Working to the Dream
6/13/2023 11:03:00 AM | Football
“If I was a kid who came straight out of school and got everything I wanted from the jump, I wouldn’t appreciate everything as much as I do.” - Wes Bryant
The struggle encountered during the journey has made the success all that much sweeter Wes Bryant — both during his football career and after his graduation from Wake Forest.
Before finding his footing in the sports media world, Bryant was a career journeyman, working as a teacher assistant, tire delivery driver, pharmaceutical sales and a trash collector.
"These people probably look at me like I'm a failure or on work release," Bryant said in regards to his self-image while working as a trash collector. "I just do what I have to do."
One of his jobs was going door-to-door to get people to participate in the Nielsen TV Ratings.
"I went to people's homes trying to convince them to leave a box there to read the ratings," he said.
"It was a food and sports show," Bryant explained. "I had to set up everything and book it myself. We were a guerilla operation."
About the same time, he was able to land a gig with the ACC Digital Network.
"They started giving me opportunities to do on-camera stuff," Bryant said. "Then we had a lot of turnover, so I moved into a full-time host role, interviewing players and coaches at media days."
Two seasons ago, Bryant was hired by Bally Sports as a Hornets Insider, serving as the host for all NBA home games for the Charlotte franchise.
"It was a dream," he said. "I can't even begin to tell you how wild it is to me that I was able to do this for 41 games. I've been going to Hornets games since I was a kid. I was a ballboy for the Hornets for a game back in the day. It's just great to be recognized by my peers doing this position."
Bryant appreciates the success he's found in recent years much more because of the struggles he went through.
"If I was a kid who came straight out of school and got everything I wanted from the jump, I wouldn't appreciate everything as much as I do," he said. "You get caught up in that mentality, thinking everything is just going to come to you the minute you step foot off campus. For all the days I struggled to make ends meet, not having enough, getting fired, sleeping on my mom's couch.
"For all the days I didn't get the money, I'm going to get it all now. I'm going to keep grinding and have multiple revenue streams and multiple jobs. I don't let it overwhelm me. I just do it."
Bryant started his college career at Florida during the last year the Gators were coached by Steve Spurrier before transferring to Wake Forest after his freshman season in 2002.
"I was the first in my family to go to a major college," Bryant explained. "The process for me wasn't necessarily fluid. I didn't know what to expect or what to look for. Neither did my mother, my uncle or the others involved in the process.
"I felt like I was going to go to the first big school. I was kind of heavily recruited, but not one of those players who was just getting blown up. We had a lot of schools come and visit, but when Florida came to watch me play and then offered, they were a powerhouse. I committed to them on the spot as soon as they offered me. I didn't put my thought into picking my school, especially for the things you're supposed to, like class sizes and factors like that."
After sitting out as a redshirt after the transfer, Bryant got to experience the thrill of victory as a touchdown reception by Chris Davis provided a 32-28 season-opening victory over Boston College in 2003, a year the Deacs finished 5-7 overall.
"My teammates — we were known as "Heartbreak Wake," the teams that would be close, but couldn't quite pull off the big wins," he said. "But the relationships we built were incredible. I had a core group of friends who were really close. I knew I'd made the right decision.
"We didn't necessarily win the most, but I loved the camaraderie I had with those guys."
Of course, that core group of guys were instrumental in leading Wake Forest to the 2006 ACC Championship, a year after Bryant had graduated.
"I had a lot of guys, and that season was wild," he said. "My mother goes to all the games, and I was at Full Sail down in Florida. I remember when Ben (Mauk) broke his arm, and I thought they would be lucky to win two games in the season. Then they just kept winning every week. I did have a lot of friends on that team.
"I went to the Florida State game in Tallahassee then to the ACC Championship. It was surreal. Nobody knew that was going to happen."
Before finding his footing in the sports media world, Bryant was a career journeyman, working as a teacher assistant, tire delivery driver, pharmaceutical sales and a trash collector.
"These people probably look at me like I'm a failure or on work release," Bryant said in regards to his self-image while working as a trash collector. "I just do what I have to do."
One of his jobs was going door-to-door to get people to participate in the Nielsen TV Ratings.
"I went to people's homes trying to convince them to leave a box there to read the ratings," he said.
"It was a food and sports show," Bryant explained. "I had to set up everything and book it myself. We were a guerilla operation."
About the same time, he was able to land a gig with the ACC Digital Network.
"They started giving me opportunities to do on-camera stuff," Bryant said. "Then we had a lot of turnover, so I moved into a full-time host role, interviewing players and coaches at media days."
Two seasons ago, Bryant was hired by Bally Sports as a Hornets Insider, serving as the host for all NBA home games for the Charlotte franchise.
"It was a dream," he said. "I can't even begin to tell you how wild it is to me that I was able to do this for 41 games. I've been going to Hornets games since I was a kid. I was a ballboy for the Hornets for a game back in the day. It's just great to be recognized by my peers doing this position."
Bryant appreciates the success he's found in recent years much more because of the struggles he went through.
"If I was a kid who came straight out of school and got everything I wanted from the jump, I wouldn't appreciate everything as much as I do," he said. "You get caught up in that mentality, thinking everything is just going to come to you the minute you step foot off campus. For all the days I struggled to make ends meet, not having enough, getting fired, sleeping on my mom's couch.
"For all the days I didn't get the money, I'm going to get it all now. I'm going to keep grinding and have multiple revenue streams and multiple jobs. I don't let it overwhelm me. I just do it."
Bryant started his college career at Florida during the last year the Gators were coached by Steve Spurrier before transferring to Wake Forest after his freshman season in 2002.
"I was the first in my family to go to a major college," Bryant explained. "The process for me wasn't necessarily fluid. I didn't know what to expect or what to look for. Neither did my mother, my uncle or the others involved in the process.
"I felt like I was going to go to the first big school. I was kind of heavily recruited, but not one of those players who was just getting blown up. We had a lot of schools come and visit, but when Florida came to watch me play and then offered, they were a powerhouse. I committed to them on the spot as soon as they offered me. I didn't put my thought into picking my school, especially for the things you're supposed to, like class sizes and factors like that."
After sitting out as a redshirt after the transfer, Bryant got to experience the thrill of victory as a touchdown reception by Chris Davis provided a 32-28 season-opening victory over Boston College in 2003, a year the Deacs finished 5-7 overall.
"My teammates — we were known as "Heartbreak Wake," the teams that would be close, but couldn't quite pull off the big wins," he said. "But the relationships we built were incredible. I had a core group of friends who were really close. I knew I'd made the right decision.
"We didn't necessarily win the most, but I loved the camaraderie I had with those guys."
Of course, that core group of guys were instrumental in leading Wake Forest to the 2006 ACC Championship, a year after Bryant had graduated.
"I had a lot of guys, and that season was wild," he said. "My mother goes to all the games, and I was at Full Sail down in Florida. I remember when Ben (Mauk) broke his arm, and I thought they would be lucky to win two games in the season. Then they just kept winning every week. I did have a lot of friends on that team.
"I went to the Florida State game in Tallahassee then to the ACC Championship. It was surreal. Nobody knew that was going to happen."
Football Media Availability (10/21/25)
Tuesday, October 21
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Monday, October 20
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Coach Jake Dickert Postgame Press Conference vs. NC State (Sept. 11, 2025)
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