Q&A with Basketball Standout Brianna Lawrence

Girls basketball standout Brianna Lawrence has been dribbling a ball since the age of four. She attributes her success to making hard work her passion on and off the court. She is a point guard playing for The New Jersey Sparks and her high school the Lady Titans. Brianna sat down with The Athletic Genius to talk about her role models, basketball and plans after high school. 

How old are you and what school do you attend? 
 I'm 17 and I attend Ramapo Senior High school. 

When did you first start playing basketball? 
I first started playing basketball at four years old and on an official team at seven. 

What do you love about basketball and what position do you play? 
I love that basketball is a competitive sport and I like being competitive.  I am currently a point guard. 

Who was your sports idol growing up? 
My sports idol growing up was Allen Iverson. The way he played was outstanding and his handles were great. 

How do you stay fit on the off season? 
It's hard to stay fit because I eat unhealthy. But, my dad makes me run the track early and then get shots up at the park. I'll also drink protein shakes and eat protein bars. 

How did you feel being a freshman on the Varsity team was it a challenging experience? 
It was challenging, I was nervous before every game. But it only made me better and made me understand the game more and more.

Before a game, what do you do to get fired up and focused? 
Before a game I watch highlight films or I listen to music, preferably Rap music. 

What’s your favorite NBA and or WNBA player of all time and why? 
My favorite NBA player is Kyrie Irving because his court vision is good and he knows how to handle the ball. My favorite WNBA player is Candace Parker because she plays so smooth and her IQ is off the charts. 

What’s your favorite sneakers you like to ball in? 
I like to ball in Kyrie's or Curry 1's because they're light weight. 

What’s in your collection of basketball sneakers? 
I have almost every Jordan, a lot of Kyrie's, a lot of Hyperdunks and a lot of KD's. 

What have you learned from your coach that you will never forget? 
My high school coach always said to me "The best players want excellence demanded of them" and I'll never forget that. 

Do you have any colleges in mind that you would want to play for? 
I want to play for many colleges. I have high D1 dreams. 

What’s next for you, where do you see yourself in the basketball world? 
Next for me is college basketball, can't wait to play. I see myself playing overseas instead of the WNBA, but I wouldn't mind going to the WNBA. 

What advice do you give other young players moving up to the High School level? 
TAKE SCHOOL SERIOUSLY!!! Education is always first. Another advice is to eat healthy, stay in shape, and workout often. Because, when you're not out there working someone else is 20 times harder. And, it's real competitive to go to school for basketball.