Grace Efosa’s story isn’t just about basketball, it is about resilience, belief and carving your own path. Long before she was suiting up for a Division I program, Grace was dribbling on outdoor courts with her siblings, teaching herself moves, and dreaming big. What followed was a journey led by highs and a few hurdles: high school success, two injuries, a distinguished D1 basketball career, graduate studies, and now, professional aspirations.
In this Q & A Grace walks us through the moments that pushed and shaped her as a player. The setbacks, the comebacks, the grind of being a collegiate athlete and the purpose that fuels her game today.
Falling In Love With The Game
Q: What originally drew you to basketball?
Grace: Basketball just felt like my speed. I started in fourth grade, just playing for fun. I didn’t have formal training. I was just dribbling down the court and hoping the shot went in! It got more serious when my siblings and I started watching NBA and college games together. That’s when we really fell in love with it. The love grew more and more for the game.
High School Success
Q: What was your High School experience like at Whittier Tech?
Grace: I came in as the underdog. My goal was just to make varsity as a Freshman. I had to teach myself so much before getting to High School—even basics like a left-hand layup. But, my freshman year went well. I did achieve my goal of making varsity as a Freshman. I was a fast-break player who averaged around 14 points a game. Sophomore year, I had more responsibility. I added pull-ups to my game and averaged around 23 points. Then, I injured my knee and I had to sit out my junior year. Senior year, I came back from my injury & worked on how to elevate my game. I added range in my shooting, I now was shooting three’s and averaged 24 points a game.
Q: Outside of basketball, were you involved in any other sports & how did playing different sports benefit you as an athlete?
Grace: I did track for two years and also played volleyball. Triple jump was my best track event, and volleyball gave me a mental break from basketball. COVID cut some of it short, but all the sports helped me stay active and work on my coordination.
Recruitment Process
Q: What was the recruitment process like for you as a player?
Grace: I played AAU for Evolution. During my freshman year I started to get interest from coaches by attending the tournaments down south, like in Kentucky and Atlanta. My Sophomore year is when Providence reached out and started to attended my games. Providence ended up offering me a scholarship, they were my first college offer!
Q: Why did you decided to attend Providence College?
Grace: Once I did my research I realized they were in a really good league, and my goal was to always play at a high level. Coach Jessica Jenkins was amazing, she recruited me. During conversations with her we spoke about basketball, but she also asked me about my family, things we had in common- it was a breath of fresh air. She was definitely one of the reasons why I committed. The campus was also beautiful, classes were walking distance to dorms, the basketball facility was brand new, the coaching staff was great. And when I went on my visit I got that warm feeling. It felt like home to me.
Q: During the recruitment stage, who supported and helped you through this process?
Grace: One of my Coaches, Coach Jim he drove me to practices, most of my games. If he didn’t help me then I really don’t know how I would have attended my games or practices. If it wasn’t for him most of this wouldn’t have happened, he was very loyal to me.
Q: What did your basketball and strength training workouts look like when you were being recruited?
Grace: Playing track in High School is where I did most of my strength training, We did core work, sled pulls, plyometric and speed work. After I had my injury, I attended PT where I learned more about my body, especially how to prevent further injuries. For basketball workouts, I would ask my mom to drive me to local courts to workout by myself or with my siblings.
Q: What advice would you give to a player who is currently going through the recruitment process?
Grace: I would say- go where you are welcome. That is the most important, go where you feel welcomed.
“Go Where You Are Welcome.”
-Grace Efosa
College Basketball: A Whole New World
Q: What was the jump from High School/AAU to Division 1 like?
Grace: I thought people were exaggerating saying that the jump is really hard from High School to college, but they were right. My Freshman year I didn’t play like myself, the freshman nerves. I was just trying my best to not make a mistake when I did get on to the court. Eventually I did get comfortable. It was a different system that I was used to playing, so I had to make adjustments in my game.
Q: During your Freshman year at Providence you endured another knee injury, how did that injury impact you as a player?
