Sooner Profile: Abi Olajuwon

NORMAN, Okla. -- Abi Olajuwon is used to playing under a shadow.

Growing up with a father who is one of the greatest to ever play the game, she initially shied away from basketball, not because she was didn't feel she could escape the shadow of her dad, but simply because she was around the sport so much. Eventually she realized basketball was simply in her blood and she could not avoid it any longer.

Fast-forward to high school, where Abi began to make a name for herself on the hardwood. A three-time All-State First Team selection and McDonald's All-American as a senior, Olajuwon was one of the most sought after recruits in the country.

With her decision to come to Oklahoma, Olajuwon found herself in a shadow, this time that of 2007 AP National Player of the Year Courtney Paris.

True to form, Olajuwon has again began to establish her own reputation and is intent on doing everything she can to make the team better. With a year of college basketball under her belt and an offseason spent mostly in the gym and the weight room, she is primed for a breakout season.

We recently sat down with Abi to talk about some of her experiences growing up and how she and the rest of her teammates have come together with one common goal.

On what it was like growing up with her father:
"It was a great experience. I got to travel a lot when I was younger and got to be around a lot of great players which was an opportunity that was priceless for me. I was around the sport so much that initially I didn't want to pursue it, but it just seemed to be engrained in me so much when I was younger that I decided I wanted to play. I really enjoyed all the experiences I had growing up."

On why she initially didn't want to pursue basketball:
"Initially it was just because I was around the sport so much, pretty much 24 hours a day. Being around my dad, it was so much of a job for him. There is no offseason. He trained and worked with his team so much that I didn't know if I was ready at a young age to make that type of commitment. Once I felt like that was my calling and was willing to put in the work, I understood that's what I needed to do."

On how her experiences growing up differ from other members of the team:
"As a team, we come from such different backgrounds and we reminisce a lot. It's so diverse on our team so there are a lot of experiences I may have that Jenna (Plumley) might not have. And Jenna, growing up here and being Native American, might have a lot of stuff that Courtney might not know. Everyone together just brings a really different background to our team."

On how the team's chemistry has developed with players from so many different backgrounds:
"Even though we all come from different backgrounds we all have one common goal and that's what you strive for. We all want to win a national championship, are willing to work hard and we're determined. So we use those similarities we all have and are work towards the same goals. Once you find that common goal, there's no need for being selfish. Everyone on the team is selfless and is just trying to get to that goal."

On the biggest thing she learned in her first year at OU:
"When you're a freshman everything is so new. The whole college experience is so much different just being on the team and traveling. Coming in for my sophomore year, I just feel so much more acclimated with the system and it makes things a lot easier. Once you really know how to get everything done that's necessary, then you can strive for other things that you're determined to do, which is make the team better."

On what she worked on over the summer to prepare for this season:
"I did a lot of post work. I knew Courtney was going to be gone a lot of the summer and during our preseason so I felt like it was more my responsibility to make sure I was ready and prepared for when practice came around. I also got some classes done during the summer so that when the season starts I can focus not only on academics, but a lot on athletics."

On her expectations both individually and for the team this year:
"My expectation is for everyone to work hard and to be determined. We have so much athleticism on our team that as long as we all come together with our one common goal, which at this point is not winning a national championship -- we make smaller goals every day in practice so we have something to look forward to. Right now I feel like if everyone gives everything they're supposed to then there's no way we can't get to where we need to."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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