In the midst of her second year with the Las Vegas Aces, WNBA star Jackie Young continues to be an inspiration to local players since her humble start at Princeton Community High School in her native Princeton, Indiana.
“It’s really amazing to see how many people still follow me,” says Young. “The support has been unreal, and I am super blessed to have such a great fan base back home.”
Named 2016 IndyStar Miss Basketball and McDonald’s All American, the 6-foot guard was featured in the March/April 2016 issue of Evansville Living when she broke the girls and boys Indiana leading career scores with 3,160 career points her senior year.
Young had an equally successful run with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, averaging 14.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game her final season. It was during Young’s college career that A’mya Stone, Bosse High School girls basketball point/shooting guard, first noticed her.
After watching Young in the 2019 championship game against Baylor, Stone was solidified as a loyal fan, supporting her 22-year-old idol as she left school junior year and became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft.
For Stone, who fulfilled her dream of seeing Young play live in Phoenix while visiting family last year, Young’s rookie performance — averaging 6.6 points per game and joining the 2019 WNBA All-Rookie team — was an inspirational message.
“Be positive and never give up on yourself, because if you keep working, you can get to that level that Jackie got to,” says Stone.
While Stone focuses on her junior year, Young continues through the 2020 season — practicing, playing, and living in the WNBA bubble — with the team she says feels like family.
“I’m just trying to help wherever I can,” says Young. “I think it’s all about my mindset and just coming in and being aggressive and assertive.”
Basketball Star
aces.wnba.com
