In an ever-changing media panorama, ladies’s sports activities content material is now, greater than ever, throughout our feeds, timelines and information protection. For these of us who’ve all the time tuned in, this ain’t something new—from media and journalists to sports activities personalities, there are a lot of, many individuals who’ve labored endlessly over time to cowl ladies’s hoops. With all the brand new followers and viewers handing over, together with the rise of social media, there’s additionally been an increase of content material creators protecting the W in their very own, distinctive methods, too
As we get able to have a good time the beginning of the 2024 WNBA season, WSLAM is hyped to highlight among the many proficient creatives within the business who’re making waves, rising the sport and serving to push ladies’s basketball protection ahead, all on their very own phrases. We requested them a spread of questions, from how they obtained into social to their strategy to constructing their private manufacturers, what they’re most excited for this season and, after all, their common display time.
Don’t get it twisted although, this isn’t an unique checklist or “membership,” however slightly a celebration. And in the event you’re keen about ladies’s hoops, too, we invite you tune in, faucet in, and share how a lot you like the sport, one put up at a time.
How do you stability being a journalist along with your social presence: I feel it’s a mixture of the 2: between being genuine and actual after which naturally constructing a following. I really feel like that for me is what works finest. There are another journalists who actually attempt to follow having their social platforms be simply reality primarily based…And that’s high-quality as a result of that may work for them. For me, I really feel like the explanation why folks tapped into me is as a result of not solely did I current no matter story I used to be engaged on or no matter info I had, however I did so in a approach that was genuine to who I used to be and was relatable. That appeared to be what my model has all the time been: being genuine [and] being unapologetically me, but in addition being factual and presenting the data that folks need to know.
What’s your recommendation to journalists and creators seeking to get into this area: For anybody up and coming on this area, I might positively inform them that one: by no means lose who you’re as a result of that’s necessary. The extra that we’re beginning to see social platforms and content material creators take off, the extra we understand that persons are actually going to narrate with what resonates with them. And so being your self is so necessary. Don’t lose that [and] something that makes you’re feeling humorous while you sleep at evening might be not one thing that you just need to affiliate your self with…But additionally, there’s no restrict to creativity. I feel over the past 10 years I’ve executed perhaps 50 to 60 various things creatively and a few have labored and a few haven’t, however it’s the truth that you need to strive it.
The best way that algorithms and issues work within the social area, one thing may very well be a success right this moment and two months later, nobody’s enthusiastic about it. At all times be keen to be adaptable change or not essentially change, however enhance and be keen to step outdoors of the field to do issues..Adaptability is certainly one thing that I might share with any younger up and coming journalist.
Display screen time: 12 hours.
How did you begin constructing your private model on social: I obtained into social media as a result of none of my buddies in highschool cared about basketball as a lot as I did they usually stopped answering my textual content messages about it. I needed to exit and discover freaks like me on Twitter, and as soon as I began having enjoyable and making buddies on-line I stored going with it.
How would you describe your strategy to content material creation: I’m right here for vibes, jokes and highlights – however I feel my finest work is once I can let my ardour for the sport and its athletes shine by way of. I’m by no means going to be as sensible as coaches or gamers on X’s and O’s, however I feel I’m good at describing why somebody is simple to root for, what makes an individual attention-grabbing or why an occasion was monumental.
What you’re most excited for this season: I promise if I had a favourite group I’d inform you! However I don’t. Most likely as a result of they’ve all bullied me on-line in some unspecified time in the future (I see you, 2x champs). I’m actually excited for either side of the rookies vs. vets battle, although. Are the brand new children pretty much as good as marketed? However extra importantly, can the vets present us why the W is a unique degree from faculty?
Display screen time (how lengthy are you in your telephone per day?): 9.5 hours final week.
What does content material creation imply to you: Protecting the WNBA and protecting ladies’s basketball is a public service as a result of there are legions and legions of followers which were primarily underserved for a really very long time. And this is a chance to offer them, the followers, protection that ladies’s sports activities and girls’s basketball ought to be getting. If we need to speak in regards to the spirit of equality and fairness and what that every one means. And so I used to be gonna put my head proper into this. I used to be gonna dive proper in.
What you’re most excited for this season: What I’m most excited for is definitely seeing which pop cultural icons and other people come to WNBA video games. That’s gonna be one thing that I can be throughout as a result of clearly Caitlin Clark has introduced so many eyes to the game. You recognize that Beyonce despatched Daybreak Staley an enormous flower basket, I consider. And there have been many WNBA gamers, together with New York’s personal Betnijah Laney, who has been making an attempt to advocate to get Beyonce at Barclays Middle for a Liberty recreation…I’m trying ahead to who’s gonna come to video games. I’m trying ahead to how the scores are going to develop. I’m trying ahead to extra Aces vs Liberty battles. I imply, these are the most effective, proper?
Display screen time: 4 hours and eight minutes.
How did you begin constructing your private model on social: The Ladies Discuss Sports activities TV model is constructed off of three pillars the place athletes could be seen, heard and valued. I constructed my model off of the side that ladies’s sports activities solely obtain lower than 4% of all media protection and fewer than 1 % of that illustration in newsrooms are black ladies. So these three elements was necessary to me once I was constructing my model, but in addition constructing neighborhood was tremendous necessary, particularly within the digital area. For me, I’ve all the time been a hands-on recreation grower, particularly in my neighborhood when it comes to with serving to with youth basketball packages and the nonprofit sector. So for me, constructing a model was all about simply being true to myself, but in addition simply true to that side of eager to be a neighborhood builder.
