Tajaleya Smith-McCord can anticipate plays before they even occur, and she plays hard every possession. Tajaleya showed superb anticipation by expertly reading the court, disrupting the passing lanes, keeping an eye on the offense, and making plenty of transition opportunities for her teammates. During one point in the match Tajaleya, acting as defender, kept her focus locked on the opposing team’s point guard. Tajaleya swiftly jumped the passing lane right before the pass was thrown, and executed a steal that led directly to a fast-break layup.

Tajaleya also made sure to play extremely hard for possessions when they came her way. After missing a shot, Tajaleya shrugged it off and sprinted right back on defense. Then immediately fought for the defensive rebound on the next possession. Tajaleya was completely relentless on every single possession, and constantly created several hustle plays on both ends of the court, showing she has what it takes to be a great athlete.

With fantastic form, coachability, and good sportsmanship, Tajaleya Smith-McCord expertly combines these attributes in a way that makes her stand out from the rest. Let’s start with excellent form, which she showed in three ways; Layup, Tajaleya frequently finished at the rim while maintaining near-perfect footwork, touching the backboard, all while retaining complete body control. Passing, Tajaleya showcased good passing mechanics and would execute crisp and precise passes with proper technique. Defensive stance, no matter what happened on the court Tajaleya would consistently maintain fabulous defensive form by keeping her feet active, remaining low, and using strategic hand placement all without reaching.

Her sportsmanship shone bright in the way she; would compete with respect, keep her composure, and display an elevated air of professionalism towards her teammates, her opponents, and the officials. Tajaleya could be seen helping her opponents up when they fell, offering the opposing team praise when the match was finished, and constantly keeping a positive attitude through the match, her radiant smile never left her face. Tajaleya also showed strong levels of coachability in addition to her other attributes. At one point in the match, her coach called her team in for a huddle and spoke to her giving her direction. Tajaleya paid close attention and immediately implemented her coach’s teaching in her gameplay, showing how positively she reacted to feedback.