Covering some of the most well-known sports teams is Malika Andrews, an American sports journalist and reporter. Fans who spend nights watching basketball on ESPN have no doubt seen Andrews on screen or read her bylines.

The Starting Lineup Of Andrews’ Career

Born in Oakland, Calif. on Jan. 27, 1995, Andrews’ love and passion for sports started young as a fan of the Golden State Warriors. Attending the University of Portland, Andrews studied communications, starting off her sports journalism career as a sports writer, editor and then editor-in-chief of The Beacon, the school’s newspaper. Following The Beacon, Andrews interned at the Denver Post and then went on to become a James Reston Reporting Fellow for The New York Times in the sports department.

Post-Grad Chi-Town Reporter

Upon graduating from university, Andrews spent a year working for the Chicago Tribune as a reporter. Eventually, she made her way back to sports shortly after, working for ESPN as a reporter for the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. After this, the NBA reporter went on to cover the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

Malika Andrews’ Major Accomplishments In Sports

Malika Andrews has become a major face in sports reporting. With her incredible writing skills and knowledge of sports, it is no wonder that she’s accomplished so much, especially as a Black woman in Sports. Andrews became one of the first and youngest reporters to enter the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, leading the NBA Draft telecast with virtual interviews in 2020 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Breaking Barriers In Sports

Andrews has been breaking barriers in her career by becoming ESPN’s only Black female NBA reporter. She has been recognized by major journalism organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. Andrews has been featured in major mastheads such as the New York Post and the Forbes 30 under 30 and received the 2021 NABJ Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year award. In addition to being the first woman to host the NBA Draft in 2022, one of Malika Andrews’ most recent accomplishments includes winning a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality and Emerging On-Air Talent. In 2021, Andrews was announced as the new sideline reporter for ABC’s NBA Finals Coverage, replacing Rachel Nichols.

Andrews’ career continues to elevate as she has made a name for herself in the sports world. She has been a host of ESPN’s NBA Today since 2021, covering the league nationally while also hosting NBA Countdown on Wednesdays. Her work and bylines have been featured across multiple ESPN platforms including ESPN.com, SportsCenter, and ESPN Radio. Earlier this year, it was announced that Andrews would become the new host of the NBA Finals.

The Person Behind The Camera

While Andrews’ exact salary is unknown to the public, as one of ESPN’s top reporters her net worth is estimated to be over $800,000. But who is Andrews behind the lens? Based on her Instagram and Twitter profiles, it is known that Malika Andrews is a huge sports fanatic, primarily posting about her work in sports journalism and reporting. With a dynamic personality on camera and on social media, Andrews shares pieces of her life and work with her 539k Instagram and 276k Twitter followers. Andrews’ sister, Kendra Andrews, is also following in her sister’s footsteps, working for ESPN as a Golden State Warriors reporter.

Lauryn Jiles

Writing since September 2023 · 4 stories contributed