Ann Mary begins chase for WNBA dream

At just 19 years old, forward Ann Mary Zachariah caught the attention of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she has been awarded a scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 college basketball. Breaking barriers, Ann Mary proudly joins the ranks of a select few Indian cagers who have earned this coveted opportunity, putting her just one step away from the prestigious Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

With her exceptional skills and undeniable passion for the game, Ann Mary is poised to make a lasting impact in Indian basketball. We delve into her journey and explore the dreams that fuel Ann Mary, her experiences in the United States, and her expectations from a debut season at the NCAA Division 1.

Take us back to the beginnings. How did you pick basketball?

"It all begins because of my parents. They played basketball. So, I just followed them. I started basketball at age 9 or 10. I loved to play the game. I've seen a lot of seniors playing the game. I got chance to play against them, and I loved that. I learned a lot of things on-and-off the court, playing with lot of experienced coaches. Going to different places playing the game was fun. Now, I just wanted to play in the pro-level in America.

There must have been a big difference between the game here, and in the USA…

There were several differences. Basketball is more popular, obviously. They have more facilities. Basketball is more developed in USA than in India. They have lot of training facilities and lot of coaches. We practice at individuals too, we have a lot of individual workouts. That doesn't happen in India. They train players at various levels while India does have a shortage of coaches. We have a lot of possibilities to explore our game in USA than in India.

Was it hard adjusting to the basketball in the US?

Yes, it was hard. In USA, they are more physical than in India. They're stronger, bigger, faster. It was tough. I struggled a lot in my first year. I was working on my things and believed in myself. The coaches supported me. I played against a lot of good players, so I learned a lot about discipline. I played forward and centre. My position is forward because in my height, no one can play like this. I can shoot outside, and play inside. I'm 6'2, so I can drive a lot of things. I'm happy.

You're obviously chasing the WNBA dream. Do you have a timeline in mind?

To get into WNBA is really hard. Players are really competitive. I've seen a lot of NCAW tournaments, and they are so challenging, given the passion of basketball there. I've only three years, so I'm going to do my thing. I'm from India, so I really have to play ten times harder. I need to keep believing in myself.

Off-the-field, how tough was it coming to a new country?

It was tough. My coach introduced me to an Indian family that hosted me. The time difference was big challenge because In couldn't talk to my family much. But after some time, I got used to it. Timings and food are the big challenge.

There have been a few Indians already playing in college basketball in the US, like Sanjana Ramesh, Harsimran Kaur, and more recently, Amaan Sandhu. Did you have conversations with them?

I haven't seen them. But I've seen them playing before going to America. I talked to them, to get to know about the USA life, the basketball here. They were very nice, they explained me a lot of things. I played against them before coming to USA as well, so it was fun and challenging.

Have you identified the areas you need to work upon, as you target the WNBA spot?

For me, it's going to be tough. I'm 6'2, and I've to improve my speed. I've to improve my lateral skills. I've got to work on shooting because I love to shoot. Shooting outside the line is a real advantage for the team, so I'm going to do that. I've to be strong enough to play in the NCAA tournament.

(As a team) We are going to focus on getting into the national tournaments. We are mid-major division 1 right now. Our conference is tough, so we are going to target playing against the tough teams. We have to work out on our game.

How important was the role of Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program in your career?

The Reliance Foundation happened when I was in 7th grade. Seeing a lot of coaches, players from each state... they improved our passing and shooting, and overall skills. On the court, off the court, how we should act... I learnt all of that. So, they really helped me. I met some NBA players as well, they showed us some moves, so it helped me in the basketball yet.

You’ve represented India in junior levels. Is a senior call-up in sight?

I would love to. I want to play for India, but right now, the schedule for college basketball in US and the Indian training camps are conflicting. Both start in November, but we can't really skip the college basketball. I do want to represent India, but let's see what happens.

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