DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO INTERVIEW AN ATHLETE? AT THE top tier—like, say, in the NBA and NFL—athletes are notoriously tight-lipped, extraordinarily competitive, and often laser focused on just one thing: the game. Getting them to sit down and reflect publicly isn’t just a challenge; it’s often downright difficult. At least for most people.
Taylor Rooks makes it look easy. Those on the receiving end of the 32-year-old sports reporter’s questions always seem to be relaxed. Comfortable. You can see it in the way they lean back in their chairs, arms and legs uncrossed, baring their souls like they’re confiding in a trusted therapist. In a recent sit-down, she had former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Vince Carter talking about how Kobe Bryant helped him through his fears of retirement. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, meanwhile,