Veteran pro Schaquilla Nunn is enjoying playing near home with UPSHOT League

After almost a decade of playing professionally around the world in Australia, Egypt, Germany, Iran, Lebanon, Poland, Portugal and Hungary, professional basketball player Schaquilla Nunn is reveling in the U.S.-based playing opportunity provided by the UPSHOT League. She plays for the Charlotte Crown, currently in second place in the standings as the teams push toward the new league’s first playoffs.

“I came a little later on into the season because I still had obligations overseas, but once I was able to come here, I have enjoyed it,” said Nunn, the 32-year-old post player. “Some of the girls I either played against overseas or you hear about. It’s been a good experience.”

Nunn played three years at Winthrop University in South Carolina, redshirting her senior year due to injury. With a year of eligibility remaining after completing her bachelor’s degree, she became a Lady Vol at the University of Tennessee. In the spring of 2017, she was a third-round pick in the WNBA Draft but did not make a roster. That kicked off her global travels, where she appreciated the new opportunities to play the game she loves.

“They’re all different experiences, but altogether I’ve loved every single one of them,” Nunn said. “I’ve loved learning [about] different cultures. I’ve loved meeting new people. Learning how to play with different styles of play … but the goals were the same. Everybody is competitive. It’s finding how to work in that system or make a system that works well for all of us.”

The WNBA remains a goal for her professional career. She noted her family would “go crazy” to see her in a WNBA uniform. That said, she absolutely offers praise to the UPSHOT League for giving her the chance to share her hardwood journey with her family.

“Playing in the U.S. is one of the experiences I love to have for my family, where they can see me,” said Nunn, who is from Georgia. “They came to visit me in Savannah and Charlotte. The fact they’re able to see me in person is just different. They watch my overseas games online, but it’s different where they’re in person. I hear them in the stands, I see them and after games and I’m able to spend time with them. I’ve loved that.”

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