The Red Diamond Report Podcast

Wilton sits down with Kelsey Nicole Nelson, an award-winning freelance sports reporter, event host, media professor and marketing specialist from Washington D.C.Kelsey is no stranger to hard work as it is evident with the many roles she contributes to in the media industry. A graduate of The University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, Kelsey's journey in the media has been nonstop. But, she prefers it that way.She has appeared on numerous TV, digital and radio outlets such as Bally Sports doing NBA coverage, FOX Sports 1340AM, the Washington Commanders digital shows, the Big East Conference as a sideline reporter, NBC's Sports Brother From Another as well hosting her own podcast, Listen In With KNN, and much more.Sit back and get ready to listen as Kelsey discusses her love for basketball, how she manages her time to fulfill her goals and obligations. She also dives into what the Wizards will look like in the upcoming season as well as breaking down key factors needed for the Commanders' success in the 2023 NFL season and more.

Wilton sat down with Mike Patton, a freelance journalist of numerous outlets and host of the Touring the AFC South Podcast. Patton lives in Nashville and is a heavy consumer of the NFL, the AFC South division in general and the Tennessee Titans specifically. Sit back and get ready to listen as he breaks down and projects the outlook for the AFC South in the 2023 NFL season, top NFL moves in free agency, the impact of Nikola Jokic in the NBA, being a girl dad and more.

Wilton sat down with Mia Berry, a senior HBCU reporter for ESPN's Andscape. Berry attended Notre Dame as a first-generation college student. She honed her sports journalism skills through multiple internships and reporting experiences at the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post and the Detroit Free Press prior to joining ESPN. While Berry did not attend a HBCU, the Detroit native has roots within the HBCU landscape. In fact, during the episode, Berry dives into how reporting on the HBCU beat often goes beyond a team's record of wins and losses and examines the culture, history and tradition that are deeply embedded within the institutions. Sit back and get ready to listen as she discusses her introduction to HBCU culture, the role of HBCU culture in her storytelling, what Big Sean means to Detroit as well as the top football teams to win the SWAC and MEAC and more.

Wilton sat down with Ariassa Wilson, a confidence coach who helps and empowers people to seek out their purpose. But, as you will soon find out from Coach Rees, finding your purpose is not an easy, one-step process. She believes purpose lies at the intersection of being and becoming. Beyond helping people from all areas of life, she is the founder of “YOU-ISH”, the platforms she uses to help people find their confidence. She also has years of coaching experience in women's basketball, skills development and playing on the hardwood. Sit back and get ready to listen as Rees discusses navigating your purpose, building confidence, showing up authentically “YOU”, expressing the need for more Black coaches in women's college basketball, some of her favorite WNBA players and more.

Wilton sits down with Angel Reyes-Muñiz, the first Mexican basketball player from New York City to play for the Mexican national team. Reyes is a true hooper at heart and a student of the game. But his journey as a player—one that is still evolving—goes beyond the hardwood. The Bronx native became the first person to graduate in his family in September 2022 when he earned an associate degree from Rockland Community College. He credits his mom as his biggest inspiration to keep striving for more and not giving up on his dreams.  As he continues to build on his hoop dreams, Reyes has multiple years of college eligibility remaining. His goal is to land with a program that will position him to one day get a chance to play in the NBA. It helps that he has relationships with former legends like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Kyrie Irving to help him navigate the process. Sit back and get ready to listen as he dives into his hoop dreams, the lessons he learned on the courts in NYC, his relationship with his mom, the international growth among the NBA and some of his previous and recent brand collaborations away from the court. 

Wilton sat down with Jeff Lightsy Jr., a sports reporter and host for 35KY Sports Show and Victory Formation in Louisville, Kentucky. While Jeff honed his journalism skills at Western Kentucky, he was immersed in sports as a child and started finding interest in journalism in high school while doing blogs on athletes close to him. From those beginnings, Jeff now highlights and weighs in on the University of Louisville sports, HBCU sports and the latest national headlines in sports. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses his journey into sports journalism, how his late grandmother piqued his interest in basketball, why the Nuggets will win the 2023 NBA Finals, HBCU culture along with his top five HBCU marching bands and more.

