In this episode of The Sports Umbrella presented by GalwayPlus, host Kelly Okun interviews Kelenna Azubuike, an NBA-player-turned-color-commentator for the Golden State Warriors.
Kelenna shares how he felt like he lost his identity when he was injured while playing for the Golden State Warriors and how the NBPA program, Broadcaster U, at Syracuse helped him fall back in love with the game as a TV analyst.
His story is also one rooted in faith, which can be seen in how he gives back off the court with his nonprofit, The Athletes’ Corner. His campaign – “Swishes for Dishes” – with the Warriors has raised over half a million meals for Feeding America.
The episode closes with a story about his wife, Rona, and how they experimented with unique cornbread flavor combinations and decided to start “Kelenna’s Famous Cornbread.”
Chapters:
[00:36] Meet Kelenna Azubuike: From NBA Star to Color Commentator
[01:21] A Broadcaster’s Mindset on the Court
[04:46] Broadcaster U Breakthrough
[11:12] An Athlete’s Identity After Injury
[19:42] Faith, Family and a Reset
[25:32] Knowing When to Close a Chapter
[27:52] Athlete Grit in Business
[25:32] Knowing When to Close a Chapter
[33:21] Giving Back: The Athletes’ Corner
[39:43] Origin Story: “Kelenna’s Famous Cornbread”
