10 Sports Business Professionals (of Color) to Follow on Twitter
Before the NBA lockout ended, SportsNetworker compiled a list of the “Top 10 Sports Business Professionals To Follow On Twitter,†highlighting individuals at major sports entities who will keep their followers abreast of the latest industry news. The list was diverse in that it included both men and women, however, none of the candidates were of color. Since the 2012 NBA season tipped off on Christmas Day, BlackEnterprise.com decided to compile a select list of Black professionals from sports media, marketing, public, and community relations that may have been overlooked. If you’re a basketball fan looking to keep your ear to the tweets, here are 10 sports business professionals of color to follow on Twitter. —Mia Hall
Before the NBA lockout ended, SportsNetworker compiled a list of the “Top 10 Sports Business Professionals To Follow On Twitter,†highlighting individuals at major sports entities who will keep their followers abreast of the latest industry news. The list was diverse in that it included both men and women, however, none of the candidates were of color. Since the 2012 NBA season tipped off on Christmas Day, BlackEnterprise.com decided to compile a select list of Black professionals from sports media, marketing, public, and community relations that may have been overlooked. If you’re a basketball fan looking to keep your ear to the tweets, here are 10 sports business professionals of color to follow on Twitter. —Mia Hallmore
JEMELE HILL @jemelehill
With 14 years of experience as a sports writer, this ESPN National Columnist and frequent television host has a vast knowledge of the business and major talent. If you follow her, you can see she has a heart for the game and a sense of humor. Opinionated and sometimes duplicated, Hill will certainly keep you smiling and in the know about her regularly scheduled broadcasts.
more
NATE JONES @JonesontheNBA
Kevin Durant and Candace Parker are just two of the elite basketball players in Jones’ stable. With a Juris Doctorate in Entertainment Law and a BA in Business, this young digerati is helping transform the way athletes and fans interact online in Digital Media and Professional Athlete Marketing at Goodwin Sports Management. As stated in his username, you can certainly find basketball on his timeline at anytime.
more
ADENA ANDREWS @Adena_Andrews
Writer for ESPNW.com and blogger, Andrews is one of the four Black female sports columnists in the nation. Leaving her marks at companies such as Nike and Sports Illustrated, and covering major events such as the NBA All-Star weekend, Andrews is well on her way to becoming a major force in sports media.
more
BILLY KING @BKDefend
When the General Manager of the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets speaks, people listen. Though you may not see him update constantly, it pays to stay updated on the first Brooklyn-based NBA team and the largest naming rights deal ever (with Barclay’s Center). A former standout at Duke University and USA Basketball, King has received many accolades during his sports career including being named as one of Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under Forty†and NBA Executive of the Year by the African-American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame.
more
VAN ADAMS @VanAdamsSports
With over 5,000 followers, Adams, CEO of the marketing agency Van Adams Sports, tweets about current events coupled with wisdom from over 10 years of experience in the field. A graduate of Grambling State University, she spent over three years as President of the Board of the NYC Metro Chapter of Women in Sports & Events (WISE) and worked at leading organizations such as Sports Illustrated and the Buffalo Bills.
more
TARIQ AHMAD @Tariq_Ahmad
Ahmad is completing his PhD in Sports Management at the University of Northern Colorado. There he is studying the intersection between sports and social media and has SportShadow.com that tracks the relationship between sports and location based services (i.e. foursquare). He presented Social Media and the NBA: Where It's @ at the South by Southwest Music Conference 2011 and is a frequent contributor to the weekly sports business twitter forum #sbchat.
more
CHEVONNE MANSFIELD @cmansfield27
With communications experience at all of the major teams in New York and now at the SouthEastern Conference, Mansfield is certainly and up-and-coming sports communications pro. With experience at the NY Knicks, Rangers, Jets, Yankees and ESPN, this higher education sports maven will set you on your NCAA and NBA way.
more
BENSON MENSAH-BONSU @CreativeBonsu
Self-proclaimed “Wolverine of Marketing,†Creative Bonsu is a Washington, DC transplant from London. As Creative Director at SketchWorks, he provides creative marketing solutions to help businesses increase profit and interactivity. He notably created one of the largest social networks for thousands of teens at the ripe age of 14 and has also built and operated Hawks Basketball Development Academy, “a program that develops future elite athletes in sports and education.â€
more
JOHN A. SHUMATE @JohnAShumate
Shumate is currently the Manager of Sports Partnerships at the Gatorade Company, a Division of PepsiCo (“the official sports drink of the NBAâ€). With an MBA focused in sports business and over 10 years of experience, this marketing and sponsorship executive brings a corporate perspective and sharp mind on current sport issues and news.
more
MICHAEL LEE @MrMichaelLee
Lee is a Wizards/NBA reporter for Washington Post. With over 10,000 followers, he is definitely one of the “go-to-guys†when it comes to what’s happening in the NBA. Though his tweets are frequent, Lee is far from a “timeline terrorist.†Expect plenty of basketball related tweets from this Florida A&M Alum.
more