Shelley Smith, a well-known face on ESPN, is widely recognized as the Sports correspondent for ESPN Sportscenter. She is also a four-time Emmy-winning ESPN reporter.
Shelley Smith, a veteran ESPN reporter, bravely battled breast cancer and returned to her professional career bald six months after being diagnosed.
Shelley Smith Biography: Career, Family
Shelley Smith was born on April 1, 1958, in Princeton, New Jersey, to parents Luanne and Ron Smith. She is now 55 years old, and her childhood was spent in a typical American family.
Sports Correspondent studied journalism and political science at the University of Nebraska from 1976 to 1981.
Shelley, who stands tall, previously worked as a writer and reporter for Sports Illustrated with Cindy Preszler from 1987 to 1998.
Shelley previously worked for the Pacific Stars and Stripes in Tokyo, Japan, from 1982 to 1984, and The San Francisco Examiner from 1984 to 1987. She received a William Randolph Hearst Award in 1986 for her series on Title IX in the Bay Area while working there. She has previously worked for the Associated Press.
Shelley began working for ESPN in January 1997, alongside Pedro Gomez. She left ESPN for six months in 2014 after being diagnosed with breast cancer, but she returned in April 2015.
As of now, ESPN has partnered with the NBA to provide several innovative alternative viewing experiences on ESPN3 and the ESPN App during its 82-game coverage of the 2018 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League from Las Vegas, Nev.
The SportsCenter also offers extensive on-site coverage, such as live news reports and updates from ESPN reporters such as Chris Haynes, Adrian Wojnarowski, and none other than Shelley Smith.
Shelley has written three books, including “Just Give Me The Damn Ball,” “You Play to Win The Game,” and “Games Girls Play: Lessons to Guiding and Understanding Young Female Athletes.” However, all of these books have been written in collaboration with other authors.
Shelley, as a veteran sports journalist, has amassed a sizable bank balance from her total salary over the course of her career. However, the specifics of her net worth are not yet known.
Relationship Status: Single?
Shelley was married to her partner Mike Tharp, with whom she has a daughter named Dylann Tharp. Dylann Tharp, a University of Oregon student, is currently 32 years old.
Shelley and her husband’s marriage, however, did not last long, and they divorced when her daughter Dylann was only six years old. However, there is no information about her married life or the reason for her divorce.
She was working for a different organization at the time of their marriage, and Mike was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. He also worked for US News and World Report and is currently residing in Texas.
Her daughter is the one family member she confides in about various matters, and the two have been seen together on occasion. She and her daughter were recently photographed holding hands at Shaquille O’Neal’s Charity in Cuba while on official business for the organization.
She has been speculated to be a lesbian because she is a single mother; however, being a single mother does not imply that she is a lesbian. Lisa has never confirmed such rumors, and until she confronts them, her sexual preference remains a mystery.
Shelley Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer
People don’t realize how strong they are until life throws them into a situation that requires their absolute best. Shelley Smith, an ESPN reporter, knew her strength when she beat breast cancer and returned to her professional career after only six months on the sidelines.
In May 2014, she announced her diagnosis of breast cancer on Twitter. She had uterine cancer before being diagnosed with breast cancer, but the doctors removed the uterus and she was cancer-free.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she took a six-month leave from ESPN and beat the disease with aggressive chemotherapy.
Her victory over breast cancer is likely to be the most significant victory of her life, as her most recent mammogram revealed no evidence of disease and she was cancer-free.
She was heartbroken about losing her hair, but she was proud of herself for triumphing. Her illness had caused her to reflect on the meaning of life, which led to her involvement in cancer awareness programs and other charitable work.
However, on May 14, 2017, she had to undergo tests at an Oakland-area hospital after suffering a stroke in the locker room of the Golden State Warriors following Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. She then updated her followers on her progress via Twitter.
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