“Got to Give the People What They Want” was the title of Jalen Rose’s 2015 book. If the people want more Rose, the ESPN personality — who can already be seen on Jalen & Jacoby, Get Up, and NBA Countdown) is ready to provide it.
Rose and the New York Post are teaming up for a multi-platform media venture branded “The Renaissance Man.” Under the partnership, the former NBA star will write a weekly column for the Post and host a weekly video and podcast series.
What will be included in The Renaissance Man content?
“The Renaissance Man is about celebrating culture, those who create it and advance it,” said Rose in the official announcement, “and I am honored to be given this platform to share my insights and speak with people I admire about topics that matter in today’s world. I appreciate the team at the Post for showing me love, believing in this concept, and helping bring it to life.”
Forbes’ Kurt Badenhausen reports that this partnership was inked back in February but a launch was kept on hold as the sports world went into shutdown due to COVID-19.
“The Renaissance Man” sort of sounds like the title of a late-1990s NBC sitcom. Rose has some experience with that, having starred in an ABC comedy pilot titled Jalen vs. Everybody. The pilot wasn’t picked up for a full series but did air on ESPN and produced this scene with Kobe Bryant that will live in basketball comedy lore.
Following a 13-season NBA career, Rose has certainly shown he’s more than a “basketball guy” during his time at ESPN, providing commentary on other sports during regular appearances on Get Up and discussing sports and culture on Jalen & Jacoby. Additionally, Rose joined LeBron James and other athletes and celebrities in launching More Than a Vote, a non-profit organization geared toward fighting voter suppression and educating Black voters regarding their rights.
According to the New York Post, the content will cover Rose’s variety of interests including “sports, entertainment, fashion, education, entrepreneurship, technology, food, healthy living, travel, and more.” The video and podcast series — which will be embedded into Renaissance Man articles in addition to standalone web pages — will feature interviews with “celebrities, athletes, designers, [and] business leaders.”
The Post already produces several regular podcasts dedicated to each of New York’s major professional sports teams and Page Six gossip, all of which are available at the newspaper’s website and various podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.