Every night fans watching the Portland Trail Blazers will see a key player like Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum speaking in pre- or post-game — and it’s Brooke Olzendam who’s right there alongside them offering a glimpse into the players’ minds. Olzendam has been with the Blazers for two years after she pitched the job she’s currently in to Portland’s director of broadcasting, Jeff Curtin. It’s that kind of initiative that defines her career ascension, as detailed by Theo Lawson of the Spokesman-Review.
Curtin spoke about what makes her among the best:
“She really can read people well, which is a whole other talent,” said Jeff Curtin, Olzendam’s boss and the Trail Blazers’ Director of Broadcasting.