Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx provide a window into the diverse journeys of Black women in sports—from athletes, to rising stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series, Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports.
If you asked Denise Jones to describe herself, she would say that she is a sneakerhead and loves all things Los Angeles sports. According to him, his ability to talk and chat about anything and anyone is a secret weapon, which he uses in many of his professional roles.
Jones prides himself on his extensive knowledge in the many different capacities of the sports broadcasting industry: on-air TV host, sports personality, producer, reporter, entrepreneur, and consultant. all the roles he filled. Her show features high-end brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Shoe Palace and many more. But more than anything else, the young professional credits his success to his ability to be flexible and work hard.
“I found joy in what I do,” Jones said. “I thrive on time constraints. I thrive in these very difficult times that turn your stomach into knots…times of happiness, times of anxiety, times of failure. I find that I feel the most alive.”
But to understand Jones’ feelings, one must look back to his beginnings.
Growing up in Compton, California, some of his favorite moments growing up were the kids’ viewing parties his family threw to watch famous Los Angeles sports like the 2010 NBA Finals battle in the between the Lakers and the Celtics, Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game and the Los Angeles Kings’ Stanley Cup championship in 2012.
“Those were very important times for the city … You saw the whole city in purple and gold,” Jones said. “You just saw them hug each other and you saw them together.”
Jones grew up in a close-knit family focused on sports and community. His father was one of his first coaches, while his mother attended many of his games. The Jones family was connected to sports.
Basketball was Jones’ sport of choice, and the skills and thoughts he gained from the game were immeasurable. “You have to understand the situation of winning and losing, understand the situation of dependence, understand the situation of working with a team,” he laughed. “There are so many lessons in it that you can apply in any field. If you’ve played a game, you have things you can’t learn, but more experience…you’re a different person because of that.”
Another benefit to his upbringing was listening to many shows on POWER 106. Jones attended Huntington Park High School, and his commute was filled with talks by Liz Hernandez and Big Boy daily, as well as DJ Kool Aid spinning news. The impact of that move became apparent years later when his mother suggested he should look into radio.
“I like to talk,” Jones said. “I can talk to anyone and anything about anything… I’m listening to all the shows for days straight and thinking ‘they talk about anything. This is going to be amazing. , let me give it.’”
After applying to almost every Southern California radio station, Jones began working for independent radio station KJLH, which was owned by Stevie Wonder.
“If you know radio it’s a big job,” Jones said. “I tried to be first in and last in doing everything from special events, programs, and messages. I learned a lot during my time there.”
Along with his radio internship, Jones also worked at a bank and went to school; those years laid the foundation of his interest in the tower. Jones landed an internship at POWER 106 after his time at KJLH and worked at POWER for about five years. Later, he became the bottom producer for his late-night show.
After his time in radio, Jones began to focus on creating for himself and sharing his projects on social media. He has worked with All Def Digital, The Fumble Sports, The Young Turks; Jones won hosting in one of his first Nike jobs. “It was really cool because one of my first interviews was with Devin Booker,” Jones said. “It was really fun … one of the best interviews I’ve ever done because you actually got to see an athlete [person].”
Once he had those first events under his belt, doors began to open: he began to build relationships with companies such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Puma, Adidas and Wilson.
Currently, Jones has a hosting position on the Lakers Nation sports broadcast and works on the fan side of the Los Angeles Football Club.
“[Lakers Nation] is just a group of people who love the game,” Jones said. “Being able to come on the first boat as a fan was very exciting and exciting … this is my team, it’s a full circle time.”
In the NBA off-season, he works behind the scenes in business development with several organizations, including Jordan Brand and Cashmere.
Jones acknowledges that being professionally mobile and open to partnerships with different types of organizations has been very important in his work thus far, “The biggest lesson and the reason I am where I am now is because I was able to stay calm,” he said. said. “I’ve been able to move and adjust and pivot wherever I [need].”
Among Jones’ main roles, she works closely with shoe store Shoe Palace to give back to the community through local Los Angeles girls’ clubs and their collaborative podcast called Her Turkey.
“The community is the most important thing to me,” he said. “I come from a family of six, including my grandmother. It’s always a group wherever we go… I want to make sure there’s always a gathering for everyone.
This year, Jones wants to nurture and connect women to sports through his W.I.T.S. initiative. The moniker, which stands for #WomenInspiredThroughSports, is derived from Jones’ experience with the expertise and wisdom of women involved in athletics. Launched in 2018, Jones’ goal is to create an opportunity to connect men—and women—who have experience in sports and champion a community for them.
“I’m still surrounded by women who have overcome adversity,” Jones said. “Women are resilient and self-disciplined; female leaders. They know the strength that sports bring to their personalities and whether they continue to pursue sports as adults or not, the lessons they learned in competition are what they will always carry with them.”
So, what pushes Jones to keep grinding after he achieves so much? He says he wants others to reap the benefits of his own experiences. He finds his motivation in the hope that he will have enough unforgettable moments to share with others in the future.
“I have a close relationship with my grandmother, and I like to listen to her tell stories from the past and share these important moments,” he said. “I want to make sure that when I’m old I have enough time to share … I just want to have a good story to tell.”
Nyala Pendergrass is a contributor for Empower Onyx, a multi-media publication dedicated to celebrating the stories and transformation of the power of sports for Black women and girls.