Wilton sat down with Jason Gibson, a man of many talents. A Jackson, Miss., native, Jason is a history professor, a minister, a creator of community, an entrepreneur, a doctoral student, all while still having time to spend with his family and tell you why his top NBA five players in a pick-up basketball game are quite interesting. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses the importance of following your purpose, exploring traditional versus non-traditional routes, how basketball prepared him adversity, why Black fathers matter now more than ever and more.  

Ahead of its Week 0 matchup against Jacksonville State, Stephen F. Austin football coach Colby Carthel joined The Red Diamond Report Podcast to preview the '22 season, discuss the keys to success for the program, highlight key impact impact players to watch, the growth of the program, NIL and more.

The Red Diamond Report podcast is back with a new season after a long hiatus. It feels good to be back. We're ready for a new season that should provide some exciting content, insight and stories. To kickoff Season 3, seven-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree joined the show before the start of the WNBA's 26th season. Dupree has played for several WNBA teams. However, she spent most of her time with the Chicago Sky, the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever. While she has not officially retired, she is not currently on WNBA roster at the moment. But, it does not mean she could not land on someone's roster in the coming months. Dupree opens up about her life as a mother, the WNBA's 26th season, memories of her first All-Star selection in the W, the detainment of Brittney Griner, the top moments of her career and more. Get ready for an exciting episode and a start of a new season of the RDR podcast. Let's get it.

As part of Season 2 of the Red Diamond Report Podcast, Wilton adds a new segment beyond the podcast entitled the SWAC Attack. This segment focuses on sports programs, topics, issues and interviews surrounding SWAC sports. In Wilton's first segment, he sits down with Ashley Robinson, the athletic director at Jackson State University. Robinson opens up about the state of athletics, his role of providing his coaches with the tools they need to be successful, the excitement of football and Coach Prime, the basketball teams going to new heights and more. A lot of great things are happening in the world of JSU sports and a lot more is to come.

Wilton sat down with Brad Butler II, an award-winning motivational speaker, student advocate and success coach. Before he made guest appearances on FOX, CBS, NBC or participated win speaking engagements with the NCAA, Brad was a student taking special ed classes and was the son of parents who were drug dealers that later became drug addicts. But, Brad didn't let the adversity stop him from achieving his goals. In fact, when he was younger, he asked God to take the burdens from his family and to place them on his shoulders. In the midst of chaos, Brad found a way to discipline himself using sports to overcome his shortcomings. His belief is that no goal is accomplished without trial, triumph and testimony. Sit back and listen as he discusses his passion of being a student-athlete advocate, the importance of using his gifts from his purpose, overcoming special ed classes, staying focused and more.

Wilton sat down with Tony Wyllie, the president and managing director of the Special Olympics in North America. Wyllie is tasked with enhancing and promoting the Special Olympics programs in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Before this latest move in his career, Wyllie spent many years in public relations and communications for the National Football League. He has worked with the Dallas Cowboys, the then St. Louis Rams, the Tennessee Titans, the Houston Texans and the Washington Football Team. Each role, according to Wyllie, helped him for the position of where he is today and the ability to serve as mentor to many in the media and journalism field. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses his childhood, working with the Dallas Cowboys as he described as the graduate school of PR from 1993-1994, the importance of building trust with NFL players and coaches, trusting his process, leaning on mentors, maintaining a balance of family life and more.

Wilton sat down with Andre Stringer, a person who truly does not need an introduction. But, for those who don't know him, you will want to know more after this episode. Stringer was a standout basketball player in Jackson, in the state of Mississippi and in the world. A former Mr. Basketball of Mississippi, two-time Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and LSU Point guard, Stringer is a Jackson and Mississippi legend on the hardwood. But, as he mentions in today's episode, basketball did not make him who he was. It is simply a part of his life and the man he has become. The 5 foot, 10-inch point guard lost his father this year and now finds himself overseeing his father's lawn business, coaching as well as preparing to own a trucking business. However, between basketball and the lessons it taught him plus his relationship with his father, it continues to shape the man Stringer is becoming. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses how his father and brother gave him his passion for basketball, fond memories of being a high school star at Forest Hill, heated rivalries with his friends at other schools, the transition to LSU, playing against players like Lakers' Anthony Davis and Wizards' Bradley Beal in college, his respect for Monta Ellis, setbacks from injury and more.