What you’re most excited for this season: I’m most excited to see the athletes within the highlight the place they should be. I’m excited to see not solely informal followers, however new followers get to know these athletes by way of their recreation, but in addition by way of the off the court docket storytelling. I feel that ladies’s sports activities is greater than only a second, it’s a motion and it’s at its inflection level proper now. And I’m simply excited for not solely the athletes to get what they deserve when it comes to the protection and the highlight, but in addition for the folks which might be doing the storytelling to get larger alternatives.
Display screen time: 15 hours per day.
How would you describe your strategy to content material creation: What’s distinctive is I’ve been a photographer, however I’ve additionally been a social media supervisor for my jobs. And so I feel what I deliver with pictures is having the ability to deliver storytelling into my like social media platforms with my pictures. So once I take pictures, particularly on the ladies’s facet, and I share them, I actually attempt to share, like utilizing the captions and phrases, I attempt to inform tales about these gamers or about these groups and packages. Utilizing my pictures, not simply , dropping the pictures is like, Hey, have a look at these cool pictures. It’s like, Hey, have a look at these pictures. And right here’s some attention-grabbing factor about these ladies, or right here’s one thing like right here’s a loopy recreation that this participant had, and actually attempt to join the tales to the pictures utilizing my social media platforms.
Favourite photograph: I most likely have a little bit of recency bias right here as a result of I only in the near past adopted Iowa and Caitlin Clark on like their match run. I’m additionally from Iowa. In order that was like additional particular for me. So I might most likely say, the Caitlin Clark trophy Kobe photograph was most likely one in every of my favorites simply because I obtained to pay homage to love Kobe and a really well-known photographer whereas additionally exhibiting like Caitlin’s greatness with three again to again the Huge 10 titles. I might say that’s most likely my favourite. However once more, there’s some recency bias there. I feel one other particular one in every of Caitlin is rather like her along with her arm stretched out and her tongue out which was like a signature Caitlin transfer. That’s a very particular one to me as a result of it was like the primary recreation of the Huge 10 match and it exhibits her character. I feel that’s one of many marks particular issues about her is just like the character that she has on the court docket. So, having the ability to inform that by way of my pictures, I feel is admittedly particular.
What you’re most excited for this season: I’m actually excited for the brand new faces within the League and the brand new followers that it’s going to deliver, I feel that the WNBA is at a real turning level regarding the consideration that it’s getting and the joy and buzz round it. And so I feel I’m most excited to see, just like the information that this season breaks the historical past that we get from the season that I feel can be talked about for many years to come back. I’m excited to see this like new era of followers see this league and the way particular it’s and the way particular the gamers are and the extent of expertise which might be on this league. I’m simply, it’s actually probably the most excited I’ve been for a season in a very very long time, I feel that that is going to be I feel the 2024 season is one thing that we’re gonna look again on as like a needle mover regarding the WNBA. So I’m very excited for that.
Display screen Time: 9 hours and 12 minutes.
How did you get into protecting the WNBA: I had a background in advertising lengthy earlier than I grew to become a journalist. I used to be truly a content material advertising supervisor proper earlier than I transitioned into sports activities full time. However primarily, I simply, once I determined I needed to transition to sports activities, I actually needed to search for a spot that wanted extra genuine tales. And a very good pal of mine advised the WNBA as a result of he knew I used to be a great storyteller. And he additionally knew that, , the League wanted some extra storytelling. So as soon as I simply opted in sure protecting video games, I used to be hooked. And I’ve been right here ever since.
What’s your strategy to content material creation: As soon as I [started] actually specializing in ladies’s basketball, the next stored coming actually fast, and it simply escalated I might say within the final couple of weeks. I obtained the superior probability to go to the WNBA draft. And in the midst of the draft, I went viral…It’s simply been a enjoyable journey to have the ability to lean into that and hold going.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: I feel it’s for everybody to form of see what I’ve been seeing. I feel once I once I obtained to the WNBA final season, I used to be kicking myself as a result of I’m like, The place have I been like? Why did I not get right here sooner?…To see the League rising after which ladies’s faculty basketball rising and now they’re form of colliding in real-time with this exponential progress, I’m so excited for anybody to get to come back to a recreation or watch a recreation on TV or actually simply benefit from the League. The [W] is tremendous, tremendous proficient.
Display screen time: 10 hours and 33 minutes a day.
How did you get into content material creation: If I’m being trustworthy, it was form of an accident. It was one thing that I form of fell into. I really like ladies’s basketball [and] I’ve all the time been tweeting about it on Twitter trigger that’s simply what I do. Posting about it on Instagram and stuff simply naturally—it’s simply one thing that I’ve been in love with since I used to be a bit of woman. I observed that I had like a following and I might say stuff and I see folks repeating it and other people can be latching on to among the issues I say.
