Welcome to this week’s Famous Friday! This week we are highlighting Malika Andrews who is an American sports reporter and journalist. She is the host of NBA Today and joined ESPN in October 2018 as an online NBA writer. Later on she debuted as ESPNs youngest sideline reporter for a broadcast during the 2020 NBA bubble. She was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in the sports industry for 2021.
Andrews was born in Oakland California to her father, Mike, who is of African American descent and a personal trainer, and her mother Caren who is of caucasian descent and an art teacher.
Andrews went to University of Portland for a communication degree and graduated in 2017. At college she developed her interest in being a sports writer, editor and editor in chief of the school newspaper. While at school she documented an athlete who suffered brain bleeding after crashing into a wall, following her story the school had more padding established to prevent further injuries. She began her reporting career by starting an internship at the Denver Post before working in the sports department at the Now York TImes. Andrews also worked for a year as a reporter for the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. Later on in her career after moving to New York she also covered the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.
In 2020 she was one of the first reporters to enter the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for the competition in the Bubble for the NBA season. Andrews led the 2020 NBA draft with virtual interviews of the top draftees. She was also highlighted for her elegant wardrobe and was highlighted in the New York Post. In 2021, Andrews was acknowledged by the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for her work as ESPN’s only Multiracial female NBA reporter. That same year she was nominated for an Emmy in the Emerging On-Air Talent category. On June 23 2022, Andrews made history by being the first woman to host the NBA Draft.
Malika Andrews has been an inspiration to so many young Multiracial kids throughout the nation as she continues to work toward her dream in sports Journalism while breaking stereotypes and upholding her well acknowledged place within her community from raising awareness about medical sports injuries prompting University of Portland’s changes for player safety to being the first woman to host the NBA draft she is truly extraordinary.
By: Anna Garrison President of Project Race Teens
Photo Source: https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/malika-andrews/