Touro Alum Lands Dream Job at the NBA
NYSCAS Alum Jade Daniels Talks About his Passion for Technology, Basketball, and Giving Back to the Community
[MUSIC PLAYING] The reason why community is so important to me is because I know that, in many of our communities, there are broken households, not necessarily by choice but by the fabric that makes up what's accessible and then the strains on the socioeconomic trials and tribulations that we have to face. In thinking about how to support people, I focus on my purpose, which is helping youth and young adults build that community of friends, of mentors, of just seeing people who look like them get to places that they've maybe dreamed about.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Jade speaks to a group of Black youths while standing in a basketball gym.
JADE: My name is Jade Daniels. I graduated from Touro in 2013. I now work at the NBA as a Senior Product Manager.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Jade walks down a hallway with a wall filled with NBA jerseys.
JADE: The NBA is my dream job because, as a kid, I dreamt about playing in the league. And sometimes, I still pinch myself like, hey, this is what I wake up to do. Friends still look at me now, and they're like, oh my God, Jade, you work for the NBA.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: He stands next to a gold trophy with a basketball sitting on top.
JADE: If we look at just the triangulation of things that are important to me, it's basketball, it's community, and it's the technology. Working here fulfills all three.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: He speaks to a group of people sitting around a conference table with their laptops open.
JADE: As a Senior Product Manager at the NBA, I work directly with our business teams and our engineering team in developing the NBA app and platforms where we could actually connect directly with fans.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: A Charlotte Hornets player talks as he looks down at a mobile phone. text, You Tube dot come at NBA.
JADE: I'm actually able to volunteer my time.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Jade views photographs on a wall filled with adults and children of the program.
JADE: The NBA runs the NBA Cares program, which focuses on connecting with kids and adults within a variety of neighborhoods throughout the world. It takes a kid from the inner city of Brooklyn, and it brings them to 51st and 5th and shows them that, hey, you could sit here too. And you could also just live your dream.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: He sits down at a desk in an office.
JADE: Now I'm on my mission to help serve my community because I believe it's my purpose. I still see that there is struggling. There is suffering. There's lack of opportunity and access within our neighborhoods.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Jade plays basketball with a group of youths.
JADE: I became the Chair of the Board of the Brooklyn Boys and Girls Club, the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club because I wanted to make sure that our kids were actually getting the access to resources that they needed.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Two children and two volunteers pose holding bags filled with needed items.
JADE: I remember going to public school myself and not having theater class, not actually understanding what theater was until I was an adult, not knowing how to swim, not knowing financial literacy. So for me, it's important to chair that board and speak to, whether it be organization or the CBOs, whether it be the Morgan Stanley's. Whatever it is, speaking to them and saying, hey, this is why we need the resources.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Text, Touro alum lands dream job at the NBA.
JADE: I think Touro definitely helped me believe in myself. Being at Touro gave me the freedom to say I want to actually create this for myself and be the change instead of being part of the change.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Photos appear of Jade holding his diploma and wearing his cap and gown
JADE: No one ever said, Jade, no, you can't do this. And I think just having that confidence really helped me to even be where I am today.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: A montage of children all smile.
JADE: What I want my impact on the world to be is to shorten the time that someone could get to where I am.
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Jade stands in a row with four of his colleagues in an office space by large windows. Text, Touro University. New York School of Career and Applied Studies
[MUSIC PLAYING]
New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS) alum Jade Daniels jokes that he needs to pinch himself every day when he gets to work. “I work at the NBA as a Senior Product Manager. The NBA is my dream job because, as a kid, I dreamt about playing in the league,” he said. “And sometimes, I still pinch myself like, hey, this is what I wake up to do. Friends still look at me now, and they're like, oh my God, Jade, you work for the NBA.”
Daniels, a Brooklyn, NY, native, started his tech career while enrolled as a Touro undergrad student where he earned a degree in business management. At NYU Langone Health, Daniels began as a system analyst, working his way up the career ladder, and was eventually promoted to lead IT analyst/product manager. After nearly a decade working in the tech healthcare space, he decided to pursue his MBA at Syracuse University with hopes that this advanced degree would open the door to new opportunities.
“While at NYU Langone, I was responsible for the applications and technology that the doctors used to capture clinical data and interface with their patients. I managed new and innovative technology and worked on projects to increase the safety and care of patients. Despite some amazing opportunities, I wanted something more exciting. During the pandemic, I had a chance to do deep self-reflection and realized that working somewhere that enabled me to embrace my passion for basketball was really what I wanted to do for a living,” Daniels explained.
Working at the NBA
Daniels spotted a job opening for a Senior Product Manager at the National Basketball Association in the spring of 2022.
At that time, the NBA was getting ready to launch its direct-to-consumer app which would deliver NBA games and content directly to the fan. The revamped app would allow fans to watch their favorite teams and/or games directly on their connected devices. The app would also allow greater fan engagement, capturing individualized data to provide a curated enjoyable experience.
“In my role as a product manager, I am tasked with assisting our technical and business teams in optimizing the application. Our teams present and assess emerging technologies and collaborate with business teams in efforts to develop and execute product roadmaps for application growth,” said Daniels.
Daniels added that working for a company that has a great work culture and values was a priority. He added that in a time when most folks would want to work remotely, he couldn’t resist the urge to come into an office space that was decorated with NBA memorabilia and even the Championship trophy.
“I joke about this, but I went from wearing suits and a tie to wearing a basketball tee shirt and sneakers. So, to leave that and work somewhere where the company has players that look and sound like me and where I feel accepted and appreciated for what I bring to the table is an amazing feeling,” said Daniels.
For students looking to follow a similar career path, Daniels advises not to be too hard on yourself, embrace your unique characteristics, and remain open to learning new things. “Shaq said something that always resonated with me: to focus on what you’re good at rather than what you’re just okay at. It’s good to sharpen your edges but focus on improving upon what you really excel at. Also, I recommend reading as many books as possible, meditating, taking time out for self-care, and securing vital mentorship,” Daniels added.
Giving Back to the Community
Aside from his career, it’s important to Daniels to give back to the community. He serves as the Brooklyn Board Advisory Chair of the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club, an organization whose mission is focused on providing a safe, stable, and supportive environment for the youth in NYC’s underserved communities.
“The reason why community is so important to me is because I know that, in many of our communities, there are broken households, not necessarily by choice but by the fabric that makes up what's accessible and then the strains on the socioeconomic trials and tribulations that we have to face,” said Daniels. “In thinking about how to support people, I focus on my purpose, which is helping youth and young adults build that community of friends, of mentors, of just seeing people who look like them get to places that they've maybe dreamed about.”
Daniels leads the board in fundraising, business partnership building, and other opportunities which can provide access and resources to youth and young adults at their Brooklyn Clubhouses.
“Touro taught me that if you want something, you have to go for it, and I think about that with each step I take both professionally and personally,” said Daniels. “Touro helped me believe in myself. Being at Touro gave me the freedom to say I want to actually create this for myself and be the change.”