What’s your strategy to your content material: It’s authentically me. I imply, in each sense of the phrase. At this level, folks will be capable of inform if I’m not being authentically me after which they’re going to be like, Oh no, we’re not messing with you no extra. So at this level [for] my model, it needs to be.
Display screen time: 4 hours and 31 minutes.
How did you get into being on social: I’m a sports activities author greater than I’m a content material creator. I feel it comes with the territory while you’re on social media. The one social media app I’ve is Twitter. I’ll do humorous memes and stuff like that…I’ve tried to leverage it to develop my platform and share my work.
What are you most excited for this season: I feel, like everyone, this new draft class, there’s simply a lot expertise, but in addition, , NIL modified issues a lot that they’re extra well-known than say different rookies who’ve are available. They’ve already established platforms. They have already got their very own manufacturers. They have already got their very own followings. So, all of that bringing it into the League is like this injection of pleasure. I do know ladies’s sports activities appears to be exploding proper now and they’re, however this WIC was led a very long time in the past. Now we’re simply seeing the explosion from it. It’s been slowly constructing to this. And I wanna see how that interprets over to the season [and] how the WNBA can capitalize on it.
Ideas on content material creation: Seeing now, particularly since I first obtained into sports activities writing, so many extra people who find themselves contributors, who’re writers, who’re content material creators within the area now’s superior. There’s simply a lot protection taking place on completely different ranges and in several inventive methods. As somebody who’s been round for a short time, it’s actually cool to see.
Display screen time: I watch numerous video games on my telephone or tablets or no matter in the event that they’re not on tv. However with social media, I attempt to take breaks on the weekends.
How did you get into content material creation: I got here throughout tunnel suits, I need to say like two years in the past, and determined to make a video about it. I ended up making a number of however they did very well, surprisingly nicely, and that form of made me suppose like, oh my goodness…I simply determined to form of begin speaking about it right here and there and I did the identical factor with NWSL. The extra I did it, the extra I noticed that: A, there’s folks watching this and like to see the movies they usually’re commenting on it and all the things. However there’s additionally the people who find themselves like, oh my gosh, like I had no clue this was a factor, didn’t know tunnel suits had been a factor, didn’t learn about these gamers, yada yada. And that form of made me need to pursue it.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: As soon as I noticed that there was form of a distinct segment for ladies’s sports activities, I made a decision to actually broaden it and form of give myself the job to cowl all the things. And I feel it has coincided very well with the rise of girls’s sports activities as a result of I began [in] 2022, perhaps ’21. That’s form of once we noticed like this huge push to get to the place we are actually. So it’s been actually cool as a result of with that progress, I’ve additionally been rising as a creator. And there was a bit of little bit of a swap within the fall of final yr, the place manufacturers began coming to me and all these platforms saying, ‘We wish you to make content material. We love what you’re doing. We wish you to do it for us.’ And that’s form of actually how I constructed it right into a profession right this moment.
Display screen time: 8 hours.
What your strategy to constructing your model on social media: I’m a freelancer. And what meaning is that the majority huge tales are being lined by beat writers or employees writers will say, not all the time in ladies’s sports activities, and significantly the W that’s clearly been rising, and we’re seeing an enormous change forward of this season. However I might say that the majority of my time protecting this League has been actually making an attempt to persuade publications, that there’s an viewers for this. And what has been profitable for me is looking for angles that aren’t, , this sports activities journalism market is admittedly oversaturated. And so for me, both going to attempt to discover a actually distinctive angle that nobody has lined.
An instance I can consider that’s most likely my largest story up to now was I wrote for Sports activities Illustrated about nonbinary athletes and the place they match and Layshia Clarendon was form of the main target, the centerpiece of that story. That was in 2021 and that was an area that nobody had entered. We had been beginning to speak about trans athletes, however non-binary athletes actually weren’t being talked about. And in order that was like a spot I may enter. I feel additionally making an attempt to pitch ladies’s publications issues about ladies’s athletes. I’ve been within the New York Occasions a number of occasions, and I’ve by no means been printed within the sports activities part, proper? I’m actually inventive about whether or not I’m writing about in-game proposals for the vows part, or I’m writing about WNBA trend for just like the opinion part. I’ve all the time tried to be actually, actually inventive about the place and the way and bringing my protection and what different communities is perhaps overlapping apart from rating.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: The W was actually my entry level into turning into a basketball fan and what I beloved was what number of athletes had been queer. I’m like, Oh, I’m queer. And I really like their coronary heart and I really like rooting for them and seeing them be superb. I feel the ladies’s soccer group, we hear quite a bit about that and lesbian areas, however the W has like been actually neglected I feel for a very long time…I feel to me, that’s actually cool—discovering people who find themselves not solely invested within the recreation, however can discover different causes to purchase in…I’ve beloved all the shit speaking earlier than the season. I really like all the truth that everybody’s already getting chippy…I’m simply excited to look at folks see what the W actually is.
Display screen time: 4 hours and 32 minutes.
