6 minutes readIn ELLE’s series Office Hours, we ask people in powerful positions to tell us about their first job, their worst job, and everything in between. In honor of the WNBA Draft, we speak with Chiney Ogwumike, an ESPN basketball analyst and host who played for the Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun, won WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2014 and won two All-Star titles from the league. Ogwumike currently hosts Chiney Today, a biweekly ESPN podcast about all things basketball. “There are a lot of young women now who say, ‘I want to be a broadcast journalist,’ because they saw you doing it,” she says. “I love this because I didn’t see anyone doing it. I had to say, ‘What does this look like?’ and see if it works.” She started laughing. “I think so!” Ogwumike shares how to achieve your goals, what you want in a human alarm clock, and how to order an embarrassing work salad.
my first job
I worked as a receptionist at a junior high school. My mother was a vice principal and my father traveled a lot, especially during the summer. We turned the whole school into a playground, having movie nights in the library and riding scooters in the gym. But once we became adults, we were allowed $5 an hour to answer the phone. And during the summer, no one called the school except for summer school dates and such. This is me when I was 10 or 11 years old. “School starts today, so I’ll leave a message for this teacher.”
my worst job
I was a referee during the middle school basketball season. My sisters and I were about 15 or 16 years old at the time. It doesn’t matter that you are a young child. I was getting paid $15 per game, basically for an hour. And when people don’t like what you call them, they call you blind and yell at you.
The best advice I’ve ever received
Don’t be afraid to try something new. I was actually a full-time announcer and the first person to be a full-time athlete. I didn’t know that appearing on ESPN and talking about sports would be a career. But I was willing to try something new. That was scary! And it’s not only given me the best life of my career, but it’s also created great opportunities for other people. So the people in my life, my coaches, my fellow athletes, and the producers at ESPN told me, “This is for you, you should step into this,” and I think that was great advice.
why i see myself on tv
As athletes, we’re used to having someone coach us. But when you grow up, even if you have a really good mentor or boss, you have to become your own coach. Every time there’s a podcast or TV appearance, I watch it and take notes as soon as I get home from work. Did this work? What could I have done with the video? What could I have done about this breakdown? When I looked back at the tape, I realized that I spoke too quickly. So I consulted my producer and he advised me to say “Namaste” in my head before I started playing. This will remind you to slow down and savor every second.
Reasons for not reading comments
When women voice their opinions in men’s spaces, people question things like, “What do you know about NBA basketball? Didn’t you just play on a women’s team?” And I’m like, “I can’t even answer that because it’s garbage.” For me, I have spent years building trust to be able to speak my mind. And people understand that it’s coming from a place that’s real and genuine and backed by facts. However, I still sometimes get nervous before critiquing a play. I still wish I had felt more comfortable speaking my truth. I know I have the authority and experience to be a respected voice in this field, and I’m working hard at that. Your feelings, especially your fears, may not be true.
How to get into the game
First, we must pray. Then I swear by hot yoga. Ever since I stopped playing (in the WNBA), hot yoga has been that for me. I’m a big fan of hot yoga sculpting classes, so much so that sometimes when I post about them, fans say, “Good luck with your sculpting,” the same way they used to say, “Good luck with your basketball game.” Being a nerd myself, I researched all the top hot yoga studios in cities where basketball tournaments are held, as well as cities I travel to for work, and put together a very organized list. Right now I’m in Phoenix and I already know I’m going to a place called Radiate. It is known for its high humidity.
Why my skincare routine is a side hustle
When you’re on camera, they put a lot of makeup on you. It’s very heavy and really built to last. It cannot be removed with micellar water like in the makeup tutorial video. You have to get hardcore. For me, that means very graphic African black soap. It removes everything from the TV. Then I’m really into moisturizer. I use 3 layers of La Roche-Posay moisturizer. And most importantly, even though I’m indoors most of the day, I always use sunscreen. Athletes and sportscasters, we’re always under the lights. They don’t tell you how important SPF is for that. When I started using a simple sunscreen, my skin care changed drastically.
Current clothes without uniforms
As a player, they will choose clothes for you! Always know what you’re wearing to work. Well, I had to come up with a new kind of workwear. When I watch people on TV, especially men, I find it suffocating because they are wearing suits! But lately, as women, we’ve started to embrace our femininity rather than just wearing blue and black suits. Paint lots of colors. I’ll do sequins. My dream is a Sergio Hudson work suit. Because the color and cut are so sexy and powerful. I love Alice & Olivia’s blazers and fitted dresses, especially the floral prints. And an African brand called Foure is great because it’s fun and accessible. For the shoes, you have to run all over the court to get interviewed. So I have to find heels that I can run in. My shoes are from Smash Shoes, but they also make extended sizes, so I want to shout out. I’m 6’3” tall so I have big feet. I’m an athlete. We have big feet. They come in sizes 15 or 16, which is amazing. ASOS is perfect for metallic pointed-toe heels.
A mantra I keep in constant rotation.
Sometimes I say the Serenity Prayer before going on air. And because we don’t know what will happen, we also pray for the angel of God. I did the same thing when I was on the court. Then, as a group, we say, “Every emotion is our vibe.” So I’m like, whatever happens here, it doesn’t matter, let’s just vibe and have a good time. And what I always tell people is, “To get to it, you have to go through it.” Whatever is in front of you may be difficult, difficult, or scary. You have to go through it to get there.
my fantasy draft
If I were drafting someone for Team Chiney, I would choose Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, and Michael Strahan. Michelle comes there for leadership coaching. Beyoncé will teach you how to build and maintain the perfect personal brand. And Michael Strahan, I love his transition from athlete to great broadcaster. He’s a great example of a career pivot. I would also like to add Nigerian musician Tems. She has an African identity that I really admire.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
