Champions' TriBUne Archive

By: Chloe Jackson 
 
Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that will give you the student-athlete's perspective and tell their story in their voice. Chloe Jackson is a grad transfer from LSU who is transitioning from shooting guard to point guard with the No. 8/7 Lady Bear basketball team. A native of Upper Marlboro, Md., Jackson was a WBCA High School honorable mention All-American at Riverdale Baptist and second-team All-SEC pick last year at LSU, graduating with a degree in sports management: 
 
I started playing basketball when I was around 6 or 7 years old because my brother, Brian, was doing it. Everything he did, I just wanted to do it. 
 
Actually, he started playing soccer first and then played basketball. I started playing soccer when I was 3 or 4, just kicking the ball. I didn't get into a league until I was maybe 5 or 6, but I did travel soccer all the way up until my senior year in high school when I had to decide which way I was going to go. 
 
Soccer offers don't usually start coming in until your junior or senior year, so they were just starting to come in. But, I was getting soccer and basketball offers. I had full-scholarship offers to play soccer at a couple schools closer to me, like Virginia Tech and George Mason. 
 
Back when I first started playing basketball, it was something I liked to do for fun. It made me happy. I knew I was pretty good. I actually shot the ball with two hands back then, but I was money. I was making everything. 
 
I immediately jumped into a really good AAU team with the Fairfax Stars when I was 10 years old, and they fixed my shot. So now, I shoot one-handed. For a couple years, I played for my dad on a team that was closer to home. Usually, I would drive at least an hour away to play, With the Boo Williams AAU program that I played for in high school, it was like a three-hour drive down there every weekend. 
 
When I was playing for my dad, it was a little hard, I'm not going to lie. Around that time, probably seventh or eighth grade, is when some parents tend to think their kid is the best thing ever. So, it was a lot of pressure on my dad. I heard things behind the scenes, parents thinking that their kid should play more and do this, and he has favorites. But, my dad never showed me any favoritism, actually. I got the tough love, for sure. But, it showed me more of what goes on behind the scenes. 
 
It was probably when I got to high school that I knew I loved basketball. I went to a basketball high school, so I kind of started leaning towards basketball. Going into my sophomore season, I was going to leave Riverdale Baptist to go to St Mary's, which was closer to my home and they were offering me a half soccer scholarship and half basketball scholarship. At Riverdale, I was on a half basketball scholarship because they historically had a lot of great basketball players, so the coach had to cover for the scholarships. 
 
I actually did leave and started with the St. Mary's soccer team. And if I would have stayed at St. Mary's, I probably would have ended up choosing soccer, because they were really good at soccer. But, the second day of school, we had an earthquake and we were out of school for like a week. Throughout that week, I was working my mom, trying to get back into Riverdale because I had so many friends there. After two days, I was like, "I don't want to do this." They finally got more scholarship money for me, so I went back to Riverdale Baptist. 
 
The soccer team wasn't that good, but I took them to the state championships three years in a row and we ended up losing to the same team. Honestly, I still love both. But, my love for the game of basketball just grew more than soccer. 
 
Starting with my freshman year at Riverdale, we had at least three players every year that went on to play Division I basketball. Jonquel Jones went to my school and plays for the Connecticut Sun. Jennie Sims got drafted by the Washington Mystics. And then another girl in my class, Chania Ray, originally signed with Florida State and transferred to West Virginia and graduated from there. 
 
I played a lot of point guard and shooting guard in high school, but my sophomore year was when I went to point guard and played mostly point guard for the rest of my time there. It's a completely different pace of game, though, from high school to college. Obviously, we didn't have that many plays. The offense was kind of centered on me. If I could beat my man one-on-one, that was the offense.
 
I chose NC State, initially, mainly because it wasn't too far away from home. It was in the ACC, which growing up in Maryland the ACC was one of the best conferences to play in. They had a new coaching staff, and I liked what they talked to me about, where I would be in that program coming in. And I just felt like we would be a winning team. 
 