How did you get into sports activities media: Along with creating content material, I’m a journalist, host and producer, so I’m actually a jack of all trades. I can do many issues, together with content material creation. I began my profession off at ESPN on the enterprise facet, and after three and a half years, I noticed I needed to do one thing completely different. I needed to storytell. I needed to be round folks. And I didn’t need to be in my cubicle anymore. I used to be on the headquarters in Connecticut, and I needed to wager on myself, so I made a decision to try this and that modified my life. I actually have form of constructed this form of lane for myself. I by no means noticed anyone who regarded like me doing what I’m doing. And it’s been numerous studying alongside the way in which.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: In each single area and I present up as me. I’m happy with who I’m. A part of my journey, it has not been straightforward in any respect and I by no means inform of us that it has been straightforward however I’m additionally proudly Dominican and Puerto Rican and that’s an enormous a part of my identification. I’ve realized [that] the extra I lean into that, the extra I have a good time myself and individuals who appear like me, the extra alternatives come.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: There’s numerous change throughout the groups— Natasha Cloud in Phoenix, Skylar Diggins-Smith in Seattle, Candace Parker retired. All these adjustments inside ladies’s basketball. Change could be actually good and I’m excited to only see all of the competitors. There are numerous eyes, numerous younger gamers from Caitlin Clark to Angel Reese to Kamilla Cardoso. There’s numerous pleasure proper now.
Display screen time: 7 hours and 18 minutes.
How did you get into content material creation: What has all the time been necessary to me was taking the entry that I had from being in these areas [as a sports writer] and discovering methods to get that info to the followers. I began simply by stay tweeting all these press conferences as a result of they weren’t on TV and I knew that followers needed to know what these gamers had been saying. I assume my model form of grew out of that and since then I’ve gotten to jot down about so many gamers within the League…It began with simply making an attempt to share and inform tales and the model, no matter my following has come from there has form of all grown from that.
Favourite WNBA group: I feel a lot of my job is less complicated when issues are going nicely, however the longer I’m on this area and the extra gamers that I get to know and the extra that there’s simply a lot motion within the league that I’m rooting for these gamers that I’ve constructed connections with. So now I’ve obtained gamers on each single group that I’m rooting for as a result of I do know them personally on some degree, however I additionally am simply rooting for form of the general League success.
The rest you’d like so as to add: To have a League that’s majority queer ladies, to have a League that’s majority Black ladies and to know that these are areas, that these tales are very not often informed. And to concentrate on my privilege as a white man on this area, however to have the ability to use no matter platform I’ve to have the ability to amplify these tales is admittedly necessary to me. It’s an honor for me.
How did you get into content material creation: It was actually one thing that simply randomly occurred again in 2018 or so. To start with, I used to be all the time a fan of the WNBA and, again in round 2019, a number of folks reached out to me and stated, ‘Hey, we see these alternatives. We predict you’ll be good for it. You’re all the time speaking about sports activities.’…I used to be like, ‘I don’t have a journalism background.’ I used to be working in finance, doing the entire company America factor at the moment And I used to be like, Okay, I’ll give it a strive. And it actually simply snowballed from there. Went [from] simply beginning out as a author after which it grew to working in social after which to being an on-camera host and a photographer. I’ve been in a position to do numerous issues simply by me [and] somebody taking an opportunity on me and pondering that I might be good for the job.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: I feel what lots of people get pleasure from, for me is simply, I received’t say hottakes or something, and I don’t suppose I’m a comic, however lots of people simply suppose that, Oh my God, you’re so hilarious...Folks simply all the time suppose that it’s been one thing of only a breath of recent air in terms of particularly the ladies’s sports activities area surrounding ladies’s basketball. They simply actually love my following, or what I’ve executed, whether or not or not it’s written work or on air work or pictures, or simply one thing so simple as live-tweeting in regards to the recreation. I’ve all the time simply made positive that I attempt to keep true to me, proper? Issues that I like, I simply share that with folks. I don’t attempt to be anybody else. I’m all the time me. I speak about being late for touring, meals, sneakers and sports activities. And that’s what I really like and for some purpose, it resonates with everybody else. They [see] that I’ve an actual life aside from what it’s that I do for work.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: This season, I’m actually simply trying ahead to aggressive basketball. I’m trying ahead to seeing these superb ladies having the ability to play on such a bigger stage. We all know that over the previous few years, ladies’s basketball and the eye that’s acquired has been on the uptick and, , we’re aware of it. We’ve been right here. We’ve been within the trenches protecting it. And so now I’m excited that everybody else is lastly beginning to take discover to one thing that we’ve recognized or I’ve recognized has been nice for simply so a few years. So, that’s what I’m actually trying ahead to. And I feel that this new wave of expertise that’s coming in, they’re able to compete and I’m all for it.
Display screen time: 9 hours and 50 seconds.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model on social media: I feel my largest factor is that I’ve all the time been unapologetically me. I bear in mind in grad college, one in every of my professors had stated to me, ‘Once you turn out to be knowledgeable, you need to hold your biases apart.’ However you have a look at sure broadcasters or radio personnel, who they root for. I feel that’s been my largest factor. I do know, too, that I’m a bit of little bit of an overshare. I form of share each the great and the dangerous of my life, the business and other people actually resonate with that as a result of it isn’t all roses. Folks all the time say [that] social media is a spotlight reel, however I attempt to be tremendous actual with issues. And so I’m simply form of a goofy individual, I strive to not take issues too severely, but in addition in the identical breath, when life will get me down I share that with different folks as a result of I feel that it’s actually necessary to share that issues aren’t good on a regular basis.
