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Arizona commit Maya Nnaji’s aspirations extend far beyond basketball

Maya Nnaji led Hopkins to its eighth Minnesota Class AAAA state title on Monday. (Courtesy of Apham Nnaji)

Maya Nnaji is one of the 10 best high school basketball players in the country, a three-time state champion and a McDonald’s All-American.

But those close to the Arizona commit know basketball doesn’t define her; it’s just a part of who she is.

Nnaji, the Hopkins High School (Minnetonka, Minn.) senior, is an aspiring doctor who provides care packages to homeless people across Minneapolis; an amateur writer whose teacher encouraged her to turn a short story into a novel; and a trustee in the Nnaji Family Foundation, which is building basketball courts and educational centers across Nigeria.

“[Athlete] is what she is now,” said Gillian McNeal, one of Nnaji’s former teachers. “But the skills and things she learned, she’s taking it and branching out in so many ways. She’s going to help the world.”

Nnaji, 18, counts Maya Moore as a role model, and not just because of the WNBA MVP’s on-court accomplishments: Nnaji watched in awe as Moore stepped away from the game at her peak in 2019 to fight for social justice and help free Jonathan Irons, who was serving a 50-year prison sentence for a crime he did not commit.

“She knows she has bigger things to chase and more important things to work on,” Nnaji said of Moore. “People maybe didn’t understand her decision, but it really resonated with me.”

Nnaji’s holistic worldview is by design. Her parents, Apham and Janel, have always made sure their children’s interests stretch beyond sports. Nnaji, her younger sister Josie and her older brother Zeke, who now plays for the Denver Nuggets, join their parents on regular trips to Apham’s native Nigeria. All three children are also musically inclined — Nnaji has sung the national anthem before games, Zeke is a virtuoso piano player and Josie plays the piano and guitar. And then there’s the extra classwork.

“My parents made sure we filled our extra time with doing extra schoolwork,” Maya said. “Doing extra math stuff, doing a lot of reading, doing a lot of writing, practicing spelling and making sure we’re excelling in everything we can do.”

That includes helping others. Nnaji hopes to follow in Moore’s footsteps, whatever direction that might take her in — even if it means stepping away from the game earlier than expected.

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The Nnaji Family Foundation (Courtesy of Apham Nnaji)

Nnaji’s desire to be of service to disadvantaged populations stretches back to the beginning of high school.

For a ninth-grade community service project, Nnaji decided to give out care packages around Minneapolis. She, Janel and Josie bought paper bags and blankets from Menards, fruits, vegetables and bread from Sam’s Club and Costco, and toiletries from the Dollar Store. They put together individual packages and drove around the city, offering them to the homeless.

“I didn’t give them a house. I didn’t give them a bunch of money,” Nnaji said. “I could do more to save their lives. But I felt like it was so touching to see the small act of kindness just make their whole day.”

Nnaji and Josie continue to deliver care packages today and have named the informal initiative “Silent Strength.”

That same year, in McNeal’s language arts class, Nnaji penned a powerful story on civil rights and police brutality.

“The kid grew up in a family, and they all did everything right,” Nnaji said, describing the story. “Then his dad was killed from a gang-initiation and his mom was killed being pulled over by a cop. It talks about the system of oppression that Black people are in. No matter how hard you work, you can work twice as hard and still be taken by the system.”

McNeal was so impressed, she told Nnaji to turn the short story into a novel.

“A ninth grader writing like this is uncanny,” McNeal said. “I remember bringing it back and saying, ‘I don’t even know what to say. This was unreal and I think I need you to make this into a book.’

“To get this voice out there, especially in the times we are living in now, this is such a strong voice and it’s actually being written by a teen, which has a whole other level of impact on people.”

The book remains a work in progress, but Apham has promised to get it published if her daughter finishes writing. McNeal said she wants an autographed copy.

Nnaji’s perspective is informed in part by those family trips to Nigeria, where she came across families unable to get necessary medical care because they lacked money for hospital visits.

“You have people dying from simple and curable diseases,” Nnaji said.

Arizona offered Nnaji, a 6-foot-4 forward who averaged 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds this season, a pathway to pursue basketball and medicine. A Zoom call with Arizona President Dr. Robert Robbins was a major factor in her decision. A cardiac surgeon and former president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center, Riggins promised to write letters of recommendation and mentor Maya.

“The plan has already been set in place for her,” Apham said. “She’ll be doing summer school to catch up. The whole thing is set up for her to be successful.”

