In life, experience rules. This is the conventional wisdom, but, of course, there are always exceptions. In the case of Shams Charania and National Basketball Association (NBA) reporting — where the bar to entry is generally quite high — he stands as an extreme anomaly.
At just 24 years old, Charania already stands as one of the most-followed, highest-profile NBA reporters in the biz. In a league where player movement and off-season drama have taken center stage, scoops have become currency for media members, and few folks get scoops like Charania.
The path he took to reach this point might be even more impressive than his work: 
Charania made his own way, essentially, cold-contacting people in the league beginning at age 17 and relentlessly working (and networking) from there. He has been breaking news since his teen years, eventually gaining a national profile and a job at Yahoo Sports with some of the biggest basketball reporters in the biz — all the while attending Loyola University in Rogers Park.
This summer, Charania broke some news of his own: After several years at Yahoo, he moved to The Athletic, a burgeoning network of digital sports publications that has landed several high-profile sportswriters in recent years, including Charania. He’s now senior NBA insider and analyst for the Athletic and Stadium.
Read complete interview for Chicago Tribune here
Ismailimail 