Star on
the Rise
A chat with Taja Cole
Hoops Elite Basketball sat down to talk with the University of Louisville recruit star guard, Taja Cole. Before
taking the trip to Louisville from her hometown in Richmond, Virginia, Cole gave her first interview to HEM
and talks about basketball, her clothing line and the road to Kentucky.
HEM -Thanks for taking the time to chat with
us, Taja. Let’s jump right into it as we have so
much we want to learn about you. First things
first, when did you start playing basketball?
TC – Thanks for having me. I started
playing basketball when I was 7.
HEM - What does your training regime
consist of?
TJ - I have multiple trainers for different
reason. I have a speed and agility trainer,
a point guard/defense/IQ trainer and
2 shooting trainers; one for form and
consistency and the other for ways to get
your shot off quicker so it can be affective.
No matter what trainer I’m with I still try
to incorporate ball handling, defense and
footwork in my workout, because those
are 2 very key parts of my game.
HEM - What is your drive to play basketball?
TJ - My drive to play comes from my love
for the game. I grew up around basketball
and I guess my family’s passion and “gohard” rubbed off on me. Also, my sister
passed away after giving birth so I feel
like I don’t only live and play for myself
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anymore… what I do is for her. I strive daily
to be an even better person so I can be a
role model in my nephew’s life.
HEM – Is there a player in college or the
WNBA that you consider your skills most
mimic?
TJ - Yes, Diana Taurasi. I think I mimic her
game by watching how good she sees the
floor. I try to do the same. Some people ask
how many points they scored after the game
but for me… I want to know how many assist
I had. It’s a big thing to me to get my team
involved. I like to score, but I also like to do
whatever I have to do to see my teammates
shine and to get the win. And I think I learned
a little bit of that from DT3.
HEM - When did you realize that you were
better than most in basketball?
TJ - Probably whe