Next: ESPN's Cari Champion

MEET ESPN'S LEADING LADY

NAME: Cari Champion

BORN: June 1975

HOMETOWN: Pasadena, CA

CLAIM TO FAME: ESPN First Take

MORNING SOUNDTRACK Lauryn Hill Radio on Pandora

MENTOR (IN MY HEAD): [Good Morning America cohost] Robin Roberts. She has this simple elegant way about her; very smart and knows her stuff

BEAUTY SECRET: I love Dermologica. It’s great for African-American skin

DREAM SPORT TO PLAY: Basketball. I just don’t have the hand-eye coordination

CHILDHOOD WNBA IDOL: Lisa Leslie—seeing her dunk was the craziest thing

POST HELL-DAY COCKTAIL: Cabernet

MR. RIGHT LOOKS LIKE: A cross between a basketball player and swimmer. I’m 6’1 with heels

MY UNSOLICITED ADVISOR: Stephen A. [Smith]. You know how he is––“Let me tell you about yourself...”

TRUE OR FALSE? Once fired for dropping an f-bomb: False. When they reviewed the tape, they knew I didn’t. It got blown out of proportion on the Internet

WHY I'M ABOUT TO BLOW: I’m part of something on television that is unique—the biggest show on ESPN—and virtually came out of nowhere. I knew I was somebody but they didn’t know it yet [laughs]. But it’s exciting. I just hope I’m representing as an African-American woman on TV trying to hold it down.