JADE ASBERRY is a young basketball player with ambition. While the average girl her age is playing Fortnite or making a video on TikTok she’s playing ball.
Wait, don’t get us wrong, she’s still a kid who enjoys doing those things. But these days you’ll find her in the gym working on her game.
Says Asberry, “Working out with Keenan has been good because he’s teaching me new stuff and he helps me shoot better. Also, he’s a good person when I’m in the gym with him.”
She’s not only trying to become a better player, but she’s also trying to be better than her big sister, Ja’Mee Asberry who hoops for Oklahoma State.
If there’s one thing that’s as beloved in hoops as competitiveness, it’s sisterhood.
Big sisters are like built-in role models. They forge a path for their younger siblings and inspire them to reach for their goals and dreams.
“I wanted to play basketball because my big sister plays and I want to be like her,” said Asberry.
The rising 4th-grader oozes charisma, not to mention a sense of humor and she speaks her mind. It’s the latter that got her 10 situps while we were watching her workout.
While learning a new skill during her training session the words “I can’t” slipped out of her mouth. She knows the drill: she drops-down and does situps. Because “can’t” should never be in a player’s vocabulary. But she knows that.
Says Asberry, “Girls can do anything that boys can do.”
When we finally have a chance to chat with her we realized that she’s young but she’s full of knowledge. She aspires to become a doctor when she grows up.
Her favorite subject in school is reading. When she’s not playing basketball you will more than likely find her reading her favorite books — The Cat in the Hat and Dog Man.
Not only does she believe in herself, she believes in other girls too. She’s not intimidated by the phrase “Play like a girl.” In fact, she’s inspired by it.
“When people say that it’s a good thing because I’m a girl and girls play good,” said Asberry.
