Rugby may have swiped Gray’s heart, but basketball was her first love. The sport came naturally in the Gray family, with Jazamine’s mother, father and two brothers all achieving varying levels of success on the hardwood. Basketball became a significant element of her childhood ever since she started dribbling around the age of six.
Gray received interest in high school from some small college basketball programs, but she had one paramount goal in mind: play at the Division I level. Rather than go to a Division II school where she’d get immediate playing time, Gray decided to attend Norfolk State in a preferred walk-on spot with the plan of earning a scholarship when one became available after her first year.
The opportunity allowed Gray to conquer her lifelong dream of playing Division I basketball, but it also provided her with a great fit. She transitioned comfortably to life at an HBCU and made prompt friendships with her new teammates. Most importantly, though, Gray’s parents could make the trip up from Wardell, North Carolina, to support their daughter, with her mother making sure she attended every single home game.
Not only did Gray become a key contributor to the Spartans, she wasted no time in doing so. Gray competed in all 22 games of the 2011-12 season, averaging 5.8 minutes per contest and earning the team’s Rookie of the Year award. The 5-4 point guard attributed the quick results to her relentless drive to improve.
“That’s what gave me the edge over everybody else,” Gray said. “When other people wanted to rest or go out and party, I would just think what I could do to be better or get more playing time. [My coaches] would tell me you need to improve this, so I’d think okay, after my science class I’m gonna come to the gym so I can work on it.”