I feel that’s form of how I constructed my private model. It’s simply being true and open and trustworthy on a regular basis. And on the finish of the day, I’m nonetheless a sports activities fan. I feel that’s the largest factor, too, is that numerous the time you see reporters they usually’re doing their job, after all, however they’re simply tweeting issues which might be skilled and I feel I’ve numerous enjoyable with it. I nonetheless am a fan. On the finish of the day, even once I’m protecting the WNBA, while you see a sick participant or a sick shot, you need to get pleasure from it the way in which you’d as a daily fan. Sure, reporting is my job. And once I’m going to [do] a narrative, I’m going to do it with out bias, however I nonetheless need to benefit from the recreation. Benefit from the gamers, benefit from the groups the identical approach any fan would…Sure, I feel I’m good at my job and I attempt to be as skilled and unbiased in my work, however on the finish of the day, I’m nonetheless a fan and I prefer to move on with it. That’s form of why all of us obtained into sports activities within the first place.
Ideas on the expansion of girls’s sports activities and content material creation: Thanks guys for showcasing these creators. I feel it’s enormous, particularly within the ladies’s sports activities area. As a lot as ladies’s sports activities has been rising and we’ve seen the info develop and never even simply in ladies’s basketball, however throughout ladies’s soccer you’re seeing like the professional leagues for volleyball and issues like that…There’s so many individuals who’ve been protecting the W. That is my fifth season and I nonetheless really feel like a rookie as a result of there’s been individuals who have had boots on the bottom because the early days. It’s actually superb that you just guys put within the work to showcase these unimaginable ladies who’ve been placing within the work since earlier than everyone else noticed the imaginative and prescient and now everyone’s catching up.
Display screen time: 8 hours and 37 minutes.
When did you get into content material creation: I created a Twitter account in like 2018 as a result of I stored occurring Twitter to test [game] scores. I figured I would as nicely create an account, so I simply began out as a fan. However I feel once I began to get extra into the writing facet, that’s once I began to fulfill extra folks, particularly on WNBA Twitter, too. I feel the primary yr that I began protecting in 2021, folks had been very welcoming and it was only a matter of placing myself on the market…Simply to form of put my title on the market, I might touch upon stay video games, issues like that. I might share the place the W video games are on what channels as a result of as we all know, it may be a bit of bit tough at occasions to simply accept these and so I feel simply by doing that, and getting my title on the market and extra folks began to see me they usually began to observe me as nicely. I feel being from Toronto, too, there are numerous Raptors followers that are actually WNBA followers as nicely. I feel once I moved into that area of protecting a W, numerous the fan base I had constructed from the Raptors facet form of observe by way of and transfer together with me by way of this journey. I feel that’s simply how my platform grew and my model form of grew to become protecting WNBA and girls’s basketball in addition to tennis as a result of that’s additionally my different foremost sport that I really like to look at and to cowl.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: I’m so excited to see how all the brand new additions to completely different groups form of paired out, like with the Storm getting Skylar and Nneka… I feel there was a lot motion within the offseason and so I’m very curious to see numerous gamers who are actually carrying new jerseys after carrying, , one jersey for the whole lot of their careers. I feel that’s going to be actually thrilling.
Display screen time: 5 hours.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: Simply form of having enjoyable with it. That’s form of my largest factor is simply—I do know I love to do video content material. I prefer to be on digicam, however finally for me, it’s simply, [do] I need to watch this and do I’ve enjoyable making it? And usually if I’ve enjoyable making it, somebody’s going to have enjoyable watching it whether or not that be social media movies or YouTube movies or no matter that is perhaps. Simply form of simply having enjoyable with it. And if I can have enjoyable with it, another person can have enjoyable watching it.
I really like ladies’s basketball. That is what I really like to look at. If I wasn’t doing content material for it, I might be speaking about it the identical approach, simply in a unique method. For me, my largest inviting issue is the truth that I’m a fan identical to everybody else. Sure, I’m within the media. Sure, I’m credentialed to issues, however I’m a fan and I really like ladies’s basketball.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: I feel you may really feel the completely different degree of pleasure for this season coming into it. I’m personally most excited [about] all the brand new followers to have the ability to see what we’ve recognized about and the way unimaginable that this League actually is. And numerous that has to do with how widespread the expertise is and the way good I feel the groups are this season. I’m able to see these groups go to battle and simply have some good video games. I’m excited for some actual, genuinely good basketball this season.
Display screen time: 11 hours.
How did you get into content material creation: I feel social media—I didn’t understand its energy in reference to sports activities. I feel till I used to be working at The Ringer and I simply noticed how not solely the corporate’s media presence was necessary however every particular person author and character had their very own following. I used to be like, Wow, that’s actually cool and I form of had a chat with myself, OK, what do I would like my following to actually be about? I don’t need to have my hand in all the things. What do I would like the folks following me to actually observe me for?
I bear in mind I went to my husband, who was my boyfriend on the time, I used to be like, I would like folks after they consider the WNBA, that they point out my title [and] that they’ve me in these conversations. So, what do I have to do to try this? I realized by sharing my story with my fandom with the WNBA and with the Sacramento Monarchs, actually simply pulled on the heartstrings of lots of people…As soon as I tapped into that fandom, that’s once I began eager to develop the sport by sharing extra of these tales and extra of these tales in regards to the gamers as nicely. I’m not gonna be breaking information, however I need to make it possible for gamers know that they’ll speak to me and I’m gonna see them as a human.
