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Most of the basketball world found out that Kevin Durant had been traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets via a social media post from ESPN's Shams Charania.
Of course, that means the insider found out first. That's how his job works. He's built the relationships that get him the information.
Sometimes, the intel comes to him at unfortunate times.
In this case, he was at his cousin's wedding.
In a new profile story by Esquire, writer Josh Rosenberg laid out the scene:
"Tonight he’s at his cousin’s wedding in Toronto, where drinks are flowing, music is blasting, and he’s trying not to check his phone. A single text message slices through his defenses: The Phoenix Suns are close to a deal to trade Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets."
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Rosenberg wrote that Charania stopped dancing, started checking the facts and soon was on a plane to Oklahoma City, because the NBA Finals were ongoing and he needed to be on TV.
That, in many ways, sums up Charania's life, at least the way the outside world understands it.
He has to be attached to his phone, or he'll miss the news.
His origin story is well-known at this point, grinding his way up by showing up at NBA games, cold-emailing agents, building relationships simply by being more present than anyone else.
Now, there's no one in the NBA who can get the information Charania does.
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Some question the value of insiders, but there's no questioning that in the basketball world, Charania is top dog.
It just sometimes means having to stop dancing at a fun wedding to go take a call about one of the best players of all time being traded.
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