hear
about the passing of this person that was close to
them because they think that in that moment is going
to be too. Hard and SO i try to get
as many of those calls AS i can. DONE i
have go through with my researcher all of the, players
and we go sixty, deep and then we try to

(50:24):
add another ten on top of. THAT i alphabetize that.
BINDER i put the top three picks in the front three,
pages and everything else is alphabetized so that when what
happens is the pick comes. IN i get a tap
on my shoulder and it's like a you, know the trash,
pickers the pickup. Trash so my research is sitting far behind,

(50:45):
me so he has to tap me with like a
trash picker type thing and it has the name of
As Adam silver has the name in his, hand the
guy who is getting. Drafted he hands me the. Card,
OKAY i see that It's Cooper. FLAG i flip to
that page my binder so that by the Time Adam
silver says, It i'm into my page of notes THAT
i have worked the last couple of weeks to get.

Speaker 1 (51:06):
To, oh it is such a special thing to be
a part of because it's such a positive moment in
these kids'. Lives on the flip side of, THAT i
feel like one of the scary things a little bit
about sports and commentating is there's so many fans of these, sports, right.

Speaker 4 (51:21):
And so it's like you're live on.

Speaker 1 (51:23):
Television you're making sometimes your takes in the, moment and
there's obviously people are.

Speaker 4 (51:29):
Going to agree with some of the.

Speaker 1 (51:30):
Takes they're going to not, agree, Right so there's criticism
that comes with the industry that you're, in just naturally
it's a little bit of more of like a lighthearted fun,
criticism but people take theirs seriously, Seriously so, like how
do you deal with criticism in the sports?

Speaker 3 (51:44):
World much better now THAN i did WHEN i was.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
Younger everybody has their, opinions and you know, what they're
entitled to, Them But i'm just like you're entitled to your.
Opinion i'm entitled to not, listen AND i do think
though it's really important UNDERSTAND i don't.

Speaker 3 (52:02):
READ i don't read comments.

Speaker 2 (52:04):
ANYMORE i try to have the social media team AT
espn does a great. Job my team does a great
job OF i never want to be so closed off
that you can't.

Speaker 3 (52:14):
Hear there's a difference between.

Speaker 2 (52:18):
Hearing, people not hearing, people and not protecting yourself, Right
AND i do want to hear when fans think that
the show you were talking too fast for me to.
UNDERSTAND i want to hear things THAT i can work
on and be better to help people feel like they're
more of them in the conversation in their living. ROOM

(52:39):
i think there's you just have to sort out understanding
that when people have mean spirited things to, say they're
probably dealing with something.

Speaker 3 (52:47):
THEMSELVES i did not truly believe that five.

Speaker 2 (52:51):
Years, ago nor DO i always truly believe that in
the moment when someone says something that's, like, hey you know,
what that's not. Nice there was a story In The
New York times recently about The coldplay concert woman and
how there is a human behind every viral. Moment so
as much as you laugh and you share it with
your friends and, HEY i think that The coldplay camera

(53:13):
was a whole lot of, fun there's always a life
and a person and a feeling that you are speaking
to THAT i think is important to. Remember but the
good news is the vast majority of people understand, that
and it's okay to say this hurts my. Feelings it's
okay to understand that you did something that you wish

(53:34):
you did.

Speaker 3 (53:34):
Differently AND i think.

Speaker 2 (53:35):
That largely sports fans understand that and never be.

Speaker 3 (53:40):
Above saying my, bad my.

Speaker 2 (53:43):
BAD i Called cedric, coward calling, coward AND i felt so,
terrible AND i called him AND i, Said i'm so.

Speaker 3 (53:50):
SORRY i messed. Up you don't want to mess. Up it.

Speaker 2 (53:55):
Happens we're. HUMAN i think the important thing is not
both not beating yourself, up but also not regressing too.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
Well i'm.

Speaker 2 (54:04):
Human it, happens and letting that be the excuse that
doesn't make you tell somebody, else, HEY i see, this
AND i see HOW i could be better.

Speaker 3 (54:12):
Here.

Speaker 1 (54:13):
Yeah and it's also, sports like you have to be
allowed to have funny opinions in the.

Speaker 2 (54:16):
Moment, LUCKILY i usually get to set up my colleagues
for their funny opinions AND i get to hear, them
AND i.

Speaker 3 (54:22):
Tend to be the person who.

Speaker 5 (54:25):
That's HOW i tend to be the person that gets
to like ask the questions and and BUT i have
a deep admiration for the opinionists because it's hard to
put yourself out there because.

Speaker 3 (54:36):
They are going to be people who agree and. Disagree,
baby it's so.

