HOUSTON – When it’s game time, Mya Hollingshed is in the paint and in her competitor’s face.
Off the court, her grandfather would describe her as the girl next door.
“She’s not your typical basketball player,” said Hollingshed’s grandfather, Joe Walker.
Joe and her mother Modeane Walker are her biggest fans.
“She’s our star,” Joe said.
They also hold the title of mom and “Papa,” giving them a front-row seat to Hollingshed’s success.
“It was unbelievable, to be honest with you,” Joe said.
From an awkward middle schooler to AAU basketball star and University of Colorado women’s basketball standout, Walker is a seasoned baller.
“She went back for her fifth year and did phenomenally. She made it to the NCAA tournament and the rest is history,” Modeane said.
On April 11, the Bellaire High School graduate was the eighth overall pick in the 2022 WNBA draft by the Las Vegas Aces.
“When they did it, I was like, ‘Yo, what,’” Hollingshed recalled.
The basketball star is already in Vegas, but KPRC 2 caught up with her while she was in between practices.
“My younger self would say, ‘Dang, I didn’t know you could do it for real,’” she said.
The forward is known for draining 3′s -- standing tall at nearly 6′4, the ball of success is officially in her court.
“Being tall is definitely an attribute,” Mya said. “It’s definitely not anything negative. So, don’t feel small, feel tall. Rock your stuff!”