Malika Andrews' Love Life Is a Mystery: More about Her

The question of whether Malika Andrews has a lover became a subject of interest several months after she attended a Netflix premiere with a date. The sighting sparked a frenzy on NBA Twitter, followed by her donning a diamond ring on her wedding finger.

Malika Andrews' road to success was paved with challenges from childhood, but with the right help and support from her parents, she gained the strength to overcome her struggles. She started journalism in college after a year-long hiatus following her high school graduation.

Andrews worked her way up, catching the attention of the right people in the industry, and by 25, she was an ESPN lead reporter. As she became a regular appearance on the sports channel, her popularity grew, and viewers began to take an interest in her personal life.

Though her relationship status has remained a mystery, it once took social media by storm in May 2022 when Twitter users found a photo of her posing alongside a fellow ESPN reporter and beat writer, Dave McMenamin, on the red carpet.

In the said image, the pair had attended the Netflix premiere of "Colin In Black And White," starring Colin Kaepernick and his on-screen younger self, actor Jaden Michael. The NBA Twitter frenzy started several months after the event, which took place in October 2021.

Expressing their shock and citing the picture, one user tweeted it "aint real." One of the commenters under the post said McMenamin was "winning at life," while another joked that the photo was "at least six months old."

Rumors about Malika's Dating Life Were Never Confirmed

As the rumors about Andrews' supposed romantic link with McMenamin spread, neither she nor McMenamin commented. Hence, the nature of their relationship was never confirmed, denied, or clarified.

It was the first romantic link involving Andrews, as she hadn't been publicly associated with anyone in that regard before. Moreover, the rumor source was a Twitter page dedicated to satirical and parodical content; therefore, the information posted on it was not always reliable.

Malika Didn't Share Anything about Her Love Life on Social Media

A few months after the gossip about her and McMenamin fizzled, the media started wondering if Andrews was married. The speculation began after she was seen wearing a large diamond ring on her wedding finger in December 2022.

She shared a photo on Instagram, where the reported wedding band was visible on her hand as she sat behind her desk on set. One of the commenters under the post even congratulated her, saying, "love wins." Still, Andrews is yet to reveal anything about her relationship status.

She was born in Oakland, California, and graduated high school at 17. The following year, she worked at her grandfather's civil law firm before enrolling at Portland University. She graduated with a degree in Communications in 2017.

While she pursued her studies, Andrews joined the sports department in the Portland University newspaper. She became the sports editor and, finally, the editor-in-chief of the school's newspaper.

She took several internships at different publications, including Denver Post and New York Times, before being hired as an NBA online writer in 2018. Two years later, she became the youngest sideline reporter for the NBA Orlando Bubble. Then in 2021, she was listed in the Forbes "30 Under 30" list in the sports industry.

Her Childhood Wasn't Easy

In September 2020, Andrews opened up about her struggles—much like champion diver Tom Daley and musician Demi Lovato—with an eating disorder. It started in middle school, leading to the young reporter's battle with depression, anger, and anxiety.

At the time, she didn't understand what was happening, as the disorder seemed to affect her in different ways; she would fight with her parents and flunk school. Her behavior perplexed her family, as they didn't know how to help her.

Regardless, her mom (an art teacher) and dad (a personal trainer) remained supportive and loving. Along with her younger sister, Kendra, they all bonded over their favorite basketball team, the Golden State Warriors, and nightly family dinners.

Andrews is also of Jewish descent from her maternal side and had her Bar Mitzvah at 13. However, while her family life seemed fulfilling from the outside, her "demons" grew more intense as time progressed.

They reached their peak when she was 14 and was expelled from Head-Royce School. Andrews also shut her family out until she realized she needed professional help. She then reached out to her mom, as she recalled:

"I got to a point that I told my mother, 'I think I need some help. I don't think I’m going to be able to figure this out by myself.'"

Her parents then sent her to a therapeutic year-round boarding school in Utah, and as difficult as it was to send their eldest daughter way, it helped her. Reflecting on how far she had come since then, Andrews said:

"I'm not perfect now. I don't think it is something you are ever 'recovered' from. It is something I have to actively work on every day."

After being in Utah, she found that her eating disorder was some combination of anorexia and bulimia, but the former's symptoms dominated. When she returned, her relationship with her family was also on the mend, especially with her mom.

The art teacher didn't hold anything against Andrews, saying she was a "sweet kid" who had a "rough spot" but was able to overcome it. Now, Andrews is pursuing her passion, and her sister is following in her footsteps.