At just 13 years old, Sara Nezaj has already received an offer from an American university to join their team when she reaches the appropriate age. The competition among universities and colleges in the USA is fierce, and all these institutions strive to discover the best talents as quickly as possible.
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Recently named one of the 25 Best Basketball Players in America for her age group, Sara's achievement is significant when considering the thousands of girls playing basketball in schools across the United States.
Watching her game footage (one of which I've included below) is enough to witness her dominance on the basketball court—under the hoop, from a distance, in dribbling, and everywhere else.
I had the pleasure of interviewing this Albanian-American girl about her aspirations in sports, her family, and her future plans.
The Only Girl Playing with Boys
Sara Nezaj began playing basketball at the age of just 6. Girls didn't play with balls where she lived, but that didn't stop her from getting involved. She was the only girl playing among the boys and played so well that she quickly became an indispensable part of the basketball court.
"I found something I was really good at, where I could dominate, and I never looked back," says the talented 13-year-old in an interview with the Albanian-American newspaper "Illyria" in New York.
School provided her with the opportunity to regularly engage in basketball. In American schools, girls are given as much opportunity to engage in sports as boys. Sara quickly made a name for herself on youth teams.
Currently, Sara Nezaj plays with Elite Palisades, a team sponsored by a program for developing the best talents in New York and New Jersey.
Her success has left an impression on everyone who has followed her.
Even before starting high school, she has been announced as one of the 25 Candidates of the Class of 2028 in All of America.
When she goes to college, she may play professionally for the college or university she chooses to study at.
Although she is only 13, she has already received her first offer, from Stony Brook University.
The competition among universities in the USA is very strong, even in sports, and all are competing to invite the best sports talents to study at their institutions, so they can play for them.
They continually keep an eye on what is happening at the high school level. Sara is so good that the interest in her has already begun.
Several video clips circulating on social networks give an idea of the talent she possesses and why she is being sought after even now.
Passionate about Basketball - Her Idol? LeBron James
During the interview, I asked her how she became such a strong and skilled player.
"Reaching the point and level of skills that I am at today hasn't been easy," she says. "It took me many long hours in the gym and a lot of dedication to improve."
"Although I've come a long way, I still have a lot of work ahead of me to reach where I want to be," she adds with modesty and realism.
Is it in her plans to make basketball her profession in life? Absolutely. "I hope that one day I'll be so good that I'll play in the WNBA," she says.
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship is one of the strongest championships in the world. The Albanian-American girl has all the opportunities to achieve this dream.
Her favorite basketball player? LeBron James. "I'm extremely impressed with how he plays," she says, "because of the explosive way he attacks the hoop."