Michael Wilbon
Sports Commentator & Analyst
ESPN
Washington, DC USA
“Confidence is born from a series of successes. To just have it is unnatural.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationMichael Wilbon
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, IL.
His father was a sharecropper's son and laborer, and his mother fled the South at age 14 to move to Chicago so that she could go to college one day—he credits their sacrifices for his success.
Says the lessons he learned from his parents about overcoming obstacles have stayed with him his whole life and instilled a willfulness in him to succeed.
Went to college at Northwestern University where he graduated with a degree in journalism; began his career by writing for the school paper, The Daily Northwestern.
After college, he interned with the The Washington Post where he covered college sports—was eventually promoted to full-time sports columnist covering everything from the Olympics to the Super Bowl.
He began working for ESPN first as a contributor to the talk show “The Sports Reporters,” and then as the co-host of “Pardon the Interruption” with Tony Kornheiser.
Wrote his last column for the The Washington Post in 2010 in order to dedicate himself fully to his work at ESPN.
He is now regarded as one of America’s best sports reporters and ESPN personalities.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Journalism
Northwestern University
Journalism
Northwestern University
Career
Sports Commentator & Analyst
I am an an ESPN commentator, former sportswriter and columnist for The Washington Post.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Journalism
Sports
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
My day typically involves some combination of writing, reading, and on-air reporting. During sports seasons, I go out to games to do live reports and conduct interviews. Every day is different.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
It's okay to be nervous when doing something new or putting yourself out there. Confidence is not a natural thing to have. It's learned from a series of successes. Embrace that.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Physical Issues
Interviewed By
Beating the Odds
Overcoming barriers as a first-generation college student
