I Follow: Arash Markazi

Editor’s note: I Follow is all about ESPN employees on Twitter: what they tweet, whom they follow and how you can interact socially with anyone and everyone.

Twitter handle: @ArashMarkazi
Following: 500
Followers: 23,947
(As of 05/22/12)

ESPNLosAngeles.com columnist Arash Markazi was in the middle of the recent #LASportsCrazy weekend that saw the city host six NBA and NHL playoff games in a four-day period — and that was just in the Staples Center.

Even though the Clippers and Lakers have seen their NBA seasons end, Markazi is still on the trail of the NHL Kings’ quest for the Stanley Cup and will be in Phoenix tonight to cover the Kings’ Game 5 attempt at clinching a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. Markazi will cover the Kings until the end of their run, and then it’s onto the Dodgers’ beat.

What was this weekend like, especially in terms of social media activity, for LA sports fans?
The weekend technically started great on Thursday and Friday with the Kings and Lakers winning but Saturday and Sunday were when Los Angeles turned into “Lost Angeles.” The Lakers, Clippers and Kings went a combined 0-4 over the weekend as most of the city hopped off the Lakers and Clippers’ bandwagons and prepared to hop on the Kings’ bandwagon heading into the (presumed) Stanley Cup Final.

What do you like about Twitter?
I like that it has essentially become a newswire on my phone. Very rarely will you see me not scrolling through my timeline for updates and news from around the country. It’s also amazing how many reporters and athletes I’ve gotten to know personally over the past couple of years simply because we follow each other on Twitter.

How often do you engage with followers?
I do it as often as I can. Certainly if a follower has a question I will try to answer it and even retweet it if it’s a fairly popular question. I actually think engaging with followers is one of the most important parts of Twitter. It can’t be a one-way street. I think Twitter is a great way for followers to get to know you and for you to get to know your followers.

Who’s the most famous person who follows you?
That’s a tough one. I guess it’s a three-way tie between Chris Paul, Shaun White and Barry Sanders.

Who do you like to follow?
I follow about 500 people and I really think each one brings so much to my timeline, but I really enjoy reading tweets from people I know because I can almost hear them (as I) read their tweets. That goes for [ESPN.com columnist] Matthew Berry’s take on fantasy sports, [ESPN.com columnist] Rick Reilly’s take on just about anything and Chrissy Teigen, well, just because she’s hilarious.

Who’s the most engaging Los Angeles athlete, in terms of social media activity, in your opinion?
I would have to say Clippers center DeAndre Jordan. He made covering the Clippers interesting this season by taking pictures of his teammates when they were sleeping on the plane. Some of the pictures he took and the poses he and his teammates made around said sleeping player were almost as entertaining as the games!

A look at the #LASportsCrazy weekend through the eyes of some lucky ESPNers.