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VYPE Q&A: The John Cooper School's Ajailah Ogiemwonyi
VYPE caught up with Ogiemwonyi for a Q&A. Check it out as we go in-depth with Ogiemwonyi.
VYPE: What got you into basketball, how'd you start?
Ajailah: "What got me into basketball was honestly my stepdad. I was not a basketball player; I was a cheerleader. He saw that I had talent and potential to be something in this sport. He started training me each and every day. I gave it a chance and I started to see progress in myself. I started to see all these opportunities coming each way. That's when I began having love for this sport."
VYPE: Growing up who were some NBA or WNBA players you admired or mimic your game after?
Ajailah: "I have many NBA and WNBA players that I look up to. I started to like Steph Curry because my stepdad loved him, and he started sending me videos on the way he play and handles the ball. I also started watching my all-time favorite NBA player Zion Williamson. I admire his aggression and him being a dog and wanting more and more. On to my WNBA players I looked up to Victoria Vivians. We had things in common during my freshman year in high school. Both her and I were posts and I soon started to realize that I am not a post I am a point guard. Vivian had that transition as well in college. That is what made me admire her. I recently started looking up to Kennedy Carter, she is a dog. I watch her all the time. I go to many of their home games and just watch her dominate the floor. In addition, Sabrina Ionescu. She is a beast on the court. She is aggressive and when I watch her play she is the leader on the team."
VYPE: You're averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game this season, what has been the key to your success?
Ajailah: "I am successfully averaging 15 because I know who I am. When it's time to play I'm in a different zone. When I'm playing, I do not allow no one to get in my way. I also work out daily not just with my high school team but as well as individual work out. I strive to be successful."
VYPE: Nearly averaging a double double, how special is that to you that you are succeeding in multiple parts of your game?
Ajailah: "Last year and my first year at The John Cooper school I averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds, but I knew I needed to be more over the summer to help my team win. I decided not to play AAU basketball for the summer and go 100% in the gym. This year instead of just making the playoffs I wanted to go further, and I wanted more for my junior year in high school."
VYPE: How's the recruiting process going? Any schools you are highly interested in or that are interested in you?
Ajailah: "Right now I am not being recruited by any schools yet, but I am striving for schools to contact me and watch me play. I am open for any college offers."
VYPE: What are your goals for the rest of this season?
Ajailah: "My goal for my junior year season is to win all SPC again and to get The John Cooper school girls basketball their first SPC championship."
VYPE: In 5 years what do you want to be doing? What's your biggest dream during that span?
Ajailah: "In five years from now I will be in college, hopefully a college of my choice. As well as, winning championships and awards and someday being drafted in the WNBA."
VYPE: What is maybe a secret or non-secret talent you have?
Ajailah: "My further talents that I have, I have tried to find ways to get my hair out of the way and taken interest in doing hair on my own. As well as doing people's makeup on the side."
VYPE: What are you most passionate about?
Ajailah: "My biggest passion is being successful in life and being the best basketball player, I can be and making a name for myself."
VYPE: What is your favorite part of playing basketball?
Ajailah: "My favorite part of playing basketball is it gives me the opportunity to show who I am and what kind of person I can become, and it opens up huge opportunities to basketball girls like me."