Courtside Confidence: Andraya Carter On Building a Career At ESPN, The Importance Of Being Present & Authentic Storytelling In Sports

Andraya Carter knows a thing or two about resilience and reinvention. After three ACL injuries cut her basketball playing career short, the University of Tennessee graduate transitioned into broadcasting, where she now covers both all things basketball for ESPN. In this episode, we dive into how Andraya navigated these career transitions and found new ways to stay connected to the game she loves. She shares her perspective on overcoming physical setbacks, the mental fortitude required to deal with repeated injuries, and the importance of authenticity when working on some of sports media's biggest stages.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Andraya’s Journey: From playing at Tennessee to becoming one of the most recognizable faces on ESPN.
• The Power of Preparation: Why Andraya believes in "reps" and how she prepares for different roles, from sideline reporting to color analysis.
• Defining Success on Your Own Terms: Navigating outside opinions and social media while staying true to yourself.
• The Importance of Connection: How Andraya’s grandmother influenced her desire to make others feel seen and heard.
• Mindfulness and Movement: Why movement and meditation (even in small moments like inside an Uber or on a plane) are essential to Andraya's wellness routine.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

On Career and Transition

• "Chasing a dream is a transferable skill. My dream was to be a professional athlete, I chased it, I didn’t get it, but the idea of having a goal and going for it to me is a skill."
• "Every rep was good for me because it was a rep. It was an opportunity to have a microphone, to speak, to be on camera, and it was fun."
• "The story of having a job to pay the bills while having a dream in the back of your mind is actually not uncommon."

On Resilience and Preparation

• "The ones who can be uncomfortable the longest are the ones that make it. You have to push through this discomfort."
• "I just started judging my performance based on—was I prepared? If I was prepared, I had my notes ... I was ready for this moment."

On Mindfulness and Authenticity

• "I hope that what translates to viewers ... is just my passion. I've been able to be myself on air ... Connecting to people has always been something that I try to take a lot of pride in."
• "Being present is so important. I hope people start to understand more how you really are your best self when you're present."
• "There's value in feeling valued, and value in being paid what you feel like you're worth and not what other people say that you're worth."

SOCIAL
@andraya_carter
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

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