Allen Community College student and basketball player Jakira Wilson was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Feb. 16, 1998. She attended Del City High School, where she was a standout basketball player and a state champion in the 100 meters in 2016.

Majoring in physical therapy, Wilson said she chose to attend Allen for a simple reason “I just wanted to further my basketball career; that’s where my passion is,” she said.

While attending Allen, Wilson said her experience has been different. “It has been a big culture shock for me coming from the city,” she noted. “I focus primarily on basketball here at Allen, but back home I can go to the mall, movies and hang with friends”.

Wilson spends most of her leisure time with the tutors making sure that her grades are kept up.  Her goals this year as a basketball player are to practice hard, play hard, and earn a division 1 scholarship to further her basketball career and education at Texas Tech University.

A typical practice and workout schedule for Wilson is not quite like that of any other athlete. By 12:15 p.m. she’s in the trainer’s room heating up her legs. At 12:30 she is on the court doing lay-up drills, reverse lay ups, bank shots, and free throws, then at 1 o’clock she is ready for team practice.

Wilson feels that Head Coach Todd Buchanan is a big support system for her.

“He is there for all of his players when they need him,” she said. “I feel that my teammates and I can improve on communication on the court that will make us a standout team.”

Wilson has been playing basketball for six years and started in middle school. A guard, she hopes to go pro after college.

“I want to be in the first round draft pick in the WNBA, or go overseas to play ball, but my backup plan is to be a physical therapist,” she said.

Her hobby on her off-season is to play basketball in the gym and hang with friends.  Her siblings drive her to stay focused each and every day.

“I feel like I’m doing all of this for them,” she said.