And Nnaji is already thinking about how to best maximize her time. She has applied for Arizona’s Accelerated Pathway to Medical Education program, which would allow her to finish undergraduate and medical school in seven years, instead of eight.

“I know I’m doing it for more than just myself,” Nnaji said. “I’m doing it for thousands and thousands of people who will be able to benefit, and thousands of people I can save and help.”

On a recruiting visit to Arizona in October, helping others wasn’t far from Nnaji’s mind. During a meal with coaches, Nnaji noticed some food had been left untouched. Knowing she wasn’t going to eat the leftovers, she boxed it up, and Arizona head coach Adia Barnes drove her around Tucson as they delivered it to the needy.

“Coach Adia was saying it’s awesome you care so much for so many people,” Nnaji recalled. “She was saying, ‘When you get here, we can do it more often, anytime we’re on road trips or we can have the fans come and do a food donation, do a food drive and deliver it to people around the city as well.’”

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The Nnaji Family Foundation, founded shortly after Zeke was drafted into the NBA in 2020, plans to build five basketball courts and educational centers across Nigeria and hold basketball camps across the U.S., including in Fort Collins, Colo.

As a trustee in the foundation, Nnaji is working with Josie to design jerseys kids will wear at those camps.

“In terms of overall vision, they are intimately involved,” said Apham, who co-founded the foundation with Zeke. “They are kids. They know what other kids want.”

The foundation wants to help 300 Nigerian children learn the game of basketball and get hands-on technological training, an experience most college graduates in Nigeria don’t receive, Apham said.

Feeding the hungry is also a priority, with the foundation recently providing 26 meals to families in Nigeria.

“My family, we’ve always vowed that if we’re ever successful, we’re going to make sure to give back first,” Nnaji said. “That’s what we’re doing.”

Much like UConn star Paige Bueckers, her former Hopkins teammate, Nnaji wants to be an inspiration for thousands of girls. But her dreams don’t end there.

Moore gave up basketball for a higher cause. Nnaji’s professional career is still years away, but she’s already prepared to make a similar sacrifice.

“It might be something I have to do,” Nnaji said, her voice taking on a solemn tone, “step away from a game I love to be able to help people that I love.”

Phillip Suitts is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has worked at a variety of outlets, including The Palm Beach Post and Southeast Missourian, and done a little bit of everything from reporting to editing to running social media accounts. He was born in Atlanta but currently lives in wintry Philadelphia. Follow Phillip on Twitter @PhillipSuitts.

Top Tennis Stars Crash Out of Wimbledon in the First Round

US tennis star Coco Gauff reacts to her 2025 Wimbledon first-round loss to Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.
World No. 2 Coco Gauff fell to Ukraine's unseeded Dayana Yastremska in the first round of 2025 Wimbledon on Tuesday. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

The grass court chaos of Wimbledon didn't disappoint this week, as the unpredictable surface claimed more than one surprise victim in the 2025 Grand Slam's first round.

A full 10 of the London tournament's 32 seeded players fell in the competition's first round, including four of the WTA's Top 10: World No. 2 Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 6 Qinwen Zheng, and No. 9 Paula Badosa.

"I should just play no tournaments, get no wins, then roll into Wimbledon, and maybe I'll have better results," US star Pegula joked after her two-set Tuesday loss to Italy's No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto, referencing her recent wins.

Gauff's short Wimbledon outing also represented a new challenge for the 21-year-old standout, as the top-ranked US tennis player struggled to bounce back after winning the 2025 French Open last month.

"I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards," Gauff told ESPN. "So I didn’t feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it."

The upsets continued as Wimbledon entered its second round on Wednesday morning, claiming several more seeded players like world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini and No. 15 Diana Shnaider, though both No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and unseeded fan favorite Naomi Osaka cruised into the Slam's third round on two-set wins.

No. 8 Madison Keys now leads the US contingent, with fellow US contender No. 12 Amanda Anisimova joining the 2025 Australian Open champion in snagging their own two-set, second-round victories on Wednesday.

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon Championships

Second-round play at the 2025 Wimbledon women's singles tournament continues on Thursday, as seven US players — including No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 28 Sofia Kenin — look to advance to the competition's third round.

Live continuous coverage of the London Grand Slam airs on ESPN.

USWNT Faces Rivals Canada in Final Summer Friendly

USWNT players Alyssa Thompson and Sam Meza eye the ball during a June 2025 training camp.
The USWNT will face Canada in their final summer friendly on Wednesday. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

The world No. 1 USWNT will close out their summer international break against a familiar foe on Wednesday night, facing North American rival No. 8 Canada for the first time this year.

