Blue Man Hoop
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Rosalyn Gold-Onwude is Just What Fans Needed

By Carlos Murillo

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Growing up, my family would buy the Safeway brand sodas.

I always thought they were all right. One flavor that we would get was strawberry. Again, I thought it was pretty good. However, the first time that I had a Fanta, I realized what I had been missing out on. Now that I’ve had Fanta, even when I want a strawberry soda, I can’t go back.

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Rosalyn Gold-Onwude is DubNation’s Fanta. She is our Apple Jacks when all we knew was Apple Orbits. She is the better version of all the things we had before. In just one season, she’s spoiled us. In her rookie season, “Ros” has easily won over the coaches, players, and fans and has become a star sideline reporter.

While Stephen Curry and Co. are spoiling Warriors fans on the court, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude is spoiling Warriors fans on the sidelines.

A New York native, Gold-Onwude was a star basketball player at Stanford starting from her freshman year. After overcoming a second knee injury during her sophomore season, she returned to action and helped lead her team to three consecutive Final Four appearances while earning the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year award. Her former coach, Tara VanDerveer once noted that “Ros really had to go from that caterpillar to the butterfly” (sound familiar?). Gold-Onwude truly is a butterfly, floating from Oracle Arena’s sidelines to Comcast SportsNet studios to the broadcaster’s chair and to so many other places.

Gold-Onwude has brought a wonderful mix of enthusiasm and professionalism that’s been a long time coming. In an era where professional athletes and members of the media sometimes clash, she has endeared herself to the Warriors. One of her many tools is her knowledge of the game. She knows the game of basketball. She understands what it’s like to be a world-class athlete. When she stops to interview players, especially post-game, Gold-Onwude asks relevant, meaningful questions. And results are always positive and sometimes they can get really fun.

Ros uses her New York swagger and her Stanford education to get her points across effectively and entertainingly. She is exactly what the Warriors broadcasts needed. Over the last few years, the Warriors have undergone a nearly complete overhaul, from a change in logo and branding to a new ownership to a meticulously compiled roster to an advanced coaching staff.

Eventually the team will move to San Francisco to their new arena. Part of creating a top-notch franchise is the presentation. That’s where Gold-Onwude comes in. The Warriors fans are the best in the NBA and they deserve a high-quality broadcast team.

One of my favorite parts of a CSN broadcast is the interview Gold-Onwude does with Assistant Coach Alvin Gentry at halftime. During this historic season, the Warriors have been dominant, often times finding themselves playing nearly flawless basketball and building a significant lead after two quarters. What impresses me is that Gold-Onwude finds a way to formulate solid questions that allow Gentry to provide insight into Golden State’s approach, mentality, and adjustments.

I don’t know who likes her more: the fans or the players. There’s a clear respect between the players and Gold-Onwude. There’s also a chemistry that provides some memorable moments such as when Andre Iguodala assumed the role of reporter and asked Ros the hard-hitting questions or when Leandro Barbosa told her “we gonna be championship.” There’s also a clear respect between her and the fans. She interacts with her fans on social media and constantly provides great content for the fans to enjoy. Conversely, fans shower her with compliments and comments of admiration and it’s all justified.

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In just one season, Gold-Onwude is opening eyes. SFGate’s Ann Killion wrote this wonderful piece on Gold-Onwude. Ros has also set the internet on fire a few times. There was, what I’m now calling, “Peeping Ref-Gate” and now there’s “Peeping Kerr-Gate.” And through it all, she’s been nothing but the consummate professional.

Gold-Onwude is perfect for the Warriors right now. She’s humble, beautiful, and, most importantly, good at her job. While the Warriors are trying to lock up its stars, CSN should also try to secure Gold-Onwude’s place on Bay Area televisions. She’s the cherry on top for Warriors broadcasts; she’s a part of why it’s so awesome to be a Warriors fan right now.

While Stephen Curry and co. are spoiling Warriors fans on the court, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude is spoiling Warriors fans on the sidelines.

Next: The Oracle Arena Playoff Experience

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