By Andrew Talamantes (@DrewTooSavvy):
Behind Football, basketball is arguably the most popular sport in the United States and it shows with how many different levels are offered.
All around the nation from AAU teams, high schools, college, G-league, your driveway, local park and of course the NBA, basketball is everywhere.
Eight of the 15 players on the San Jose State women’s basketball team have out-of-state experience.
Senior guard Myzhanique Ladd, born and raised in Seattle has been able to witness some amazing talent around her at the Division I level — some being closer than others may think.
“My brother, Michael Ladd, he went to Fresno State. Jamal Crawford, Zach Lavine, Nate Robinson, Dejounte Murray, being people I know and look up to,” said Ladd.
Having a brother who also made it to the Division I level and a mentor in Jamal Crawford (3x NBA Sixth Man of the Year) is an advantage many high school players can’t say they’ve had.
Playing against familiar faces from Seattle is something Ladd always looks forward to but as a senior knows it’s coming to an end.
When it comes to the difference in play between California and Washington, Ladd had some words for the level of play in her home state.
“No offense to my people out there but it was like playing JV teams,” Ladd said.
Another out-of-state underclassman is sophomore point guard Taylor Turney, who is familiar with the feeling of going up against players in Nevada.
“I knew Troy Brown who plays at Oregon, Maddie Washington who went to Oregon state who we actually played against this weekend,” Turney said.
Ladd was part of a high school team where her biggest worry wasn’t whether or not she’ll make the playoffs. Instead, it was not knowing how to lose.
Ladd won back-to-back state titles in high school — one being against her current teammate freshman forward Chinwe Ezeonu.
Next up on the team is guard Analyss Bellany. Having played Amature Athletic Union basketball since the seventh grade, the sophomore sees AAU and out-of-town teams in a different way.
“Being around my high school area, it was easy to see how people play because they all play the same,” Bellany said.
What seemed normal for Ladd to play teams in her hometown state of Washington was the complete opposite for Turney and her AAU teams.
Turney always played out-of-state teams mainly out west.
“We barely played any teams in Vegas and mostly played in California,” Turney said. “The talent level there was nice and I felt myself getting better, and it really helped me step my game up.”
Receiving Division I offers wasn’t a surprise to Ladd and her three teammates from high school who won the state title and often referred to themselves as the “Fab Four.” They got offers from a UC Santa Barbara, Sacramento state and Southern Idaho.
This proved to be the complete opposite for Bellany. When she got to Wichita-Heights high school, she initially heard only heard of one player ever getting a college offer.
Being that Bellany’s high school was big, even before she got to the varsity level, girls were receiving plenty of offers from Division I and Division II.
Coming from New Mexico, she had the chance to go up against all sorts of different athletes in her five year span of playing AAU basketball and translated what she learned to the court in high school play.
Having players who played out of state diversifies a team’s abilities and experience on all competitive levels across the nation.