By Nyala Pendergrass From collaborating with Nike to working with Lakers Nation, Denise Jones has had her hands on many projects in the sports industry. Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series, Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports. If you asked Denise Jones to describe herself, she’d say she is a sneakerhead and fan of all things Los Angeles sports. She says her ability to talk and chat about anything with anyone i…