Maria Sharapova is ready to emerge from her 15-month ban and reclaim her place atop the tour. But is tennis ready to welcome her back?
Maria Sharapova arrived at the NBA’s executive headquarters in New York City last August to see what it takes to run the kind of big league business she might want to oversee one day. She’d asked the commissioner, Adam Silver, if she could watch him work, and she began her tour seated next to him at a morning staff meeting, listening to him tick down a list of items that included a cracking down on teams that taunt officials via Twitter and growing the NBA’s international academies. Silver agreed to let her trail him because he’s a tennis fan and, frankly, because he was intrigued by why a five-time grand slam winner would want to spend a summer week inside a mid town skyscraper.
Over three days, according to Silver, Sharapova was poised and inquisitive, unafraid to volunteer her life experiences to make a point. She talked about how she uses her social media accounts to control her image and how important it was, as a young Russian, to train at a Florida academy to help her measure her talent. As the week wore on, she watched the league’s public relations and marketing managers in action and seemed especially interested in the WNBA, furiously scribbling and peppering its execs with questions. When the weekended, Silver joked, “Call me when you retire. I think we have a job for you here.”
This story is from the May 08, 2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 08, 2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Williamson Is Ready For Takeoff
His dunks inspire awe, his all-around game will make him millions. But to understand his legend, you have to go back to the place where it all started.
The Two Steps That Changed The NBA
From outdoor courts in Serbia to the NBA hardwood, this is the inside story of how the Eurostep has become the most unguardable move in basketball.
The One And Only Naomi Osaka
She’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a blistering forehand: For all her growing fame, the world’s No. 1 remains tough to define—just the way she likes it.
Nick Bosa Reveals The Pain Of His Unfinished OSU Business
The NFL draft’s most disruptive force of nature reveals how painful it was to sit out last year—and how hungry he is to start sacking again.
The Future Of Football Is You
To heck with Belichick. Out of the way, McVay. You, dear reader, now control the huddle in a new football experiment with an audacious vision.
Reintroducing Odell Beckham Jr., The Most Electrifying Question Mark In Football
Inside Odell Beckham Jr.’s quest to recapture the magic that made him the NFL’s most eye-catching talent.
At The Speed Of Bryce
What’s it like to spend a day in the shoes of Stanford’s Bryce Love, the fastest running back in college football? To find out, first you have to get him to slow down.
The Small, Good Thing
The anniversary of 9/11 reminds us that in times of catastrophe, sports connect us to the remarkable and shine a light back to the routine.
An NFL Vet Reveals What It's Like To Suddenly Confront Your Football Mortality
A former pro reveals the dilemma every NFL player confronts: Now that I’m here, what do I do next?
Nick Saban- More Than A Scowl
He's seeking his sixth title in 10 years. His power and influence have never been greater. But there's a side to the legend that you don't know.