"It's never friendly, you know? It's always like a final," US midfielder Sam Coffey told media earlier this week. "We all know each other super well."

"I'm really excited to be a part of it again for our younger, newer players," she continued. "I think it's going to be a huge learning opportunity on what representing this crest means."

The Northern neighbors are the USWNT's most frequent opponent, with the US entering the pair's 67th meeting with a 53-4-9 all-time record against Canada.

Wednesday's matchup will also mark Canada's first US clash under new head coach Casey Stoney, who joined the team in January following her abrupt June 2024 dismissal by the NWSL's San Diego Wave FC.

As for US boss Emma Hayes, she'll be looking for yet another refreshed set of starters on Wednesday after swapping out all 11 players between the team's two friendlies against Ireland last week.

"It's a testament to players and staff alike that we can rotate to different groups like we did last game, and everybody's understanding [the tactics] to varying degrees," Hayes said on Tuesday.

With months to go before the next USWNT camp in October, Wednesday's showdown serves as the last chance for bubble players to prove their worth, all while the team aims to cap the summer window with a big win over their longtime rivals.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Canada on Wednesday

The USWNT will cap their three-friendly summer break against Canada at 7:30 PM ET in Washington, DC.

Live coverage of the clash will air on TNT.

Indiana Upsets Minnesota, Wins WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Without Clark

The Indiana Fever celebrate and lift the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup trophy.
The Indiana Fever upset the Minnesota Lynx to win the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Indiana Fever lifted their first trophy since 2012 on Tuesday night, winning the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup with a 74-59 upset victory over reigning Cup champs Minnesota — all while injured star guard Caitlin Clark watched from the sidelines.

To snag the win, Indiana leaned on balanced scoring, with forward Natasha Howard's 16-point, 12-rebound double-double leading the Fever's five double-digit shooters.

At the same time, the Fever employed a shutdown defense, limiting the Lynx to their lowest point total of the season.

Beyond the $500,000 payout, Tuesday's win gives the 8-8 Fever a momentum boost as the team continues contending with both high-profile departures and the limited availability of their floor general.

"We have a resilient group, you know?" Indiana head coach Stephanie White said after the game. "They're tough, mentally and physically, they pull for one another. I'm just really proud."

"It felt good to get a win under gut-check circumstances," echoed guard Kelsey Mitchell. "To have so much going on and still stay consistently for each other, it was beautiful. It felt really amazing."

As for the league-leading Lynx, the Commissioner's Cup loss won't impact Minnesota's regular-season WNBA standings — and they’ll hope to build on the learnings from last night's ego blow.

Minnesota also has a bit of history one their side, as the last two Commissioner's Cup runners-up went on to win the WNBA Championship in the same year.

"We have to take this game to heart and learn from the mistakes we made, the way we showed up, the way we prepared, and make sure we don't do it again," said Lynx center Alanna Smith.

How to watch the Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx this week

Neither 2025 Commissioner's Cup contender will have much time to reflect on Tuesday's game, as both Indiana and Minnesota will dive back into regular-season WNBA play on Thursday.

The Fever will host the Las Vegas Aces at 7 PM ET, airing on Prime, before the Washington Mystics visit the Lynx at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Indiana Fever Guard Sophie Cunningham Sounds Off on WNBA Expansion

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham speaks to reporters before the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham expressed concern about the new WNBA expansion cities. (David Dow /NBAE via Getty Images)

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham turned heads on Tuesday, criticizing the latest WNBA expansion plans in light of ongoing WNBPA CBA negotiations.

Cunningham drew ire from some fans after expressing skepticism about the WNBA awarding expansion teams to Detroit and Cleveland over other possible cities, while also suggesting that the league might be growing too quickly.

"You want to listen to your players, too. Where do they want to play?" she told reporters ahead of Indiana's Commissioner's Cup win. "I'm not so sure what the thought process is there, but at the end of the day, you want to make sure that you're not expanding our league too fast."

"It's kind of a hard decision-making situation. But man, I don't know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland]."

Elsewhere, Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally also voiced her expansion concerns on Tuesday, calling on the WNBA to keep player support at the forefront when adding expansion teams.

"We really have to put an emphasis on the players that are in our league right now," she told reporters. "Maybe focus on the teams that find excuses continuously to lack investment in their players before we focus on adding more to the grain of people that can't really be sustained."

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