During her two-year suspension from professional tennis for a doping violation, Maria Sharapova has kept herself busy with a range of professional and educational pursuits. Known for her off-court ambition, the former world No. 1 has dived into business, education, and even a stint with the NBA.
Sharapova, who launched a luxury candy line called Sugarpova, spent part of the year at Harvard Business School, attending a two-week course to strengthen her business acumen. She has also taken internships with an advertising firm and Nike—the sportswear giant that initially ended their endorsement deal after her positive drug test but later reinstated her once it was deemed she hadn’t taken the banned substance intentionally.
Perhaps the most attention-grabbing of her recent activities was a short internship with the National Basketball Association. Earlier this month, Sharapova joined the league for a three-day experience where she explored its inner workings.
“She participated in several departmental meetings to better understand NBA operations,” said league spokesperson Mike Bass, speaking to The New York Post. “She’s incredibly intelligent and had a lot of insightful questions about our business and strategies.”
Sharapova’s case remains under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a final ruling on her suspension expected by September 19. Her positive test for meldonium came at the 2016 Australian Open, shortly after the drug was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list. Although Sharapova claimed she was unaware of the change, an ITF panel held her fully accountable.
Interestingly, according to The Post, the NBA is set to add meldonium to its own list of banned substances ahead of the new season.
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