Who Is Malika Andrews' Husband? All About ESPN Reporter Dave McMenamin

Mar. 15, 2025

Malika Andrews; Dave McMenamin.Photo:Kevin Mazur/Getty; David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty; David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty

Malika Andrewsand Dave McMenamin, both esteemed ESPN reporters with a shared passion for basketball, married in August 2024 in a heartfelt ceremony in San Francisco.

With Andrews serving as the host of ESPN’sNBA TodayandNBA Countdownand McMenamin an NBA reporter for the outlet, their overlapping career focus was evident at their wedding, which included numerous nods to their love for the game. From basketball-themed decor to a fully functional hoop at the reception, the celebration honored the sport that first brought them together while covering a Knicks game in 2017, according toVogue.

“I was overwhelmed with happiness,” Andrews told the outlet of the ceremony. “It was everything that I hoped for."

So, who is Dave McMenamin? Here’s everything to know about the ESPN reporter and his relationship with sports media hostMalika Andrews.

He’s from Philadelphia

Dave McMenamin attends the 3rd Annual Josh Hutcherson Celebrity Basketball Game on August 8, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.Michael Kovac/WireImage

Michael Kovac/WireImage

McMenamin grew up in Philadelphia. While he’s now based in Los Angeles, the Philly native is still a bigPhiladelphia Eaglesfan. When the NFL team made it to theSuper Bowlin 2018, McMenamin secured two tickets and decided to take his brother, also an avid Eagles supporter.

“Jeff is the biggest Eagles fan I know and he’s getting married this summer so I figured it would be a pretty legit best man present,” McMenamin toldMainline Media Newsin 2018. “Plus, I took my dad to the 2016 Final Four in Houston and he got to see Villanova win it all. So it was Jeff’s turn.”

He went to Syracuse University

Dave McMenamin announces before Game Three of the Western Conference Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers on May 20, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty

Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty

The ESPN reporter’s journey in sports journalism began at Syracuse University, where he was a student manager for the Orange’s 2003 national championship basketball team, which included future NBA starCarmelo Anthony.

In 2021, McMenamin spoke to hisalma materabout being a sophomore during the school’s historic season.

“It was incredible as it unfolded,” he recalled. “Think of the history of Syracuse: There’s only been one national championship in basketball, and I got to be a part of it.”

McMenamin graduated from Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2005.

He started his reporting career ghostwriting under the name of an NBA player

Dave McMenamin of ESPN does stand up prior to the game of the Phoenix Suns against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Four of the 2021 NBA Finals on July 14, 2021 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisc.David Dow/NBAE via Getty

David Dow/NBAE via Getty

McMenamin began his career ghostwriting for former Golden State Warriors player Gilbert Arenas, he toldThe Washington Post. Initially working as a nighttime editor at NBA.com, McMenamin was tasked with creating first-person blog posts under Arenas’ name. His role expanded to direct collaboration with Arenas, leading to viral, candid content that offered unique insights into the NBA.

“He’s a very engaging personality," McMenamin said of the former NBA star. “And he was very honest and willing to talk about anything.”

Despite enjoying the success of the posts, McMenamin wanted to establish his own authority and moved on from ghostwriting.

“As much as I enjoyed that the blog was doing well and it got me some cache within the company, it did kind of kill me that it wasn’t my name,” he said. “I wanted to not just have my writing be Gilbert’s voice, but find my own voice.”

He’s been a sports reporter for over 10 years — and he’s a bestselling author

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to Dave McMenamin after the game against the New Orleans Pelicans during the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament on December 7, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty

Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty

McMenamin has been a reporter for ESPN since 2009, where he primarily covers the Los Angeles Lakers. According to hisESPN bio, he’s contributed to various platforms of the brand over his career, includingNBA Today,ESPN the Magazine,The Hoop Collective Podcast,SportsCenterandOutside the Lines.

In 2018, McMenamin toldThe Washington Postthat he feels connected to the athletes he reports on because of their mutual passion for basketball.

“One thing that connected me to guys like that, they have a true love of basketball,” he said. “The history of the game, the future of the game and the current game. They get joy from playing, and they get purpose from being a part of that.”

His journey to ESPN happened somewhat serendipitously, the reporter recalled in a conversation with Syracuse’s alumni network in 2021.

McMenamin began his career with NBA Entertainment and suggested adding a Los Angeles reporter to cover the Lakers andKobe Bryant. Despite his limited California experience, he was chosen for the role, but his position was cut a year later due to the recession.

“Fortunately for me, I had interviewed with ESPN back in 2008,” he said. “I didn’t get that opening, but they became aware of who I was, and about three or so months after I was laid off from NBA Digital, they were starting to hire for ESPN Los Angeles,” McMenamin explained, adding that he’s been “working with ESPN ever since.”

In addition to his career in sports journalism, McMenamin is aNew York Timesbestselling author. He co-authored the bookReturn of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greatest Comeback in NBA Historywith his ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst in 2017. The book chroniclesLeBron James’ dramatic return to the Cleveland Cavaliers and their historic comeback win in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Andrews and McMenamin met at a Knicks game in 2017

Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on April 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, Calif.Allen Berezovsky/Getty

Allen Berezovsky/Getty

Andrews and McMenamin first crossed paths in 2017 while covering a game between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, according toVogue. The reporters were both assigned to cover the game.

Five years later, in 2022, McMenamin proposed to Andrews on Thanksgiving Day.

They married in San Francisco in August 2024

Andrews and McMenamin celebrated their union with close family and friends at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, Calif. on Aug. 24, 2024. The location held sentimental value as a nod to Andrews’ Bay Area roots.

“We always knew we wanted to get married in the Bay Area, where Malika is from,” McMenamin toldVogue. “When we arrived at Cavallo Point for the first time, it just felt right.”

Meanwhile, Andrews donned aGrace Kelly-inspiredlace dress, paying tribute to the icon and her husband’s hometown.

“I loved the nod to Grace Kelly, a Philly gal — where Dave is from,” Andrews told the outlet.

Andrews and McMenamin’s wedding reflected their shared love of basketball

Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin.Courtesy Malika Andrews

Courtesy Malika Andrews

Andrews and McMenamin’s celebration featured a blend of personal touches and symbolic elements, reflecting their shared journey in sports journalism.

Andrews also changed into a mirrorball-inspired mini-dress, reflecting the mirror balls that decorated the dance floor.

The nuptials also had personal touches such as Syracuse Spritzes at the reception, a nod to McMenamin’s alma mater.

source: people.com