Deja Kelly transferred to the University of Oregon after graduating from the University of North Carolina earlier this year, and she’s already showing why she’s a name to watch in the game and beyond. Majoring in broadcast journalism, the McDonald’s All-American is making moves in the media world while bringing her talents to the court. Kelly has spoken openly about her dreams in sports media post-basketball, but last night she took that vision to another level.
In her Oregon Ducks debut against California Baptist, Kelly nearly posted a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds as the Ducks secured a dominant 93-63 win. The 23-year-old guard is bringing that NCAA experience and fierce determination to her new team, marking Oregon’s first season in the Big Ten after the Pac-12’s dissolution.
But Kelly’s day was just getting started. Right after the game, she traded her jersey for a mic, stepping up as a sideline reporter for the Ducks’ men’s basketball game against UC Riverside. From court dominance to on-camera presence, Kelly is proving that athletes can excel on multiple stages—and she’s just getting warmed up.
Kelly interned with SLAM magazine over the summer. She also hosts WSLAM’s ‘The 411 with Deja’ and was seen on the NBA countdown during the WNBA season alongside Andraya Carter and Elle Duncan, shadowing Carter during the summer and the WNBA season.
The San Antonio native also debuted for the Big Ten network Tuesday evening during the Oregon Ducks men’s season opener against UC Riverside. The Oregon Ducks seem fully committed to letting Kelly pursue her media career while playing this season. She will keep the main thing the main thing, but it is amazing to see that athletes can find time to pursue both and not let it affect their game.
