ESPN Host Jay Williams’ Journey From Asset to ‘Principal’

Jay Williams had his eye on working in the world of money from a young age. Growing up in New Jersey, he watched his dad go to work in Manhattan for American Express, which at the time was run by Kenneth Chenault, one of the first Black men to become chief executive of a major global company. At Duke University, Williams played for revered basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had his players write to successful alumni in the corporate world for advice.

"It was life altering," Williams says on the latest episode of The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. "We just picked their brains around what business they were in, how they scaled those businesses, how I should be looking at utilizing my name, image and likeness." After a star-crossed career in the National Basketball Association, that advice Williams received at a young age helped change his life.