The Women's National Basketball Association is the ultimate dream for many collegiate athletes in women's basketball. With aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, junior guard Tyi Skinner is making waves in the basketball community, especially as a transfer student at ASU.
Skinner is a Washington, D.C. native who played Division I women's basketball at the University of Delaware. As a player, she was named to the CAA Rookie team, and she was a starting point guard in her sophomore year. She recently transferred to ASU and has become a significant player for the Sun Devils.
"I have been playing basketball since I was two years old," Skinner said. "It has always been my dream. I have never wavered from basketball. I was never one to play multiple sports or have my mind set on a thousand different things. When I was growing up, the WNBA was always my dream."
"There is not really a plan B. I only have a plan A. It’s my life passion. College basketball is just something I have to do to achieve the dream I have had my entire life."
Skinner's move from Delaware to ASU was because of another factor. ASU women's basketball coach Natasha Adair and a past Delaware coach discovered Skinner at a tournament in Washington, D.C., and recruited Skinner to Delaware.
Adair is a veteran in her field and has coached at the College of Charleston, Wake Forest University, Georgetown University, Delaware and ASU.
"When I look for a point guard, I look for confidence. They are the floor general and have the ball in their hands 90% of the time. Immediately her confidence stood out to me," Adair said. "I saw her in game situations when they were down and needed a bucket. Tyi stepped up and took the shot."
Skinner found a match in the program and coaching staff after meeting with Adair and talking about her future, specifically in the WNBA. She visited the school and talked to Adair about her prospects in the WNBA. After their meeting, Tyi was set on the program and Adair's system.
Skinner's mentality on the court was not only noticed by Adair but by other people in her life. Stephon Hampton, Skinner's trainer, spoke about her hardworking personality and her drive to play at the collegiate level.
"She was very determined to get into certain schools. She wanted a bigger program. The school she had was already good. There was no doubt that she could play in college," Hampton said. "I thought it was a great fit for her. Delaware has a great program."
Skinner thrived in the Delaware environment as she could play with other high-level players like Jasmine Dickey, a current WNBA player. Her teammates made Skinner a better individual player and a part of a family.
After Skinner's impressive sophomore season at Delaware, Adair and others on the coaching staff transitioned to ASU to replace former head coach Charli Turner-Thorne.
Skinner was quick to follow.
"I went to Delaware for the coaching staff," Skinner said. "Once I found that they had gotten the coaching job here (ASU), there was no need for me to stay."
Skinner's first season with the Sun Devils has been eventful, as she has been leading the team and breaking records. She recently broke 1,000 career points in a loss against UA. However, the team has had a season to forget, going 7-14 overall and 0-12 in conference play.
But, Skinner has been performing well outside the team's struggles. She averages 18.9 points a game on 36.8% shooting. She also tallies 2.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds per contest.
Her accolades within the team are being led by Adair, who is also still looking into Skinner's future goals.
"Everything should be 1% better," Adair said of building Skinner's resume for the WNBA. "If we can push to be 1% better, then I know we are going to be better as a team, and she will be better as a player."
Skinner has immersed herself in the move to ASU from Delaware, which introduced her to new opportunities that were unavailable at her previous school.
"Nothing much has changed with the coaching staff. It is a new school with better competition and a higher level of play," Skinner said. "It is great playing against others who are projected to be in the draft or number one."
Although Skinner has become a prominent figure for the women's basketball team, the season is not over. Adair is looking to improve Skinner and the rest of the team through a sense of teamwork and a focus on individual technical goals.
Skinner is a promising athlete who will continue to chase her dream of a WNBA contract under the guidance of Adair and her fellow Sun Devils.
Edited by Kathryn Field, Walker Smith, Reagan Priest and Grace Copperthite.
Reach the reporter at sstaple5@asu.edu.
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