I’m going to ensure they know that I’ve been right here from the start and as a former ladies’s basketball participant myself, I see them. I’m not simply right here for the second or the motion, I’ve been right here.
What would your recommendation be to folks, particularly younger Black ladies that want to get into the area and questioning whether or not they need to go the standard media route or content material creation: I feel having your individual model and going into content material creation proper now, you’ve the ability to try this. I feel that’s each a constructive and a destructive as a result of typically as somebody who went to journalism college. I’ve my diploma on this, I’m on the identical platform as any individual who has none of these accolades or none of that education. You may also simply pop up and have your individual video and make your individual YouTube present, like, the ability could be very a lot within the arms of the creator.
[For] the longest time, I used to be so hesitant and so nervous and taking a look at lots of people within the area and saying, nicely, I can’t do this. I’ll simply keep over right here or I’ll by no means get there, I’ll simply keep over right here.And as soon as I simply began and likewise going into freelance, I simply actually wager on myself. That’s all the time my recommendation to younger ladies, particularly younger Black ladies: you’re all the time informed to remain on this field or keep on this lane or do issues that everybody else is doing to get higher. Once I made the choice to cowl the W NBA and girls’s basketball, it was very a lot a, I’m doing one thing fully completely different than what you guys are wanting me to do or, , simply to cowl the NBA solely. I adopted my ardour and I stated, I’ve the ability set, I’ve the information and I’m going to wager on myself.
Display screen time: 8 hours.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: I feel actually the largest factor is simply authenticity. Anybody who follows me on Twitter, anybody who listens to our podcast, I feel you’re all the time getting me in my truest type. I’m all the time going to be a fan of my favourite gamers and I’m all the time gonna rep the groups and the gamers that I really like whereas additionally making an attempt to stay goal and supply perception and evaluation and my opinion on issues. So I feel that slightly than like having this completely curated model the place all the things’s so pristine and no matter, I feel I’ve went in the other way the place I’ve discovered that the best solution to be myself and provides folks like authentic distinctive content material is to form of let that non-public fan facet come out a bit of bit extra. I feel that permits me to entry a deeper degree of storytelling once I’m writing items as a result of it’s extra in regards to the individual I’m writing about. I’m not as involved with the way it appears to be like or no matter, I simply wanna be spreading the tales of those gamers.
Favourite WNBA group: It’s two solutions: the actual reply is the Aces, after which the opposite reply is no matter group Kahleah Copper is at the moment enjoying for. For a very long time, it’s been the Aces and the Sky, however now I’m gonna need to rep the Mercury, which is gonna be a bit of bizarre for me, however wherever Kai goes, I’m gonna be a fan of them. However Aces, , Jackie Younger and A’ja Wilson are two of my all-time favorites.
Display screen time: 4 hours and 20 minutes.
How did you get into content material creation: I really feel like everybody actually began throughout COVID. I used to be like, nicely, I would as nicely simply put up some stuff on tiktok as a result of that’s the factor and as soon as college began opening up, I began doing like a bit of little bit of basketball content material with the varsity group that I used to be teaching and that may blow up right here and there after which the massive blow up was my niece and nephew being as cute as they’re. Me being their aunt, it was actually nothing like that particular—I imply, it’s particular to me that I’m their aunt however nothing that particular the place it was like some huge break. It was identical to, Wow, that woman loves her niece and nephew.
There was one video I did, it wasn’t even with the youngsters, it was a dancing video on my own and I child you not each single remark was like, ‘Get it Auntie Nae! Go Auntie. Yeah, Auntie! I used to be like, OK, is that my title? Is that what folks name me. So, that’s been the factor ever since then.
I’ve all the time been a fan of the W. I put up Detroit Shock throwbacks on a regular basis, however by no means actually had the possibility or actually by no means knew l may very well be somebody to speak about it in that approach simply because I’m not a reporter, I’m not a journalist. I simply love the sport, love being there. However I used to be in the proper place on the proper time: I used to be in Dallas on the Ultimate 4 final yr and somebody from the League was like, ‘Hey, I’ve seen a few of your Tik Toks, I actually need you to come back to the draft subsequent week…Earlier than going into the draft, I used to be speaking to my spouse and I used to be identical to, ‘I’m so scared. I don’t know anyone. I’m unsure how I’m going to be acquired there as a result of I don’t know if folks know me. I don’t need to step on toes. I simply needed to be in expertise and all that. And my first interplay strolling in, I rotated and I noticed Aliyah Boston strolling in the direction of me. inside, I’m freaking out, I’m like, Oh my God, it’s Aliyah...That’s the second I used to be like, OK, perhaps I’m purported to be right here.
