UMSL alum John Nichols served as the head of Yahoo!’s NBA social media platforms for three years before going on to host multiple shows for Buckets, Wave Sports + Entertainment’s basketball vertical. He is now a co-host on the “Jenkins & Jonez” podcast on Colin Cowherd’s The Volume network and the host of “One More Round” on ESPN. (Photo by Nicholas Agro)

Hometown: St. Louis

Major: BSBA in finance, 2008

Current Position: Video producer, podcaster, host, writer

Fun Fact: Nichols once interviewed Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, whom he described as “The nicest guy ever.” He would also like to direct a movie one day.

Over nearly a decade, plugged-in sports fanatics have become familiar with John Nichols’ entertaining insights, freewheeling sense of humor and infectious laugh through an ever-expanding digital media footprint.

For three years, Nichols served as the head of Yahoo!’s NBA social media platforms. He went on to host multiple shows for Buckets, Wave Sports + Entertainment’s basketball vertical, and is currently a co-host on the “Jenkins & Jonez” podcast on Colin Cowherd’s The Volume network and the host of “One More Round” on ESPN.

After graduating from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and then working in the Office of Admissions, Nichols bet on himself and moved to Atlanta in 2016 to attend art school. He began to develop a sizeable following among NBA fans on Twitter, and his sharp wit eventually led to the job with Yahoo!.

Nichols revamped the company’s NBA coverage while writing and hosting social media shows. But when he was approached to serve as lead producer with Buckets, it was just the challenge he needed to keep pushing himself. He was particularly interested in learning to work behind the camera, joking that there’s a “sell-by date” for most on-screen talent.

“Quincy Jones is 91 years old, and he’s still working behind the scenes,” he says. “If you’re producing and you stay hip, stay curious, stay creative, you can do that forever.”

Nichols still worked in front of the camera, hosting shows such as “Outta Pocket” and “Y’all Musta Forgot,” often interviewing the NBA’s biggest personalities about their experiences on and off the court. At first, it was nerve-wracking, but he compensated with extensive research.

“I was watching video; I was watching tape,” he says. “I’m breaking them down like I’m going to play them in a game.”

Now on “One More Round,” Nichols breaks down boxing’s most iconic fights with the help of pro athletes from the NBA and beyond. While “Jenkins & Jonez” is nominally about sports, Nichols likens the podcast to a variety show, where he and his two co-hosts are just as likely to debate which member of the animal kingdom would come out on top in a battle royale.

In addition to hosting and podcasting, Nichols is working to diversify the game of golf, having recently launched 12 on Mondays, a media brand offering diverse golf content, and All the Homies Playing Golf, an initiative to provide free group golf lessons. The aim is to lower the barrier to entry and create a supportive environment to learn the game.

“People want to diversify the game, but there’s not the people in place to diversify,” he explains. “I love the sport. I want my friends to play the sport with me.”

This story was originally published in the spring 2024 issue of UMSL Magazine. If you have a story idea for UMSL Magazine, email magazine@umsl.edu.