Landon Buford
TNT NBA broadcaster Stephanie Ready has been a trendsetter throughout her entire career. Following a brilliant four-year campaign at Coppin State University, Ready finished her college career ranked among the leaders of all-time in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
She then accepted an assistant coaching position with Coppin State’s men’s basketball team. The school later made her the first female recruiter in the NCAA history.
It wasn’t long before Ready received a telephone call from Rob Levine and Karl Hicks, two NBA leaders who were on the cutting edge of the G-League. They wanted to see if she would be interested in coaching at the professional level.
In 2001, she would accept an assistant coaching position with the Greenville Groove in Fayetteville, NC. Once again, becoming the first female assistant coach of a men’s professional team.
six years ago, in an interview with Sam Perley of Hornets.com, Ready shared that she had a lot of sleepless nights watching film.
“There were lots of sleepless nights up late watching video, writing scouting reports and doing game prep,” Ready said. “I did everything the right way and worked my tail off.”
Later that year, she decided to jump into television and took a broadcast position with Fox Sports Southeast now, now Ballys Sports. Working with Eric Collins and Dell Curry becoming the first full-time female NBA game analyst.
“When I was a coach and considered getting into television, this was the job that I wanted,” Ready said. “This was the reason that I got into sports broadcasting, because I wanted to be a game analyst.”
Ready now works as a broadcaster for NBA on TNT a position that took in 2018, according to awfulannouncing.com.
Ready’s co-worker Ro Parrish recently gave her well deserve flowers.
“I can’t say enough great things about Stephanie Ready, and she came to our team a couple of years ago. After being the first woman ever in NBA history to an NBA analyst for a regional affiliate. Not many people know that not only can she call a game an outstanding reporter, but she coached the game. She coached men on the professional level, and she was an assistant coach in the G-League, and won a championship,” said Ro Parrish.
“When it comes to Stephanie Ready, I can’t say enough positive things about the number one talent that she has. The professionalism comes with the experience that she has of being a professional coach and winning a championship. Playing the sport at an HBCU where she still holds records at that school. Playing basketball, but for playing volleyball after she finished there, she became an assistant coach. Her resume is so extensive, and I don’t think she gets her roses, the credit that she not only deserves but that she has earned.
We had a broadcast earlier in the year where they focused on the HBCUs showcase that featured Ready, Parrish, and Sam Mitchell. Parrish suggested that Ready was the analyst.
“We were supposed to co-host it, but I’m like, actually, it makes more sense to make Stephanie the analyst. Let’s make sure we put that out there and let people know. So, she capable sitting at the desk, reporting, but a lot of times it’s like Doris Burke is doing it and shout out to her, she is a legend. Stephanie Ready can be right there doing some of the same things Doris Burke is doing. Again, that’s not a knock on Doris all love to her, but it is more about highlighting the level experience, talent that Stephanie Ready has. She is awesome!”
You can also see Parrish on BET’s Games People Play, which is about three women navigate the world of professional sports.
