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| Bonnie Jill Laflin photos by Steed Media Service |
Bonnie Jill Laflin
LA Lakers’ Scout
While
standing on the red carpet at the ESPN Next Party, it was obvious when
some of the most legendary athletes walked through. The male dominated
atmosphere was soon interrupted when the very beautiful and noticeable
Bonnie Jill Laflin strutted down the red carpet. Looks may be very
deceiving because the outward appearance was no indicator of this
sports industry power maker. Laflin is a former Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleader and sports broadcaster, and now she is the only female NBA
scout in the league. Gorgeous and extremely sports saavy, Laflin stops
by to explain to rolling out just how she has propelled her career to
another level and loves it.
RO: What did it take to get to where you are and do you ever have to prove your self?
Bonnie Jill:
Oh definitely! Anytime you are a women in a man’s world you just really
have to work even harder. I mean I had to work really hard to push down
boundaries. I worked my little butt off. I was a sports broadcaster for
many years and I covered the Lakers and I knew the system and I had
been around sports all my life and it helped, but still everyday I have
to work really hard. I mean its hard as a woman.
RO: Tell us 3 tips of success for someone who aspires to be where you are?
Bonnie Jill: Put in a lot of hard work, you have to have a lot of drive
and be a go getter and also be passionate.
RO: When did you first fall in love with your career?
Bonnie Jill:
I have always been in love with it. I started out as a Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleader then went on to be a sports broadcaster for many years,
worked for ESPN and now I’m a scout for the Lakers. I think when you
work you should be happy. You always have to love what you do.
Bonnie
Jill Laflin is also the new assistant GM for the Los Angeles Lakers’
Minor League team the Los Angeles D-Fenders. She is also CEO and
founder of the trendy “Double Play Sportswear” line sold in NBA arenas
across the nation.
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| Jamele Hill |
Jamele Hill ESPN
Columnist and TV Contributor
The
tom boy like woman, Jamele Hill always knew she had a passion for
sports. She has no problem arguing her point with the guys as a
correspondent on ESPN. She knows about how tough you have to be to play
in the man’s world of sports but says she lets her knowledge on the
game speak for itself. Rolling out had the chance to get to know the
sports junky, Jemele Hill, as she shares about her drive which keeps
her as a starter on the boys’ team.
RO: How do you cope with being a double minority in your field?
Hill:
As a women you have to know what you’re talking about. People respect
sports opinions. They want to know that you can give them game analysis
insight and that’s all I try to deliver. I’ve been a sports reporter
for 12 years now. At this point I feel like I know the game extremely
well. I think definitely as a black woman you are going to face some
challenges and people aren’t going to take you seriously. It’s like Kat
Williams said, ‘If you got 15 haters you better get 16. Because haters
definitely get you paid.’ I totally believe that.
RO: What are 3 Tips of Success for someone who aspires to be where you are?
Hill:
You definitely have to be vigilant and persistent. To quote another
great ghetto philosopher Jay-Z , ‘Hustlers don’t sleep’ and that’s the
truth. While everybody else is chilling and not on top of their game
you need to be going that extra mile all the time. Also be prepared. In
this game if you are not prepared you will be exposed. The third thing,
it is all about what you know, but its also about who you know. Network
and get to know the people in the industry so they can put a face to
your talent.
RO: You seem like you are into music. Do you think there is a relationship between music and sports?
Hill: Absolutely!
You see all the musicians want to be athletes and the athletes want to
be musicians. How many bad rap albums from athletes do we have to hear
for us to realize this. I’ll admit if I could pick one thing that I
could do, I would want to be a singer. I want to love to be able to
sing. I think you just respect what the other person does and it’s a
talent that you don’t have so you want to do it.
RO: What’s your all-time favorite hip-hop album?
Hill:
You know what I just saw Notorious so I almost want to say Ready to Die
because Biggie was my boy. It’s either that or the Original Run DMC The
King of Rock, it laid the ground work for hip hop forever.
Jemele
Hill definitely is a real around the way girl, born in the heart of
Detroit, which transcends onto her broadcasts and in her columns. Hill
not only appears on ESPN’s First Take and Jim Rome is Burning, she is
also a writer for ESPN The Magazine’s page 2. –kim smith
