The pride and power of Iowa State basketball's Audi Crooks

"We had a lot of bonding moments and arguments in the driveway. But it gave us something to do that we were in full control over. We were very competitive, and we had a lot of fun with it. No matter what time of year it was."

"In that driveway, Audi discovered how to maneuver her large frame through tight spaces. She learned how to stay light on her feet and finish gracefully through contact, even if that contact was a block attempt from her mom."

"Crooks is now a 6-foot-3 junior center at Iowa State and the nation's second-leading scorer. She averages 25.5 points, while shooting 64.7% from the field, and 7.8 rebounds per game. She's second on Iowa State's all-time scoring list."

Audi Crooks, a 6-foot-3 junior center at Iowa State, honed her basketball fundamentals through intense driveway competitions with her mother Michelle Cook, a former high school center. These backyard games taught Crooks how to maneuver her large frame through tight spaces, maintain footwork, and finish through contact. Now the nation's second-leading scorer averaging 25.5 points and shooting 64.7% from the field, Crooks has become one of women's college basketball's dominant forces. Despite her exceptional statistics and eight games scoring 30+ points this season, she faces criticism regarding her body composition and defensive capabilities from online commentators and arena spectators.

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