‏Jalen Rose‏

Current ESPN/ABC analyst and former 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose is one of the few professional athletes to maintain a high profile post retirement. Long known for his post-game quotes and great relationship with the media, Jalen continues to show his versatility in the broadcast booth, in the entertainment world and as a philanthropist. Jalen was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Southwestern High School and the University of Michigan. In college he was part of the legendary "Fab Five" where he and his teammates revolutionized the sport of basketball on the court and off by wearing baggy uniform shorts, black socks and black shoes. The only team in Final Four history to ever start five freshmen, they led the Wolverines to back to back NCAA Championship game appearances. In 1994, Jalen was drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. Jalen's most memorable NBA moments during his thirteen-year career include winning the NBA's "Most Improved Player" and "Player of the Week" awards in 2000 and "Eastern Conference Player of the Week" accolades in 2005. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, his team appeared in three straight eastern conference finals including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2000. While many basketball stars make the transition to the small screen after they hang up their basketball kicks, Jalen made the bold leap in the midst of his NBA career in 2001, becoming a multi-faceted reporter and on-air personality for Fox Sports Net's famed "Best Damn Sports Show Period." Working with the "Best Damn Sports Show Period" for six years, the budding broadcast star developed his own lifestyle-oriented "Jammin' With Jalen" segment. Shortly after retiring from basketball, Jalen - a mass communications major at U of M who ultimately earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland University College