Malika Andrews facts for kids

Malika Rose Andrews McMenamin (born January 27, 1995) is a well-known American sports journalist and reporter. She is famous for hosting NBA Today, a popular show about basketball. Malika started working for ESPN in October 2018. She quickly became known for her great reporting, even becoming the youngest sideline reporter for an NBA broadcast during the special 2020 NBA Bubble. In 2021, Forbes magazine recognized her as one of their "30 Under 30" in the sports world.

Growing Up and School

Malika Andrews was born in Oakland, California. Her dad, Mike, was a personal trainer, and her mom, Caren, was an art teacher. Malika grew up cheering for the Golden State Warriors basketball team. When she was in eighth grade, she went to Head-Royce School. Later, she attended a special boarding school in Utah and finished high school at age 17 in 2012. Malika's mother is Jewish, and Malika had a bat mitzvah ceremony in 2008.

Before college, Malika worked for a year at her grandfather's law firm, which focused on civil rights. Then, she studied communications at the University of Portland and graduated in 2017. While at the University of Portland, she was very involved with the school newspaper, The Beacon. She worked as a sports writer, sports editor, and even the editor-in-chief. One important story she reported was about a player who got hurt after hitting a wall. Because of her story, the school added padding to prevent future injuries.

Malika's younger sister, Kendra Andrews, is also a sports reporter. Kendra used to cover the Golden State Warriors for NBC Sports Bay Area. In December 2021, ESPN hired Kendra to cover the Golden State Warriors, just like her sister.

Malika's Career in Sports Reporting

In 2017, Malika met ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski at an NBA Summer League game. He had already read her work from The Beacon. Before joining ESPN, Malika had internships at The Denver Post and worked as a reporter for The New York Times. She also spent a year reporting for the Chicago Tribune.

Malika joined ESPN.com as a reporter, covering teams like the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. Later, she moved to New York to also cover the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. In 2019, she wrote an article about Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. After the Bucks lost a game, he was upset about her article.

In 2020, Malika was one of the first reporters to enter the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. This was for the end of the 2019–20 NBA season in the special "Bubble" setup. She also led the TV broadcast for the 2020 NBA draft, doing virtual interviews with the top new players.

The New York Post has even mentioned her stylish "garden-party-chic wardrobe" on the court. They noted her signature look of "flowing floral feminine frocks."

In 2021, Malika was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work as an emerging on-air talent. She has also been recognized by several journalism groups for being ESPN's only Black female NBA reporter. Forbes magazine named her one of their "30 Under 30" in sports for 2021. You can often see her on other ESPN shows like SportsCenter, Get Up, NBA Countdown, Around the Horn, and The Jump.

On July 6, 2021, Malika was announced as ABC's sideline reporter for the 2021 NBA Finals. She took over this role from Rachel Nichols. In March 2022, Malika appeared in a short film called Playoffs on NBA Lane, which promoted the 2022 NBA playoffs. She was in the film with famous sportscaster Marv Albert.

In May 2022, Malika won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent. On June 23, 2022, Malika made history by becoming the first woman to host the NBA Draft.

Personal Life

In 2020, Malika confirmed she was living with her boyfriend in New York City during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she moved to Los Angeles, where she hosts NBA Today for ESPN. Her younger sister, Kendra Andrews, also works for ESPN, covering the Golden State Warriors.

On August 24, 2024, Malika married her longtime boyfriend and ESPN colleague, Dave McMenamin. Their wedding took place in Malika's hometown of San Francisco.