Speaker 1 (54:38):
True, honestly it's, yeah it's. Uh opinionists are, great but
it is hard.

Speaker 4 (54:42):
To be on that side of the. Camera AND I
i don't know if that's not for. Me, OKAY i
have some fun like pop questions for.

Speaker 1 (54:57):
You, so first, one and what do you THINK nba
players care more about than fans?

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Realize why DO i THINK nba players care more about
than fans?

Speaker 3 (55:09):
Realize they're. Hairlines they're all like, yeah, yeah and every
GUY i Think, yeah that's every. Guy shout Out Richard.
Jefferson no hairline. THERE i feel Like i've been making
fun Of richard's hairline a lot.

Speaker 2 (55:21):
Lately so Like, richard we appreciate that you use body
wash on your.

Speaker 3 (55:24):
Head we.

Speaker 1 (55:25):
Do.

Speaker 4 (55:26):
Okay who is the best player to? Interview, oh that's
a wonderful.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
Question i've done a couple with him, recently So victor's
at the top of my mind right.

Speaker 3 (55:34):
Now But Steph curry also.

Speaker 2 (55:36):
Incredible Anthony edward's also incredible for very different.

Speaker 4 (55:41):
Reasons who is the funniest player off?

Speaker 2 (55:43):
Camera, Oh Josh hart's low, key very, funny AND i
feel like people wouldn't expect That aunt is just as,
funny if not funny or off camera as he is.
On SO i feel like people would know that he's.

Speaker 3 (55:54):
Hilarious shout Out.

Speaker 1 (55:56):
Josh who's the most guarded player to? Interview somebody that's
hard to get things out, of but you want to
learn more ABOUT.

Speaker 2 (56:04):
I would Say i'd love to learn more About LaMelo
ball because young people really love, him and you, Know
charlotte's had a couple of hard, years BUT i find
him to be.

Speaker 1 (56:16):
Fascinating, okay this is probably a question for like one
of the, opinionists but who's the best.

Speaker 4 (56:21):
Trash talker in THE? Nba, oh in a, fun lighthearted.

Speaker 3 (56:24):
Way, Guys, no they're.

Speaker 2 (56:25):
ALL i Mean Dylan brooks has been doing some exceptional
trash talking, lately.

Speaker 3 (56:29):
But Draymond green is always always up. There.

Speaker 1 (56:33):
YEAH i also think in the career that you are
that you're now in where you're interviewing people and having
to connect with so many people on an everyday, basis
like a new person every, day right like you're, filming
you have to immediately kind of drop the ego and
be there for. THEM i think going through what you
went through it kind of makes it so that you
can connect with, anybody do you know WHAT i?

Speaker 3 (56:54):
MEAN i, Do AND i think that.

Speaker 2 (56:57):
When you have when you have when you have trial
in your, life when you go through something, hard when
you have to everything another one of my favorite quotes
is everything that you want is on the other side of,
hard and for me that has certainly been the. Truth
and it's also not been a before and after. Story
it is a sometimes the days are still hard BECAUSE

(57:20):
i have loud voices that tell me that you should
be critical of this piece of. Yourself or critical of
that piece of yourself in high, school those voices got
too loud and that's WHERE i had to get help
to turn down the.

Speaker 3 (57:33):
Volume but, sometimes you know the, radio it still.

Speaker 2 (57:36):
Turns up a little, bit and SO i think that
that gives, ME i, hope a humility and an ability
to listen to other people's hard even if they're a
little bit different than.

Speaker 1 (57:48):
Mine, Definitely, well we can have an entire episode on,
that and if you guys want to learn more about,
that check out The, squeeze because you really did go
deep on that podcast talking all about you high school.
Experience but until next, Time, melika thank you so much
for coming on our run And Post Run. High you're
amazing AND i can't wait to see you On Good
Morning america in two.

Speaker 3 (58:07):
Weeks thank you so.

Speaker 4 (58:08):
Much thank you guys so much for listening to today's.

Speaker 1 (58:15):
EPISODE i really loved this conversation With, melika AND i
hope you've left it feeling as inspired AS i.

Speaker 3 (58:22):
Did if you.

Speaker 1 (58:23):
Enjoyed this, episode please make sure to follow the show
wherever you listen and share this episode with someone you
think would like it. Too you can follow us At
Post Run high and you can find me At Kate.
Max as, always thank you so much for being, here
thank you for moving with, us and thank you for
taking the time to. Listen i'm so grateful for this
community AND i will see you guys Next monday with

(58:45):
another inspiring. Conversation until, then get your post run, high
go in and flow, in and we will talk soon