The Details: Strother Is A Kid Who Loves UW
July 15, 2015 | General, Women's Basketball
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
Deja Strother stood in the hallway a few feet away from the Alaska Airlines Arena basketball court. It was only the fourth day the McDonald's All-American had been on campus as a Division I basketball player.
When the Inglemoor High School product was asked what it felt like to begin the transition from high school to college, she smiled.
For the 6-foot-5 post player with moves to match her size, the anticipation has been building for years. As she looked out across the floor, she started to go through all the reasons she signed with Washington.
As she went through the list, her smile spread.
“It's beautiful,” she said. “It's right in the heart of Seattle. I love it. It really caught my attention. I like the weather. I like the team. I like the coaches. I love the school – the academics are amazing. It had everything I wanted.”
For the third time in four years, a McDonald's All-American has joined the Huskies. With Kelsey Plum and Katie Collier already in the fold, Strother is the right recruit at the perfect time. She provides a post presence that will complement the rest of the program's roster.
“She's coming in at a time when we don't have to rely on her, but we do count on her,” coach Mike Neighbors said.
Strother will get the opportunity to come in and contribute, while having the luxury of learning along the way.
“We've got pieces around her,” Neighbors said. “She can come in and be a freshman. She can learn. But she's competitive and she's going to contribute. We've got the potential of having a local kid who can really make an impact every step of the way.”
After averaging a double-double her senior year, Strother established herself as one of the nation's top prep post players. But, as Washington's only incoming freshman, Strother's objective is to find her fit with her teammates.
“I don't know what to expect coming in,” Strother said. “I haven't really been in this position before, but it should be fun. I know my teammates have my back. I can go to anyone with anything. I'm very comfortable with all of them.”
Strother started playing basketball when she was 5. Her father, Mark, introduced her to the game. She tried other sports, but found her fit on the court.
“I had the build for it,” Strother said. “It was a contact sport. It was something I loved. I love everything about it. When I realized I could do something with it and accomplish a lot of things with it, I wanted to keep playing.”
She started to get recruited in eighth grade. She gave a verbal commitment to Washington as a sophomore and never wavered on that decision.
“She is a kid who loves UW,” Neighbors said. “She would come here if I was the coach or you were the coach. She loves Washington. When you get a kid that is talented and has a passion for where she's playing, you're getting a potential superstar. She's got all the things you look for.”
When asked about her game, Strother said she is “powerful down low.”
“I don't want anyone to get in my way or stop me, but I'll try my best to always stop them,” Strother said. “I'm just going to do my best to help my teammates.”
Neighbors joked that “the guy who makes guitars for a living” could spot Strother's talent. Shake her hand and you'll notice both size and strength. She has the ability to grab a rebound with one hand and, in a single motion, fire it down the floor.
“To get a kid like that to stay home when everybody in the country was after her is really a big thing for us,” Neighbors said.
Adding another McDonald's All-American puts Washington among some of the nation's elite programs, universities that traditionally make deep tournament runs.
“There's some history to the McDonald's thing,” Neighbors said. “You have to have a certain number of them without having too many. You can't have a full team of them, but you do need a certain number of them to compete. Three gets us in the conversation.
“There won't be many nights we'll walk out there and be out-talented.”
But, before the Huskies think about dancing in March, Strother will start small, spending the next few months getting settled in both with her teammates and a new school. She waited three years to get here. She plans to make the most of each day and every opportunity.
“I'm just really excited to get out there and do everything,” she said. “I've been out there enjoying the campus and trying to find my way around. It's been nice.”