Wilton sat down with Kyris Brown. Brown considers himself a jack of all trades. He is a business owner but also does work in real estate and entertainment and has experience working with college students in higher education. However, what Brown is most notable for is owning his own business, Kyris Kustoms, which allows him to design and tailor men's business, casual and formal wear. While he stays busy, Brown likes to keep things simple in life but ultimately wants to improve his family's legacy. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses growing up in the Mississippi Delta, the power of mentorship, being a young father, owning Kyris Kustoms, higher education and more.

Wilton sat down with Darian Holt, a 2016 graduate of Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi or as some may refer to as The Reservation. Dee Holt, as he is often referred to, is a middle school teacher at Smilow Prep in Jackson but is also earning a Master's degree in public health. It is not unusual to find Holt on the sidelines of a HBCU football game with trash talk, at a tailgate or being the life of a party. You might also catch him going viral on Twitter for a funny tweet or being reposted on Instagram through various platforms. How does he do it? I don't really know. As he continues to build his influence, he wants to leave an impact in various ways on society -- whether through his podcast, teaching, entertainment, clothing etc. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses being a young male teacher, making an impact in society, building his influence, his love for Alcorn, HBCU sports and more.

Wilton sat down with Janice Davis, a 2003 graduate of Natchez High School, a three-time former MS Gatorade Athlete of the Year (2001-2003), a former 100m dash record holder (11.44s), and a five-time NCAA All-American in track and field at Stanford University. Davis then graduated from Emory University in 2010 with a Masters in Health Policy and Management, and earned a Doctorate of Medicine degree from Medical University of South Carolina in 2016. This year, she graduated from anesthesia residency at the University of Texas Southwestern hospital System in Dallas, Texas and currently works as a pediatric anesthesia fellow at Harvard's Boston Children's Hospital. Davis's has taken many risks and chances in her life. But, she will tell you, those chances and risks come with a price, one that forces you to give the best version of yourself in order to succeed. Sit back and get ready to listen as she discusses her love for running, her addiction to success on and off the track, juggling athletics and multiple responsibilities, life after sports, her fellowship at the Children's Hospital and more.

Wilton sat down with Thomas "Snacks" Lee, a former player and student manager of the Jackson State University men's basketball team and a 2020 ESPN ESPY Award winner. For those who may not remember, Snacks knocked down the biggest three pointer of his life in a JSU victory versus Arkansas Pine Bluff on March 2 that led him to become a virals sensation -- landing him all over the media in places such as ABC's Good Morning America, TMZ Sports, The Athletic, The Washington Post, The Undefeated, Pardon My Take, ESPN as well as Pardon The Interruption, The Dan Le Batard and Around the Horn. But for Snacks, the goal was not to become famous or to become a social media star. It was his way of living out his dream but more importantly... using his platform to serve as an example that dreams can come true and that anything is possible. Or, in his words, "just stay down and wait for your moment." Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses his love for basketball, the name "Snacks" his love for music, his desire to give back to the community and more.

Wilton sat down with Andre J. Heath, a world-class motivational speaker, a father of three children and the director of communications at West Point Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. My relationship with Mr. Heath stems back to my days as a young sophomore at Southern Miss aspiring to become a member of my fraternity in 2012. While I was fortunate enough to become a member in the Kappa Iota chapter, my relationship with Heath did not stop there. Not only did he push me and my frat brothers to do right by the objectives of the Fraternity as a chapter advisor, he pushed me to excel academically but stay humble and motivated to achieve at all times. Throughout his life, Heath has experienced many noteworthy highlights and achievements. But, as you listen to today's episode, you will find out that his achievements and accolades do not define him. But, more importantly, it was when he hit rock bottom that he found his true purpose and witnessed the true reason of why God blessed him with his gifts and talents. Sit back and get ready as he discusses the power of ambition, becoming a father at 19, wearing a mask as a Black man in society, the value of relationships, voting and more.

