Jalen Rose

Current ESPN/ABC studio analyst Jalen Rose is recognized as being one of the most business savvy and charitable professional athletes today. The retired NBA veteran played 13 seasons where he became a media favorite for his post game quotes, knowledge of the game and attention to detail that would ultimately transition him from the locker room to the media room.

Jalen Rose is a media personality that has broken the mold of athletes only being hired to speak specifically to their respective sport. Jalen can regularly be seen on ESPNs family of television and radio shows discussing a range of sports such as football, soccer, boxing, tennis and baseball. Long credited for his goodwill and charitable efforts, Rose created the Jalen Rose Foundation which provides various donations to go along with an endowment scholarship at the University of Michigan. A proud native of Detroit, Rose has been intricately involved in the re-shaping of its impoverished community and provides scholarships and programs for area students seeking a college education and will soon complete a Charter School. Recently, Rose appeared with media legend Larry King as he co-hosted the USO Inaugural Ball as well as assisted King with his Gulf Telethon to help raise funds to provide relief for the BP oil spill. A coveted speaker, Rose spoke to entrepreneurs at Black Enterprises annual conference as well as participated in a conference for the Congressional Black Caucus amongst many other events.

Well respected by his peers, Jalen Rose first received notoriety as the leader of the legendary Michigan Wolverines Fab Five. The Fab Five shook the basketball community and forever changed its culture with the introduction of baggy shorts, black sneakers, shoes & socks, bald heads and bravado that is still reflective in the NBA and NCAA today. Jalen and his Fab Five teammates proved their talents and backed up the media frenzy they created by becoming the first and only team to start five freshmen in 1992 by reaching the NCAA Championship Game in their freshman and sophomore year.

Drafted in the first round in 1994 by the Denver Nuggets, Rose went on to have a steady and successful career where he was known as a prolific scorer and versatile wing playmaker who played multiple positions. Rose won the NBAs Most Improved Player and was the leader of an Indiana Pacers squad that reached the NBA Finals in 2000 as well as three straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Off the court, Jalen was becoming known as one of the best dressed guys in the NBA with old school style and Detroit swagger. Today, his NBA draft suit is still a highlight during each NBA draft. Recognizing that his NBA career would not last forever, Rose began crafting out a plan to transition from the hardwood floor to the media booth while a member of the Indiana Pacers where he began doing sideline reporting and would later earn gigs on FOX Sports Nets Best Damn Sports Show Period as well as a Jammin with Jalen radio segment on Sporting News Network. Demonstrating his sincerity to become a media professional, Jalen went back to school to earn his a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland.

Jalen has proved to be more than just a professional athlete making him an all-around superstar on and off the hardwood. This mogul will always be known as The Natural. For more information on Jalen Rose, please visit www.JalenRose.com or follow him via Twitter @JalenRose.