What’s been your strategy to content material creation and constructing your model: I don’t take a unique strategy in any respect with my private versus my skilled model. I feel that in the event you stay constant, your viewers is aware of the place you’re, what you’re going to do. And so by me simply authentically wanting to actually get to the meat of the story and get to know the gamers as people, it’s past simply speedy hearth, proper?… Folks need to get to know folks however it doesn’t need to be these fast hitting issues. I feel I do an important job of long-form, get to know you content material, versus quick type heavy hitting. I imply, I can do the quick type however I hold that constant in how I speak to folks as people and meet them the place they’re as people with the way in which I inform tales. My private model, you see numerous athletes simply having enjoyable, getting actual, and simply being open and trusting and weak and acknowledged as a privilege. They really feel snug sufficient to try this. And then you definately see that once I take it to knowledgeable setting, I’ve a present with the WNBA known as Off Prime and that’s the place we simply sit down [and] I don’t have a preconceived notion of what I need to speak about. I simply say, Hey, welcome to my Huge Cozy Sofa. And I allow them to take it the place they need to take it. So I, it doesn’t matter what I do between my objective, private model or skilled model, I need to open up area for folks to be themselves. And I need to facilitate that dialog in a approach that it sticks with the final lots, and amplify that I’ve been a cheerleader to my core. And that’s what I herald my journalism, too.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: I’m actually excited to see gamers take possession of their tales. I’m actually excited to see them step right into a panorama that is able to totally digest the truth that they belong there. And for them to be celebrated the way in which they’ve all the time deserved. And due to the empowerment across the recreation proper now. It permits gamers to point out up as totally themselves. So whether or not that’s translating by how they play basketball stylistically, or how they costume within the tunnel, or how they convey their tales with media. I’m simply excited in regards to the individuality being showcased this season…
I would like most people to not be reliant on the larger names and actually know that while you go searching in that locker room. For the W, there are 11 or 12 gamers in there. Each single individual’s story issues. And so going into this season, each single individual’s story ought to be informed as a result of we’ve got so many extra eyes on it. What I concern is that the legacy gamers, the gamers who’ve been across the tremendous vets, they’re gonna be overshadowed in that. I would like media to know like, it’s our duty to inform that historical past and it’s our duty to actually exit and showcase the excellence. We have now greats stepping away, [like] that Candace Parker retirement, which crushed me. And I by no means thought we gave her sufficient credit score for a way transformative she was. I’m an enormous Candace Parker and actually I’m very underwhelmed about that. However like I don’t suppose we ever gave her sufficient credit score about how transformative she was. And I would like these vets [that] determine to step down and step away from the sport, an energetic participant function, for them to really feel like they’ve been appreciated their complete profession. And so, whether or not that’s us reconciling and having this heavy reconciliation in pushing their tales ahead in a approach we haven’t earlier than, that’s what we have to do. We want to take the time to actually push them in to realizing that their flowers are there and they need to obtain them.
Display screen time: 9 hours and 37 minutes.
How did you get into content material creation: I’ve all the time been obsessive about creating content material. Even in highschool, I had an nameless Twitter web page protecting my highschool sports activities. After which once I obtained to school, I used to be protecting Wichita State Athletics [and] males’s Basketball was like, the largest factor within the metropolis. This was in 2016, 2017, I used to be so adamant about utilizing my very own social media or like completely different social media channels to advertise our protection, just like the newspaper and all the things. Lengthy story quick, I used to be informed that utilizing my social media is unprofessional and it wouldn’t get me wherever. However I actually didn’t hearken to that. And that’s once I began Sports activities with Aliyah my junior yr of school, and that’s the place I’m like, Okay, I’m gonna write articles, do interviews, create content material on my phrases, and I do know I can create an viewers that likes me for me and my protection.
From there, Sports activities with Aliyah has simply grown a lot. It was a chat present in Wichita— I’d like to get again to that—however a chat present or simply going to any sports-related factor I may probably go to and simply present it from my viewpoint. I really like specializing in issues that make the athletes extra human as a substitute of identical to their stats, like, I need to know their private tales, I need to present their personalities. I additionally love the way in which basketball intersects with trend, music tradition, that’s simply my favourite factor.
And in terms of ladies’s sports activities, lots of people noticed me protecting ladies’s sports activities as like a charity, like, Oh, that’s so good that you just’re protecting the ladies’s recreation, too. And I’m like, ‘It’s not good. It’s what I need to do.’ That is what I’m keen about. That’s form of how I approached it in my content material. I’ve numerous males’s sports activities followers following me, however I might simply proceed to speak about ladies’s basketball, ladies’s sports activities very casually [and adding] it in with my regular content material, as a substitute of simply being like, Guys, look, I’m doing such an important factor by protecting ladies’s sports activities. I’m identical to, Yeah, that is what I’m speaking about and get with it. And I feel that’s form of how I’ve form of transformed some males’s sports activities followers into liking ladies’s sports activities, and it’s been simply built-in into my life at this level.
What’s been your strategy to constructing your private model: My strategy has all the time been neighborhood first and never getting wrapped in with the numbers. I imply, it’s social media, issues can go viral left and proper. However what are you doing to maintain it? I’ve all the time valued a neighborhood, that’s why I began a bunch chat with my followers to assist them break into sports activities or speak about sports activities. Neighborhood is all the things after which additionally simply capitalizing off of what makes me distinctive within the area. The human tales or the tradition, I prefer to make an enormous deal out of the little issues. I like to point out what a traditional broadcast wouldn’t present, these small moments between a participant and a fan. Or, two gamers having a pleasant second. I need to present issues you could’t see by simply studying an article or watching ESPN or the published. I feel that’s been my key.
