Dennis RogersDirector of Basketball Communications

New Orleans Hornets

Quick BackgroundPlayed sports growing upWent to college at SMU in DallasMajored in PR, minored in ReligionDecided to get involved in basketball

coaching and spent a year at Mississippi State as the graduate volunteer coach.

Quick BackgroundAfter State, decided to get back to PR and

interned for the Dallas Cowboys for a season.Moved to San Antonio to work as a basketball

operations assistant for a sports agency called Momentum Sports Group.

From Momentum, I got an internship with the Hornets.

Hornets CareerThis is my 10th season with the Hornets.Was an intern for 2 seasons before becoming

a full-time coordinator.Served as a coordinator for 1 season before

being promoted to managerAfter 2 years as manager, was promoted to

director. When I started as director, I became the

youngest PR Director in the NBA, this is my fifth season as director.

NBA Summer LeagueStarted as an intern for the Vegas Summer

League in Las Vegas in 2004. Originally it was a six-team NBA league that lasted one week in July.

I moved up all the way to PR Director and currently handle all social media for the league (now called the NBA Summer League).

It is held each July for two weeks and hosts 26 NBA teams with media and respected basketball people from all over the world.

Volunteering

Tips for starting outIdentify the field you wantBe active (e-mail, follow your people on

twitter, instagram, linkedin, internet)Volunteer, intern, job shadow

Tips for Working in PRNever assume anyone you are dealing with

(co-worker, media, etc) knows what’s going on. Always over communicate.

Be a good writer. I am very thankful that I wrote for my high school and college paper. You may not always think writing is a huge factor in PR, but it is. You deal with press releases, features, etc. I always strive to be a better writer.

Tips for Working in PRAlways stay on top of current events. For me,

I am constantly up to date on everything sports. Sometimes too much, but I love it and I am always aware of every news happening in the sports world.

Keep up with the times. In today’s world, social media is HUGE! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc

Always think of creative messages when it comes to the times.

Over 3,000 likes on facebook

Tips for Working in PRPR is all about building relationships. Always keep in touch with people you have

dealt withBe nice to everyone and try to learn people’s

namesBuild trust with everyone, show them you can

be counted onNetwork, network, network

Tips for Working in PRNever ever see them sweatPeople always ask me why I don’t get

stressed or meltdown. Problem is I have an 82 game schedule, so I can never take anything too heavy or get stressed over a game.

If I get mentally unstable, then it is a bad look in front of my staff, players, media, etc.

So, as hard as it can be sometimes, I always keep my composure.

Have funI often look back to where I came from and

what almost happened to where I am now.In just the last six months, I have gotten to do

some of the coolest, most amazing things in my life.

I don’t know how long I will be in my job, but in the meantime I am enjoying it to the fullest/