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Michael Wilbon
Michael Wilbon
01:00

Michael Wilbon

ESPN

Washington, DC USA

"Confidence is born from a series of successes. To just have it is unnatural."

Career Roadmap

Michael's work combines: Journalism, Sports, and Accomplishing Goals

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Day In The Life

Sports Commentator & Analyst

I am an an ESPN commentator, former sportswriter and columnist for The Washington Post.

My 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.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Journalism

    Northwestern University

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, IL.

  • 2.

    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.

  • 3.

    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.

  • 4.

    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.

  • 5.

    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.

  • 6.

    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.

  • 7.

    Wrote his last column for the The Washington Post in 2010 in order to dedicate himself fully to his work at ESPN.

  • 8.

    He is now regarded as one of America’s best sports reporters and ESPN personalities.

Defining Moments

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I have Type 2 diabetes. I've also suffered a heart attack and had to have an angioplasty.