The internet can’t get enough of Pepper Persley, an 11-year-old girl who made her debut as a WNBA sideline reporter on Thursday, according to ESPN. Persley showed uncanny poise when she chatted with some of the WNBA’s biggest stars during her debut as a sideline reporter.
“I’m here with A’ja Wilson,” Persley said when she interviewed the Las Vegas Aces star during Thursday’s game. “This team’s offense has really been flowing so far this first quarter. What has led to that?”
The young journalist later interviewed another Aces star, Chelsea Gray.
“Your court vision is incredible. You make it look so easy,” Persley said. “How are you able to do that?”
Social media users are now demanding to see more of Persley.
@espn @SportsCenter better hire Pepper Persley now! I almost had to ask how long she's been working there already, she was that good!
— Clarence Searles (@ClarenceSearles) July 23, 2022
Baby Girl Pepper Persley is on her way!!!! That was dope yesterday @WNBA
— Chocolate Jay of Jays Joint Potcast (@ChocoJay_JJP) July 23, 2022
i don’t know miss pepper persley but i’m proud of her 🥹 https://t.co/e0DPgClhGO
— (keith) urban contemporary (@handsomelizzie) July 23, 2022
11-year-old Superstar Pepper Persley was the sideline reporter for the Fever-Aces last night 🔥 ( 📸 @LVAces) pic.twitter.com/mewj64la0Q
— PlayersTV (@ThePlayersTV) July 23, 2022
The rising star is still in awe of all the love she’s getting.
Holy Camoly! Thank you so much for sharing! I can’t believe this! https://t.co/F9QyOHdKmh
— Pepper Persley & Christopher Persley (@teampersley) July 23, 2022
While introducing herself during Thursday’s broadcast, Persley talked about how she became interested in journalism.
“I really got into broadcasting and journalism because I was a curious kid and I loved playing basketball and I had so many questions about the WNBA that my parents just couldn’t answer,” she said.
According to Sports Illustrated, the New York native has also interviewed many big names outside of sports, including First Lady Jill Biden, Michelle Obama and the late Chadwick Boseman.
“I got my first interview with New York Liberty player Sugar Rodgers,” Persley told Sports Illustrated in 2021. “I was six and I didn’t really think of it as a career path, I was still a kid at that point. I really started doing interviews as a job during the pandemic. I wanted to do something to bring a smile to people’s faces because this is a depressing time.”
The young hoop fan still hopes to play in the WNBA when she grows up. She’s also a proponent of anti-bullying.
“In second grade, unfortunately, I was bullied, and it was really challenging,” she said. “Especially coming from two people I thought were my friends. One of the things I did to try to flip it on its head, I created an anti-bullying video, which I recently put on my Instagram.”
