According to Variety, Chiney Ogwumike has struck a new deal with ESPN that will both extend and expand her presence at the network.
What’s Happening:
- The 6′ 4″ Los Angeles Sparks forward is gearing up to start calling NBA games for ESPN, adding to her regular presence on NBA Today and NBA Countdown.
- She has many other duties, including a thriving career in the WNBA, where she was the first overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft from Stanford University, and the 2014 WNBA Rookie of the Year and a two-time WNBA All-Star.
- Following a knee injury, Ogwumike hosted a radio show for ESPN alongside Mike Golic, Jr. — making her the first Black woman to host a national, daily sports-talk radio show.
What They’re Saying:
- Chiney Ogwumike said: “We don’t have many women analysts outside of Doris Burke calling NBA games on linear TV. That’s the next challenge for me. I’ve called women’s basketball games. I know how to call a basketball game, but I like to make sure to master my craft before I jump into another one.”
- “There are a lot of women of color who deserve the spotlight and also young people who are doing amazing things,” she says. “I hold a unique position by being a current professional athlete in the WNBA and also a broadcaster ,and can bridge some of these opportunities.” Still, she adds, “I walk before I run.”
- David Roberts, ESPN’s head of NBA and studio production said: “Chiney is an exceptional talent who continues to raise the bar of what a professional athlete and high-level broadcaster can be in simultaneous fashion. We have the utmost confidence in Chiney and we’re proud of her continued evolution as an analyst and host.”