Display screen time: 8-9 hours.
How did you get into content material creation: I really feel like TikTok actually grew to become huge my senior yr of highschool. [In] faculty, I had a really small platform, probably not numerous followers, however it simply gave me a spot to be inventive and put up about my life, put up about being a student-athlete. I grew up watching numerous YouTube and I really feel like YouTube is certainly tedious, so having a platform the place you may form of share extra quick type movies and it’s a neater raise was actually interesting to me. I form of simply obtained began there.
I additionally am a journalist, so I do some extra conventional work, however I really feel like TikTok is a spot for me to form of have my very own little neighborhood and be a bit of bit extra inventive and do some untraditional issues, whether or not or not it’s sharing my opinions or doing enjoyable interviews. That’s actually how I obtained into it and I’ve continued to put up round huge sporting occasions and simply form of giving my takes or getting alternatives to interview gamers and my platform has grown from there.
What’s your strategy to constructing your model: I feel reporting and being a journalist is a big a part of my model and I all the time need that to be the very first thing that’s conveyed once I’m posting and sharing on-line, but in addition sharing that enjoyable facet of me and realizing that numerous these student-athletes who I’m interviewing, particularly in faculty, are related in age to me and doubtless those that I may very well be buddies with if I wasn’t working as a result of I used to be additionally a student-athlete. So, I completely get the ins and outs of what they’re going by way of. Making an attempt to mix that perspective within the interviews, in my content material, I feel reaches them a bit of bit extra as a result of they’re human, too. They’ve their favourite artists off the court docket. They’ve hobbies that they love to do. I feel it’s only a actually great way for me to attach with these athletes.
Display screen time: 5 hours.
How did you get into content material creation: I had already been within the queer content material creation area…Soccer’s all the time been my factor and that’s the factor I knew probably the most about—the intersection of queer and World Cup content material. I used to be in a position to make like a bunch of like breakdown movies with the World Cup and now I simply speak about sports activities and form of try to make ladies’s sports activities as accessible as doable to as many individuals and inform the form of human curiosity tales behind all the things that occurs. [It]s] simply form of the stuff I already am interested by and now I get to speak about it on TikTok.
What’s your strategy to content material creation: I feel that numerous it’s that I feel that I’ve created a neighborhood of those that watch my movies, they care about ladies’s sports activities, they care about ladies’s basketball, they care about what’s occurring, and I like being round these folks. And so it’s simply form of like, I, in my life, have had buddies who I speak to about issues taking place within the W or issues taking place within the sports activities world. And now it’s like, I’ve an enormous neighborhood of these folks and like so many extra buddies to speak about…The factor that I all the time come again to is rather like, I wanna develop the dialog and that form of is the driving power [in] what number of extra buddies can I get to speak about ladies’s basketball and all that, all the things with?
Favourite WNBA group: I’m a DC woman. I’m excited for Aaliyah [Edwards]…that’s gonna be thrilling for us for the Mystics.
Display screen time: 9 hours and quarter-hour.
How did you get into content material creation: I’ve all the time been very vocal and extroverted and any individual that’s been taking footage since I used to be a younger age. I all the time felt that sharing movies [and] footage in addition to my ideas as a approach of bringing folks into my life and I assume I by no means considered myself as a content material creator, I all the time simply considered myself that was form of sharing what was occurring in my life…
I’ve all the time simply cared about curating. I might say not solely a picture, however not a picture or a model, however authenticating and showcasing my life, what I’m doing, what I aspire for, how I may also help different folks, how we will deliver extra folks in. So I might say on Instagram, I actually need us to only showcase the ups and downs, but in addition the probabilities for everyone of their life…On Twitter, which is the app that I’ve probably the most following on, I simply speak. I’ve all the time been very vocal and I’ve all the time needed to share how my background in African American research and historical past has allowed me to take a look at numerous issues a bit extra critically and supply some perception in addition to my very own private emotions and ideas.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: The competitors, the outfits, the model offers that shoppers get. I feel that the Liberty have the most effective court docket facet expertise with the Crown Membership, with celebrities that come to video games. It’s immaculate. I’m excited for the movie footage that I’m going to take this yr—I feel I’ve actually discovered my lane with regard to capturing issues between my telephone and my cameras, and actually having the ability to help W and be a face of the League and other people know.
We get down in New York. I’ve been known as the mayor. I wouldn’t take into account myself as such, however it’s enjoyable to know that when persons are coming to recreation in New York, they know they’re gonna see me and that I’m gonna deliver that power to each recreation.
Display screen time: 4-6 hours a day.
What’s do you suppose makes your content material distinctive on social: I actually like taking a look at and understanding private growth: why is a participant rising? How did they adapt over an offseason? What did they begin seeing otherwise? It’s superb watching the consistency that they develop into, and understanding them as gamers and other people is what I’m all about.
What are you most enthusiastic about this season: I’m excited a couple of plethora of issues, however I’m most excited to look at the Seattle Storm discover their approach as a group this yr. There’s a lot expertise coming collectively, and I can’t wait to look at Noelle Quinn match all the things collectively
Display screen time: It’s round 8 within the low season after which about 11.5 or 12 on common in-season.
