As a little girl, Tee Tee Starks鈥 best days were spent far away from a basketball court. Her fondest memories were spent with her grandfather, Fred Anderson.
Anderson would make her laugh and smile. He picked her up from school and took her to the movies.
And, on special days, he would take her to work. Anderson spent more than 25 years as a criminal defense investigator; little Tee Tee was 鈥渉is little sidekick,鈥 she said. Anderson gave his granddaughter a briefcase to take to the office. So what if it was empty?
鈥淪till, it meant the world to me,鈥 she said. 鈥淕oing to work with him was just one of the special things we did together.鈥
The time sparked a passion for law enforcement that will outlast Starks鈥 playing career. Starks and the 蜜柚直播 Wildcats will host Idaho in Thursday鈥檚 WNIT round of 16 game in McKale Center.
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鈥淚 always believe that basketball isn鈥檛 going to last forever; you are not going to be able to play forever,鈥 Starks said. 鈥淗aving something other than a sport that you are passionate about is amazing.鈥
Anderson died in 2010 at age 62, meaning that he didn鈥檛 see his granddaughter earn a college basketball scholarship. He鈥檇 be proud of the fact that, off the court, Starks is following in his shoes.
Starks is majoring in criminal justice studies and is interning with the UAPD. As an intern she spends her time shadowing many officers in the department. Her work has included making maps of crimes, analyzing different crimes that happen on campus and helping log in evidence on a big case. Starks wants to become a crime analyst after graduation.
The juggling of basketball, school and the internship has become harder during the postseason. Starks has done her best to make it work.
鈥淵ou learn as you go on the (WNIT) games and the practices get scheduled as you keep winning. Nothing is concrete right now. So it鈥檚 hard to schedule hours because you don鈥檛 know what it鈥檚 going to be. I鈥檝e been trying to work when I can,鈥 Starks said. 鈥淎t times it can get demanding, but the staff at the police department is super supportive. They watch games, they cheer for me and the team, as well. They have been supportive of the schedule, as well. It鈥檚 been easy to manage everything.鈥
Tee Tee Starks says you have to be 鈥渢hinking on the fly鈥 in basketball. That attribute is also key in law enforcement, which she plans to make a career.
Coach Adia Barnes believes the forward鈥檚 approach to the game will continue to make her stand out. Starks 鈥渉as that mentality; she is not going to quit,鈥 Barnes said.
鈥淓ven if she can鈥檛 walk, she will crawl to where she needs to get. I think that鈥檚 what separates good from great, people who are successful and people that aren鈥檛. She is going to make it and she is going to reach her goals.鈥
Starks has been a spark for the Wildcats, whether she鈥檚 coming off the bench or playing in the starting lineup. A lockdown defender, she鈥檚 managed eight steals in the last two games against Idaho State and Pacific.
Starks sees many skills she has gained in basketball influencing her career 鈥 like her ability to react quickly and anticipate what鈥檚 coming next.
鈥淥ne thing that helps is thinking on the fly,鈥 she said. 鈥淚n a career like law enforcement, a lot of things happen quickly and being able to work on the fly with limited information. Also being able to effectively work on a team. In law enforcement just being able to work collectively in a group and being able to attain a goal.鈥
And how about her grit?
鈥淚鈥檝e been wanting to do law enforcement for a long time,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ometimes I second-guess myself because I am not necessarily the most authoritative person. I am more laid-back; calm and collected. In a profession like law enforcement you have to be in charge, vocalize what you need and be very outspoken. That鈥檚 not necessarily me. But I鈥檝e learned over time if I want to do something, I am determined to do and I鈥檓 going to put my best foot forward and try to do it. So I鈥檝e taken that approach and I think that helps.鈥
While Starks may not think she鈥檚 been outspoken, she has found her own ways to lead the team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the way she carries herself. It鈥檚 the way she is ready and dressed for the internship and goes. She鈥檚 not scrambling around and late,鈥 Barnes said. 鈥淪o stuff like that, that鈥檚 just the part where she doesn鈥檛 have to talk about, they just see it.
鈥淪he鈥檚 going to be successful. She鈥檒l be a kick-butt detective or whatever she decides to do, she鈥檒l do it. If she says she is going to do something, she does it. You can always rely on her. I think those are things you look for in the workforce. You look for consistency, reliability, someone who works hard. She has all those traits. That鈥檚 why when it was her last year here, I said 鈥榟ey, you need to come back.鈥 I didn鈥檛 care if she was hurt and would miss some of the summer and have to shut it down for a while. I didn鈥檛 care about that, because her value in so many other ways was outweighed than missing a month of practice.鈥
Former Wildcat Adefeso all-in on ticket challenge
Danielle Adefeso saw other former Wildcats rallying to buy Zona Zoo tickets for the WNIT and knew she had to get involved.
Adefeso, who played at the UA from 2001-05, helped raise money to purchase a total of 350 tickets for the Wildcats鈥 three WNIT games. She joins a list of benefactors that includes UA president Robert C. Robbins, athletic director Dave Heeke, men鈥檚 basketball coach Sean Miller, softball coach Mike Candrea and New Orleans Pelicans forward Solomon Hill.
It was Hill鈥檚 Instagram post 鈥 and purchase of 125 tickets for last week鈥檚 WNIT opener against Idaho State 鈥 that initially got Adefeso involved. Adefeso owns a clothing line, HGHT, that caters to tall men.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important, the right thing to do,鈥 Adefeso said. 鈥淲omen deserve the same recognition as men do, and I thought if I could shed some light on what they are doing 鈥 and it鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Month. It鈥檚 a good thing to be playing basketball in March as a woman.鈥
Plus, she said, being a former player is 鈥渁 sisterhood 鈥 women who support women and the ticket thing was just to show Adia we鈥檝e got her back.鈥
Barnes said the support 鈥 whether it鈥檚 a purchased ticket or a positive text 鈥 has been overwhelming. The UA has expanded its free-ticket program to include military members.
鈥淛ust to know that Solomon Hill hasn鈥檛 been here, doesn鈥檛 know our team, doesn鈥檛 know me personally, is just supporting. It means a lot,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ow, I鈥檓 going to be supporting him if he ever has a challenge for charity. I鈥檓 all in.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 about giving back. That鈥檚 what we do at 蜜柚直播. You are part of a family, an extended family. That鈥檚 how it鈥檚 always been here. And that鈥檚 how I鈥檓 building the women鈥檚 program to be, like Sean (Miller) and Lute (Olson) have done with the men鈥檚 program. All the overwhelming support has been fabulous. It鈥檚 great for our team and great for the city. I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 been this type of excitement for a very long time. 鈥 It means a lot.
鈥淭hat kind of support, I couldn鈥檛 ask for a better place. That鈥檚 why I love this place. I loved it as a player, I love the family. I love what we鈥檙e all about.鈥
A familiar face
Looking for a connection between 蜜柚直播 and Idaho?
Shalyse Smith transferred from the UA to Idaho earlier in the season so she could be closer to her home in Seattle. Smith won鈥檛 be on the court Thursday, however, as she is sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