Grace: During the Big East Tournament my Freshman year, I tore my ACL, MCL and meniscus. I decided to stay at school during the summer/ off season to attend PT and rehab. During this time, Coach Jess (Jenkins) worked on our craft together- in my brace I worked on my shot in a chair and improved my balance. With this injury, my work ethic changed as a player. I was reflecting on my first year at Providence and recognized I really didn’t play like myself, and I didn’t want that to happen again. The summer going into my Sophomore year, we had a lot of Freshman coming in and new players, so we had an opportunity to change things. Players and I would get shots up before or after practices, then more players started to join us. They start seeing you do it, then they start to do it. That was the beginning of my mid range game. Just getting up so many reps with my coach helped me to improve my range again.
Q: What was a typical day for you as a Collegiate Athlete?
Grace: We had a slot practice time of 1:00-4:00. As an undergraduate I had classes in the morning around 8:30 up until practice time. But, before class I would go to the gym around 7:00-8:00, then attend classes. I would come back for practice, which would typically involve film and rehab before practice. If we were preparing for a game we would go over the scout before practice. After practice we would watch more film and attend more rehab. Then have a meal together or get dinner, then back to my dorm to chill before bed.
Q: How did you balance academics while playing at a high level?
Grace: Freshman year was difficult because of COVID & how to balance the Zoom classes. I had to really figure out what worked for me. My Sophomore year, I realized that I wanted to take early classes, so my classes were done for the day. We utilized planners and schedules for due dates. And utilized the Writing Center and resources when needed. My undergraduate major was Social Science and my Graduate Degree is in Global Education focusing on Multilingual Learners how to better equip them in the classroom. The teachers were very knowledgable and you could tell they loved what they did. But, overall find out what worked for you in terms of time management was a big key. I did take a lot of business and marketing classes, as well. And I did an Internship with Sports Marketing in the Media Department.
Future Plans Playing Pro
Q: Why do you want to continue to play basketball after college Professionally?
Grace: I love it! I also love traveling, I do not love planes though. I wasn’t ready to give it up yet. I still have goals to achieve. I want to play professionally. I want a chance at the WNBA. I want some type of chance-wether that is a training camp, a look, I want some type of chance! I want to continue elevating my game. It will be different that I won’t have my coaches, it will be hard, but also fun to kind of do this by myself. I will be going to Nigeria to play for the AfroBasket. We will be playing other countries in Africa.
Q: What was the process like for deciding where to play in Europe Professionally?
Grace: I spoke with different agents, then stuck with an agent that was a good fit for me. The agent would put in different offers for teams, then we would speak about which offer was good for me. This process reminded me of when I was being recruited, and who I felt comfortable speaking with. I decided that I will be going to Portugal to play professionally.
“Be Free, Just Play.”
-Grace Efosa
Final Thoughts from Grace
Q: If you could go back & talk to your Freshman year college self what would you say to her?
Grace: Play the way you play. I wish I made more mistakes playing how I play, instead of playing timidly. One of my college coaches helped to switch my headspace, no one really cares about your mistakes, it matters how you respond to it.
Q: What lessons did you learn from basketball that you carry with yourself off of the court?
Grace: Hard work can take you very far and respect your teammates and coaches on and off the court. Your coaches will yell and try to teach you, but I always will use my upbringing to show respect. There is fun in basketball!
Q: If you could go back to Grace in fourth grade playing basketball for the first time, what would you say to her that would help?
Grace: Be free, just play. If you miss a layup, you miss a layup. If you dribble the ball off your foot, you dribble the ball off your foot. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake.
Grace Efosa’s story is one of self-belief, dedication, hard work and growing into the player you want to be despite obstacles in your way. She is still chasing her dreams and writing her story. But, if her past is any indication, her future is going to be powerful. We will be here rooting for Grace every step of the way!
Written by: Katie Zenevitch-Reyes (Hardwood Hustle Client Success Manager & Coach)