After playing in the exhibition game and a few games after that as a freshman, I fractured my foot, so I was out the rest of the year and got a medical redshirt.
 
When I decided to leave after that year, I was just looking for a better opportunity. Being able to make an immediate impact was what I was looking for. At the time, I actually thought I would be able to play immediately because of the medical redshirt. That didn't go as planned. I had to sit out another year. 
 
With LSU, I looked at how they played. They played fast, got out in transition. I knew that was one of my strengths in high school, so I was really looking at that and knew that would fit into my game and complement my style of play. 



Also, they had some players around me that I knew would complement me. Raigyne Moncrief was there. We really played well together and complemented each other's game. She got drafted in the third round by the Las Vegas Aces and played with them for a little bit. 
 
It was tough sitting out that first year. It was a little scary, also, because you never know after an injury how you're going to come back and be able to get back in the swing of things. But actually, sitting out that year and being able to play on the scout team, I got my confidence back. 
 
My coaches never took it easy on me. In practice, it was just like I was playing that year. And they just kept reminding me how important a player I could be the next year. So, they stayed on me. I had other people around me that really pushed me to get better that year, and then internally i was always pushing myself harder and harder. 
 


Leaving LSU was very hard because I had so many friends there. I was pretty close to my head coach, Nikki Fargas. And she had a little girl, Justice Simone, who called me her best friend. I was really close to her. And the fans, it was hard leaving them, because a lot of them thought they would have two more years with me, having that medical redshirt year at NC State.
 
The fact is, I want to win a championship. My two years at LSU, we made it to the NCAA Tournament but lost in the first round. I wanted to better my game, show more for the next level so that I can play the point guard position. And I knew Coach Mulkey would push me to be a better player all-around. 
 
I knew she could be really intense. I was ready for that challenge, and I wanted to be pushed. I didn't want to stay in my comfort zone. I wanted to get out of it and just become an all-around better player and person. She has pushed me, both mentally and physically. Obviously, having to be more vocal, learning a lot more plays. When you know the plays, you can then talk and be more of a leader and you know where everybody else needs to be. 
 
Previously at LSU, I never had to be that vocal person. I was a leader, but more so behind the scenes, not having to talk as much on the court. Here, Coach Mulkey wants me to talk the most. I'm not there yet, but I'm working on being the vocal leader she wants on the court. 
 
It's nice having Juicy Landrum out there, that can relieve me from that spot a little bit and I can play the wing. That's the spot I'm used to playing, so it's been nice having Juicy there. And also having her on the wing when I'm at the point, our games kind of complement each other, because I can penetrate and kick it to her and she's wide open for a 3. 
 
I'm sure everybody knows, but we played zone defense at LSU. It's like a matchup zone, but it is a zone, and I actually played in the back of the zone. So, having to get up and guard somebody as soon as they cross half court has been different. But, it was also something I knew before I came here. 
 
When I was leaving LSU, I knew I wanted to play on the biggest stage. Coming here, they obviously play on the biggest stage, hands-down. I knew it would either be good for my stock or bad. If I responded and could handle the point guard position and be able to show that, then my stock would obviously rise. If I couldn't, then I knew it had a chance of dropping. I think I'm doing pretty good, but I plan on getting much better.
 
This has been a lot of fun so far. I love this team. And when you love the team, everything is great. 
 
If the WNBA happens, it happens. And if it doesn't, then I'm still going to be able to play professionally overseas, and that's really where the money is. 
 
Knowing that I already have a degree is a blessing. I'm in grad school now, but it's nice knowing that you don't have to stress as much. 
 
What I plan on doing after basketball, or even while I'm still playing, is to start my own business and then get into franchising other businesses and companies. Right now, what I want to start is something in the fashion industry. 



Previous Champions' TriBUne Features
Football - Blake Blackmar (Dec. 13, 2018)
Volleyball - Braya Hunt (Nov. 29, 2018)
Soccer - Jackie Crowther (Nov. 16, 2018)
Cross Country - Alison Andrews-Paul (Nov. 8, 2018)
Football- Ira Lewis (Nov. 6, 2018)