The 94/50 Podcast Bryson Akins interview follows host Ilyas Kurbanov from his first basketball practice in Turkmenistan to a radio internship in Montreal and seven nationally televised games at the University of British Columbia. Kurbanov also explained why he took on unfamiliar sports as a commentator and urged people starting in sports media to be patient, build skills and accept opportunities.

How did 94/50 Podcast host Ilyas Kurbanov get into basketball?

Ilyas Kurbanov got into basketball at eight because his mother wanted him to spend time outside the house after school. He found a school team in Turkmenistan, but the coach told him he needed his own ball. His mother brought one home from work the next day, and he joined.

Finding the school basketball team in Turkmenistan

Kurbanov was born and raised in Turkmenistan, where his school had track, volleyball and basketball teams. His first visit to the gym happened during volleyball practice. He asked to join, not realizing that the team practicing there was for girls. The following day he returned and found roughly 20 to 25 children at basketball practice.

The basketball coach welcomed him but explained that the school did not have enough balls to provide one for every player. There was no fee to join. Kurbanov told his mother what he needed, and she came home with a basketball the next day. What began as a way to get out of the house became his long-running connection to the sport.

Why live basketball held his attention

Kurbanov later found that basketball was especially engaging to watch in person. He described its pace and emotion as reasons people can feel close to the action, and he valued the way a game brings people together. That familiarity with the court would also help when he began calling games.

How did 94/50 Podcast host Ilyas Kurbanov start a sports media career?

Ilyas Kurbanov’s first sports-media opportunity was an internship at a local radio station in Montreal while he was studying sports marketing and management. A contact from college basketball helped him reach the station, where working alongside people who cared deeply about sports showed him that media could become a career.

A Montreal radio contact

His diploma program required an internship with a sports organization, but it did not have to be in broadcasting. Kurbanov approached Mokan, a commentator at his college’s varsity basketball games, to ask whether the radio station took interns. Mokan gave him a contact, Kurbanov applied, and Matthew wood hired him.

At the station, Kurbanov worked on a show with Tony Miranero and saw how much energy people brought to discussions of hockey in Canada. He also recalled doing work with The Sick Podcast, which Miranero later hosted. The experience let Kurbanov see both the enthusiasm in a radio room and the work behind a sports-media operation.

Learning from the people in the room

The internship gave him practical skills and introduced him to people he could approach with questions. Kurbanov said being willing to learn from experienced colleagues mattered as much as getting into the room. He went on to study journalism, further developing the interest in media that the radio job had sparked.

Why did 94/50 Podcast host Ilyas Kurbanov call different sports?

Ilyas Kurbanov took assignments beyond basketball because each one helped him become a more useful broadcaster. Although years of playing basketball made color commentary familiar, he accepted a volleyball game with only two hours to prepare. He later added social-media and writing tasks to his work at Dalhousie.

A volleyball assignment with two hours’ notice

Someone dropped out of a volleyball broadcast shortly before the game, and Kurbanov was asked whether he could cover it. He had never called volleyball. He accepted anyway and used the time before the game to research its rules and terminology, then learned more through repeated assignments.

That did not mean he immediately understood every movement on court. Kurbanov recalled having to learn why rotations happened as well as how to identify plays accurately. The experience reinforced his view that knowing one sport well can be a starting point, rather than a limit on the sports a broadcaster can cover.

More roles at Dalhousie

At Dalhousie, he also made Instagram posts and clipped game highlights for Twitter so people who could not watch live could see moments afterward. His responsibilities eventually included combinations of broadcasting and written recaps. Kurbanov sees those overlapping jobs as preparation for a field where a single assignment may demand several skills.

Before giving his advice to newcomers, Kurbanov summed up the value of continuing to learn:

It does not hurt to have more skill than you already have

What sports media advice did Ilyas Kurbanov of 94/50 Podcast give?

Ilyas Kurbanov advised aspiring sports-media workers to be patient and take available roles around athletics, including commentary, writing, statistics and social content. He said smaller assignments take time and effort but can bring more exposure than expected. For him, steady work led to a major basketball opportunity after a cross-country move.

Building experience before a bigger assignment

Kurbanov stressed that a national television role does not arrive simply because someone wants one. People in those positions have often done smaller jobs first, he said. His advice was to stay involved with an athletic department, learn from each responsibility and give colleagues reason to trust the work.

That approach also requires patience while holding other employment. Kurbanov said he has a full-time job outside his media work and described opportunities in the field as limited. He did not present taking extra assignments as an instant route to a full-time media position; he described it as a way to improve and remain ready.

Seven national broadcasts at the University of British Columbia

After moving from Canada’s east coast to the west coast, Kurbanov began calling games at the University of British Columbia. The following year, the university hosted national basketball championships for both men and women, and he called seven games on national television.

He connected that assignment to the work he had already done. In Kurbanov’s view, an organization chooses a broadcaster for that kind of role because it knows what to expect and trusts that person to represent it well. The games also gave viewers beyond his university a chance to hear his work.

What does Ilyas Kurbanov do on 94/50 Podcast now?

Ilyas Kurbanov uses 94/50 Podcast for sports conversations and interviews. He said he normally hosts a sports-talk show with a friend every Tuesday on MILLIONS and usually conducts three or four separate interviews, though that interview schedule had been lighter recently.

The range fits his stated interest in work both on and off the playing field. Alongside hosting, Kurbanov described himself as a commentator and sports writer. He has kept those roles going while working a full-time job outside sports media.

He said listeners can find 94/50 Podcast across social platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, as well as on MILLIONS. On Twitter, he uses his own name rather than the podcast’s name and is less active there.

Who is Ilyas Kurbanov of 94/50 Podcast?

Ilyas Kurbanov is a former basketball player and journalism student who created 94/50 Podcast. With a background in sports marketing and sports journalism, he started the show to give athletes, coaches and others involved in sport space to tell stories from both within and beyond competition.

That purpose also shapes the subjects he chooses to cover. Kurbanov believes that people’s experiences can matter to someone else, and his work as a host reflects an interest in the people behind sports as well as the games themselves.

Bryson Akins

94/50 Podcast Bryson Akins interview on seven...