It’s only human to want to compare and size up the competition.
On an upcoming episode of Awful Announcing’s Short and to the Point podcast, ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth draws a striking parallel between the innate passion of sports fans and the inherent competitiveness that defines sports themselves.
“It’s just about looking inside yourself,” Hubbarth told host Jessica Kleinschmidt, “because back to social media, that’s something that I don’t know if that’s something we envisioned would be a huge part of the impact of social media, the comparison that people kind of waste their time with. Instead of figuring out ways to improve yourself, you’re doom-scrolling and envisioning what other people are doing with their time and why you’re not doing that with your time.
“It was really hard for me, too. After having my daughter (in 2018), my life completely changed, and my priorities changed, and your times changes. And so, trying to find that balance. There are a lot of times when I have to get myself out of a funk if I’m comparing myself to what I could’ve done if I wasn’t basking in cookies for the bake sale tomorrow. You know, what game film I could be watching or story I could be reading to get myself prepared for the game. There’s always something I could be doing more on in my life. So, I think that comparison — that balancing act — that is being an adult with responsibilities and a career, I think that’s the hardest part.
A seasoned reporter and host, Hubbarth shines across ESPN’s top NBA platforms, but she admitted that she hasn’t figured it all out.
“Are there moments of weakness? Yes, constantly,” she added. “But it’s trying to figure out what’s best for me, in terms of how can I grow as a person, not just as a reporter, not just as a mom or a wife, but as a complete person. And so, that’s an everyday challenge that I think we all deal with.”
Throughout the regular season and playoffs, Hubbarth brings game coverage alive as a full-time reporter. Beyond games, she engages viewers as the host of Hoop Streams, a cutting-edge digital show preceding major NBA matchups. She also takes center stage as the host of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game telecast.
Hubbarth is a versatile talent, frequently guest-hosting prominent ESPN shows like Get Up, SportsCenter, and First Take. Furthermore, her insights enrich programs like NBA Today and NBA Countdown. Her expertise extends beyond basketball, having served as a regular college football studio host on ESPN and ABC and a WNBA studio host on ESPN.
Despite navigating several responsibilities at ESPN, Hubbarth has previously stated her unwavering dedication to work. With motherhood now in the picture, her focus naturally adapts to accommodate this rewarding new chapter.
“I’m still adjusting. It’s hard going on the road, and she’s asking me where I’m going and why I’m not there, missing out on dance recitals and finding that kind of balance of figuring out who’s gonna be watching her and how much time I can spend; if I can take an earlier flight so I can make a practice or should I skip that practice so that I can take her to school?” Hubbarth shared. “It’s an everyday juggle. And it was really hard for me. My husband and I have been together for a long time, and I think before we decided to have kids, I guess because I always knew that once we were gonna have a family, I would end up just not being the same person I always knew.
“It depends on how you’re looking at that. I only knew myself as someone who had been chasing this dream since I was in middle school, and I knew what it took to keep up in the rat race. And I was so nervous that I was gonna lose that to the point where I’ve been open about how I hid my pregnancy because I thought people cared. And no one cared, it only made it more stress. It was just something that I could control when the most uncontrollable thing was about to happen. And so, since then, it’s life — working parents, working mom. We’ve all heard it. It’s sacrifice. It’s rewarding. It’s beautiful. It’s chaotic. It’s stressful. Like, it’s all those things, but that’s life, and I have a pretty good one, so I try to bring myself back to the corner anytime I feel myself kind of spinning out.”
Though navigating motherhood and a demanding career, Hubbarth’s infectious passion for sports and storytelling ensures she’ll leave a lasting mark on ESPN’s NBA coverage.
Short and to the Point with Jessica Kleinschmidt is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
