Inside the emerging superstardom of Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes

"The backdrop to her early childhood was the annoying staccato of a dribbling basketball in central New Jersey. It was the rhythm of her older brother's practice, set by her father. Mikayla, still small enough to vanish inside an oversized hoodie, would often retreat from the incessant squeak of sneakers, and find a quiet corner where she could curl up and doze off until the workout was finally over."

"She is now firmly established in the family business, even if she did catch on late. Her father, Monroe Blakes, was already an accomplished name, a Hall of Famer both at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia and at Saint Michael's College, a Division II school in Vermont. Her brother, Jaylen, 22, immediately followed that path, which led to a playing career that took him to Duke, Stanford, and then to pro ball in Israel."

Mikayla Blakes used to fall asleep in gyms while watching her brother and her father's practices. The backdrop to her early childhood was the staccato dribbling of a basketball in central New Jersey and the incessant squeak of sneakers. After an impressive freshman campaign, Blakes has become an All-American guard for Vanderbilt and is leading a resurgent Commodores squad. Her father, Monroe Blakes, was a Hall of Famer at West Catholic High School and Saint Michael's College. Her brother Jaylen followed a path to Duke, Stanford and then to pro ball in Israel. Early exposure lacked women players, making the sport feel like a boy sport.

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