Kaila’s hoop dreams become a reality

KAILA Charles did not get to attend a glitzy ceremony when her name was called at the recent Women’s National Basketball Association Draft (WNBA), but the former University of Maryland player with TT roots said it is a dream come true to play at the highest level.

Charles, who stands at six feet one inch, was selected 23rd overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2020 virtual WNBA draft, on Friday.

Charles is the third person with TT roots to be drafted by the WNBA. Pietra Gay was the first player to be drafted when the Houston Comets chose her for the inaugural WNBA season in 1997.

Gillian Goring was the second player with TT roots to be selected when the Washington Mystics saw her talent in 2007.

Charles, 22, completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Maryland averaging 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals. Last season, she led the University of Maryland in both scoring and rebounding.

Her father Walter, who grew up in Diego Martin, left TT at 21 to attend Howard University and decided to settle in the US.

Kaila’s Antiguan mother Ruperta, a former track and field athlete, also attended Howard. Ruperta represented her country at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the 100-metre sprint.

Kaila’s siblings Darron, Akil and Afia were all involved in sports with the latter also competing at the Olympics – representing Antigua and Barbuda in track and field at the 2012 London Olympics. Kaila also competed in track and field and volleyball, but decided to focus on basketball while at high school.

Kaila, in an interview with Newsday on Tuesday, said she was proud to make it to the WNBA. “I feel great, I feel excited. I’ve always wanted to play in the WNBA growing up and to have my dreams turn into reality is a special feeling and I feel really blessed.”

Participating in a virtual draft because of covid19 was a bit disappointing for Kaila, but she said the league made the players feel connected to the experience.

“I was a little upset because I have always dreamt about going to the draft...going on a stage, shaking the commissioner’s hand, holding my jersey, taking pictures, but this is a bigger situation than all of us and this is something that is affecting our whole world, so it is out of our control. I am glad that they were still able to make it as good as they did given the situation. I was still part of it, they sent a couple boxes of hats and a ball to celebrate and make the draft day a little bit more special.”

Kaila said she is doing as much training as possible during the covid19 pandemic which includes utilising a nearby outdoor court and doing running on her own. She is not only working on her physical game saying, “I am reading my bible, getting my mentality stronger so that when things go back to normal I am prepared.”

Kaila joins former Maryland players Brionna Jones and Alyssa Thomas on the Sun. Kaila, who played with Jones at college, thinks the former Maryland players will help her transition into the WNBA.

“Most definitely (it will help me). They are where I want to be, so I could definitely ask them and learn from them. Also, I have been in Maryland my entire life, so it is good to have some familiar faces on this new team so they could help me transition into a whole new area, a new league, so I am excited that I am able to go to a team with people I already know.”

Kaila, who wants to improve on all aspects of her game, said she learned toughness from playing with her brother Akil, who is four years older.

“He (Akil) would take me to go play pick up with his friends. They would not want to pick me because they were like, ‘she’s a girl I don’t think she is good,’ and my brother would say, ‘well I am not playing if you don’t pick my sister.’

Kaila said those situations made her stronger, as the boys she played against would get upset when they realised she had potential. “When I started to score and get a bucket they would get angry and get more aggressive, so that helped me build my strength and my confidence because I was able to score and play against these guys who were older than me. It definitely helped me in terms of my competitiveness and my strength and my overall game because playing with them they are a lot faster and stronger, so I had to be more skilful and smarter when playing.”

Kaila last visited TT in 2018 and enjoys local and Caribbean foods naming bake and shark, curry chicken, pelau and oxtail.

Walter was a proud man, saying it is satisfying when his children succeed. “It has always been my goal to make sure that all the kids, whatever they get involved in, achieve the highest level…I just watched her train over the years. (She was a) very obedient child, did excellent in school too (by) graduating with honours. She is just very disciplined and I feel really proud of what she has accomplished and I am excited that I was a part of it all in terms of helping her.”