If Jewell Loyd retired tomorrow, she ought to be a first-ballot Corridor of Famer. She’s put collectively a basketball résumé that’s extra spectacular than most. And consider it or not, Loyd might need a stable 10-12 years to maintain constructing on it; she’s solely 30 years previous and in her prime. Whether or not we take a look at her highschool profession, school profession or her time within the W, she’s been a mannequin of consistency…the mannequin of consistency.
SLAM 252 featuring Jewell Loyd is available now.
Earlier than Jewell fell in love with basketball, her world revolved round tennis. She was uncovered to basketball as a result of her older brother, Jarryd, performed, however tennis was her factor, and she or he was destined to be a professional. Throughout her early years rising up in Lincolnwood, IL, a suburb outdoors of Chicago, she performed tennis “each single day, for six hours a day,” she says. And chances are high, if she had caught with tennis over basketball, she’d most likely be competing in the identical US Open match she was heading to look at after capturing her SLAM cowl at our workplace on a cool and sunny September morning.
However someday on the park modified her outlook eternally.
Loyd performed on the park on a regular basis as a younger child. “After all, after my homework,” she’s positive so as to add. However on this explicit day, when she was about 7 years previous, two older boys wouldn’t let her play on the basketball courtroom. Jarryd, about 15 years previous then, noticed what was taking place and supplied an answer: We’ll play you for the courtroom. So, it was sport on. Two-on-two. The primary to 10 factors wins. It was Jewell and Jarryd’s first time teaming up collectively.
With the sport on the road, the boys double-teamed Jewell, who was inches away from committing a turnover. In doing so, they left Jarryd vast open close to the basket. Throw it up, throw it up! Jewell remembers her brother saying.
In dramatic style, she tossed the ball backward over her head and towards the rim, and Jarryd caught it for a game-winning flush. “Jarryd was simply flying within the air, and it’s the primary time I [had] ever seen my brother dunk. We gained, and in that second,” Jewell says, “I knew that basketball was one thing that I wished to be part of.”
She spent the subsequent few years making a reputation for herself within the parks across the neighborhood. In some ways, that is what formed her strategy to the sport.
“You began at Drake Park, and that’s the place you play 21, knockout—it’s sort of the learners’ courtroom. Then you definitely go to Columbia Park and play three-on-three. After which, when you get a squad, you go to Proesel Park and also you signify and play five-on-five. So, you sort of have to maneuver your means up.
“Rising up in Lincolnwood was a privilege,” she continues. “Being in an atmosphere like that allowed me to only be myself, and it challenged me in a variety of methods as a result of I used to be one in all 4 or 5 women to play with the blokes, and that was an amazing expertise for me.”
By the point she was in highschool, Loyd developed into the most effective gamers within the nation. She was a four-year starter at Niles West Excessive College in Skokie and primarily broke each college file, averaging 24.8 factors, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.2 steals and a pair of.2 blocks for her profession.
Whereas in highschool, she had the chance to be a observe participant for the Chicago Sky. Jewell says this expertise is what actually put her untapped potential in perspective. She had a front-row seat to look at what it takes to play on the highest stage. “Seeing their routines and their life-style and the video games up shut opened my eyes to actually be like, Wow, I believe I might actually do that,” she says.
She dedicated to play for Notre Dame and joined an already-loaded roster led by All-American guard Skylar Diggins. It didn’t take lengthy for Jewell to regulate to high-major hoops; she was prepared from the soar. She understood that she wouldn’t be the strongest and most athletic freshman, so she targeted on what she might management.
“Lots of it’s your physique’s nonetheless rising and creating. I knew I wasn’t going to be the strongest straight away, so I targeted on conditioning,” she says. “After I obtained to varsity, I used to be ensuring I used to be in one of the best form, and that’s one thing that’s been with me since leaving school and going to the professionals.”
At Notre Dame, Loyd etched her title within the historical past books as the most effective gamers in program historical past. She was a two-time All-American, two-time All-ACC choice, two-time ACC All-Protection choice, two-time NCAA All-Event choice and the 2015 ACC Participant of the 12 months. For good measure, let’s not neglect she additionally has a 2013 Large East Freshman of the 12 months beneath her belt (earlier than Notre Dame moved to the ACC her sophomore 12 months).
She completed all of this in solely three years, and in a transfer not so common in ladies’s basketball, determined to forgo her senior 12 months and enter the 2015 WNBA Draft. And to no person’s shock, the Seattle Storm drafted her with the No. 1 choose.
