NBA news breaker Shams Charania says the demands of his around-the-clock job have made dating and friendships almost impossible.
Speaking on ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters with Jeremy Schaap,” the Chicago-based insider appeared alongside MLB reporter Jeff Passan and NFL reporter Adam Schefter to discuss life on a 24/7 news cycle. Charania acknowledged that the phone rarely leaves his hand.
“I’ve had to walk out on dates, I’ve had to walk out on a lot of social events,” he told the panel, adding that friends “don’t really like me” because work always comes first. “That’s why it’s very hard to have a consistent relationship … I’m just always going to choose this as of right now.”
Passan, who is married with children, urged Charania to pursue balance, warning, “This job will kill you.” Schefter said his own quiet moments come only when he can finish a show or livestream without the phone ringing.
Charania noted that time with family offers brief relief, even if he remains partly plugged in. He recalled lasting just 10 minutes in a family pickleball game before the start of NBA free agency, then pacing the court for nearly an hour on calls. “My family is gracious enough where as long as I’m in their presence, they don’t make me feel bad,” he said.
The reporting grind began in college, Charania added, when he chased NBA scoops while classmates went out. In a 2022 interview with the New York Post, he said a 24/7/365 schedule leaves no room for a spouse or children, though he acknowledged that priorities could shift someday.
Source: Hoops Wire
