Here are ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike’s must-haves for her March Madness travel

Before she ever steps courtside, ESPN basketball analyst Chiney Ogwumike makes sure her bag is packed with intention — equal parts preparation, wellness and sentimentality.

At the center of her bag is her appointment book, a daily essential that keeps her broadcast schedule, travel and personal life in sync during the chaos of March Madness.

To stay healthy on the road, she also carries Thorne vitamins, as well as a simple lacrosse ball that doubles as her go-to recovery tool, helping her work through tight muscles between long travel days and production meetings.

Her iPad is where the analyst work happens; it’s filled with notes, stats and breakdowns she references on air. She also uses it to catch up on her favorite TV shows.

“If you know me, I love television shows. I am looking forward to the latest season of Outlander. I also am currently watching The Pitt,” Ogwumike said. “[If] it’s a good TV show, I’m on it. Paradise is back. I watch everything and anything.”

She also is committed to her New Year’s resolution of reading more. A proud Houston native, Ogwumike is diving into books tied to home – Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon’s biography “Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon” and Tina Knowles’ memoir “Matriarch.”

When it’s time for her final TV hit of the night, Ogwumike reaches into her bag for her signature anti-glare glasses. She loves wearing them to protect her eyes while watching LED TV and computer screens, but they’re also a nod to “Nerd Nation” at her alma mater, Stanford University. She credits her friend and fellow ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt for putting her on to how to use the glasses to her advantage for late-night broadcasts.

“I don’t want to gatekeep this for any broadcast girly out there. … [Monica said] if you put on some glasses and make sure your hair is all right and you put on some gloss, people won’t know you’re not wearing makeup when you’re working from home,” Ogwumike said. “So any time you see me on air with glasses, that’s because I was just lying on my couch watching the game. They call me up, and so far it’s held me down.”

However, the most meaningful item in her bag is a Bible with her full name inscribed on the front. A gift from her parents when she left for college, the Bible features handwritten notes from each of her sisters — Nneka, Erica and Olivia — offering encouragement she still leans on today.

Tucked carefully inside her bag is one of her most sentimental items: a small statue her parents gave her called “Courageous Joy.” It’s a tribute to her full name, Chinenye Joy, meaning “God gives joy,” a reminder she carries with her wherever the game takes her.

“When I was feeling weak, they gave me this, and I keep it by my bed at night. Anytime I leave home, I bring it and I throw it in my bag,” Ogwumike said. “It just reminds me that even in the face of challenges that life has, it takes courage to be joyful. It’s not easy to choose the light, the positivity.

“When they go low, you know, you go high. It takes courage to keep your head up through very difficult situations. This is a reminder of my backbone, which is my family [and] my great group of friends.”

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