Loyd arrived to the W with monumental expectations, not solely due to her pure dominance relationship again to her highschool years, but additionally as a result of she was tabbed with the nickname “Gold Mamba” by the Black Mamba, the late nice Kobe Bryant himself. Now, that’s lots to reside as much as. But when there was anybody constructed to hold that weight, it was Loyd. She embraced the lofty expectations head-on. It’s extraordinarily arduous for a No. 1 draft choose to fulfill expectations; she has exceeded them.
“All through [my rookie] 12 months, it was nearly understanding who I’m, the idea that I might do one thing, the idea that I might keep within the League and be a part of this League and develop the League. I actually thought I might try this,” she says.
“And I’m the sort of particular person the place, if I actually consider I can do one thing, it’s most likely going to occur. I’ve all the time been that particular person since I used to be younger. I’ve by no means been afraid to say what I wish to do, consider it and write it down. And I don’t dream small. I all the time dream large, and that’s one thing nobody can ever take away from me.”
The Gold Mamba is lower from the identical fabric as her namesake. She’s naturally gifted, has a relentless work ethic and is just keen to do what the typical aren’t. However the similarities run deeper than that. Like Kobe, Jewell has an unquenchable thirst to be taught.
“It’s fairly cool as an expert athlete to nonetheless be studying and constructing your sport up. For me, one of the best half in regards to the sport is that I’m nonetheless studying a lot about it,” she says. “That’s one of the best half about life generally—you always be taught and construct, and also you don’t know till you make errors and you may be taught from these errors. Lots of people go to the subsequent stage, nervous to make errors. However you want them; you want a variety of experiences that can assist you develop and get higher.”
Now, it’s Loyd’s flip to pay it ahead. As keen as she is to proceed studying and acknowledge those that paved the way in which for her, she understands the significance of mentorship and is now ready to assist information the subsequent technology of hoopers. She’s been seen understanding with USC star Juju Watkins; she’s been very supportive of Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl and the distinctive 2024 rookie class; and she or he makes herself accessible to any of her youthful friends searching for knowledge or recommendation.
“I perceive that I’m right here as a result of individuals helped me. I didn’t get right here on my own,” she says. “If it wasn’t for my household, if it wasn’t for the individuals in my circle, I don’t know if I really would have been capable of go to the subsequent stage.”
The honors are plentiful: two-time WNBA champion, six-time All-Star (and 2023 All-Star Sport MVP), three-time All-WNBA choice, the 2015 Rookie of the 12 months and a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, her most up-to-date coming this previous August on the Paris Video games. And from the appears of issues, all of those accolades, except for Rookie of the 12 months, in fact, ought to most likely be certified as “and counting.”
The 2023 WNBA season was a contract 12 months for Loyd, and she or he performed prefer it, averaging a career-best 24.7 ppg (which was additionally a League-best that season) and 4.7 rpg. But, the Seattle Storm struggled as a group and completed with an underwhelming 11-29 file.
As a substitute of leaping ship to group up with different All-Stars, she signed a contract extension with the Storm within the offseason, and guess on herself that different gamers could be occupied with becoming a member of her in Seattle and constructing a championship contender. It appeared like Seattle was heading for a rebuild till a pair of elites, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, hopped on board.
As we go to press, Loyd is averaging 20.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg. Extra importantly, the Seattle Storm have clinched a playoff berth and want to make a deep run. And whereas they might not be the odds-on favourite, belief us after we say that no person is wanting ahead to matching up in opposition to them.
Loyd doesn’t have an in-your-face sort of persona however moderately a form of quiet confidence that’s felt by her mere presence greater than her phrases. She doesn’t ask for further consideration, although her sport calls for it. She isn’t sometimes the loudest within the room, however when she speaks, you wish to hear. She has a wealth of information and perception and is without doubt one of the most eloquent and considerate individuals—not to mention athletes—you can come throughout.
Since she was a freshman in highschool, Loyd says she’s been requested in regards to the legacy she hopes to depart, and she or he says her reply always adjustments. This time, although, her reply has nothing to do with the sport she loves, one which’s outlined her life for the previous 23 years, ever since that day on the playground together with her brother.
“I simply need my legacy to be that I’m a extremely good particular person, truthfully,” she says. “I’m right here to serve. That’s what I need individuals to grasp about me. As a lot as I obtain from the world, I’m going to present that again. And also you don’t must take it, however I’m right here to allow you to guys understand it’s all love right here.”
Portraits by Luke Schlaifer.