Wilton spoke with Perry Robinson, an anchor and multimedia journalist at KNOE-TV in Monroe, Louisiana. I've had the privilege of knowing Perry for over a decade, going back to the days at Jim Hill High School to days at Southern Miss in journalism classes to being members of the Kappa Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He is a brother by frat but we've seen each other through some crazy times. In fact, in the summer 2016 when I was interning in Hattiesburg, it was his apartment where I lived on a blow-up mattress or crashed on his couch throughout the month of July. That seems like forever ago. Life comes at you fast. Those humble beginnings have grown into a lifelong bond, infamous laughs, talks about sports and sharing our talents in the world of journalism. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses his path to journalism, the role of a journalist in today's society, the impact of sports on society, his love for Boston sports and more.

Wilton sits down with Keisha Kelley, the CEO of the Black College Experience, a podcast that brings media awareness to HBCU athletes. Kelley is a 2003 graduate of Southern University and has grown up around HBCUs her entire life, particularly Alabama A&M and Florida A&M. In episode 7, Kelley talks about how she ended up at Southern University instead of FAMU, her HBCU experience as a student, the importance of exposing athletes to HBCUs and more.

Wilton sat down with Brandon “BJ” Jones, a contributor for HBCU GameDay and host of a new podcast entitled “The Barbershop with BJ Jones” coming soon on the OpenMic Network. BJ is a graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge where he played football under legendary coach Pete Richardson. BJ and I met on the sidelines of the football field as we covered the 2018 Football Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship game for HBCU GameDay. Not only was BJ a solid athlete, he took a lot of lessons from the game and applied them to his life and beyond. While he never thought he would get into sports journalism, BJ finds himself immersed in it. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses the state of the black athlete, the HBCU experience, Deion Sanders' hiring at Jackson State, his thoughts on sports leagues impact on Breonna Taylor's decision and more.

Wilton sits down with Shay Hodge, former Ole Miss and retired NFL wide receiver. Hodge is currently a performance trainer for D1 Jackson. Hodge earned 2009-2010 1st Team ALL-SEC recognition, set a career receiving record, became the 1st 1,000-yard receiver in Ole Miss history, led the SEC in all major receiver categories in 2009 and earned honorable mention All-American honors. However, Hodge, who defines himself as a warrior like the greats of Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant, fought to keep his career on the gridiron. But, injuries plagued him professionally. Instead of leaving the game, in his words, God had a plan for him – to train young athletes just like him to excel in college and professionally. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses the transition of playing high school football in small town Morton, Mississippi to playing under the bright lights of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, his NFL experience, when his injuries began to affect his pro career and when he knew his purpose of training young athletes and more.

Wilton sits down with Kendale Lumpkins, a safety advisor for the Shell Oil Company, motivational speaker and mentor to many in Mississippi and beyond. While most might think his life is perfect, he's the first one to tell you that he has made a lot of mistakes along his journey. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses embracing change in tough situations, overcoming mistakes, changing the narrative of a Black man, life lessons from basketball and more.

Wilton sat down with his cousin, AJ Porter, an advertising sales associate at Atlanta Business Chronicle, and the creator and producer of the Real Deal Podcast. AJ is like the brother Wilton never had. From Thanksgivings, family reunions trips to Jackson to living in Atlanta form 2017 to early 2018, they experienced some humble beginnings and a level of growth that still keeps us grounded on a daily. But, as he likes to put it, those humble beginnings or “losing seasons” molded him to something greater in his journey of life. Sit back and get ready to listen as he discusses his alternative path from college to real world, the pros/cons of living with parents after college, the life of a Black man in today's society and more.

Wilton Jackson sat down with Dr. Brandon Anderson — a physical therapist, educator and athletic performance coach. He is a Morehouse grad and received his Master's degree from Auburn University before getting his Doctorate of physical therapy from Duke University. But, as he likes to put it, he's just a “humbled assassin” from Mississippi who has seen a few setbacks along his journey but constantly reminds himself that he will be a king remembered in time. And, all kings must encounter and overcome hurdles and obstacles. Sit back and get ready to listen as he talks about overcoming setbacks as part of your purpose, battling injuries in sports, his path to physical therapy, professional athletes in a Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 society and more.

Wilton Jackson, the RDR Podcast host, sits down with Clarence Lee Jr, an award-winning medical doctor and entrepreneur. He is a celebrated author and CEO of CMLEEJr Company. While he has accomplished a lot, Lee has overcome and persisted through tons of obstacles. He discusses the art of persistence as a means of achieving his goals, his absent father, COVID-19, sports and more.