Sports journalist Emily Austin on interviewing top NBA athletes

Any journalist in the making knows the value of on-field experience as one of the strongest foundations for an anchored career. Especially for a sports journalist, it does not get better than being able to interview the athletes at the top of their game. Here, up-and-coming sports journalist Emily Austin talks about interviewing top NBA athletes while balancing a college degree and modeling career.

Through her venture ‘Daily Vibes With’, Austin has grown by leaps and bounds and has had virtual interviews with athletes the likes of New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson, NFL player Zach Banner, Houston Rockets’ Ben McLemore, and the list goes on. Her interviews go up on Instagram as well as YouTube. Her public figure Instagram account has over 115K followers, and it is growing every day.

Born and raised in New York, 19-year-old Emily Austin is currently attending Hofstra University, majoring in journalism. In the past few years, she has been featured on billboards at Times Square, New York, and Los Angeles, graced magazines with her beauty, appeared in fashion and news articles, and gone viral on TikTok. She soon decided to use her platform to make a difference and came up with the idea of ‘Daily Vibes With’ during the lockdown as a way of connecting with her fans and shining light through fresh insights into the athletes’ real lives.

Her work as a budding actress can be seen in popular Hollywood movies – ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, ‘The Italians’ and ‘An American Pickle’. She also frequently collaborates with designer brands and fashion websites as a sought-after model in the industry. Talking about her inspiration, she says, “I realized I was not camera-shy after I ran for the title of Miss New York. Then on, I seized all modeling and acting opportunities that came my way as a social media influencer.”

Austin has a passion for tennis as a sport herself, and she believes years of pursuing the sport as a form of exercise and hobby have helped her understand what goes on behind the scenes when interviewing athletes with highly demanding schedules. Her virtual shows have provided a means for people to feel connected and entertained while sitting at home. Since she is confident in front of the camera, she hopes to continue spreading positivity and empowerment through her content on social media.