Career

Vionise Pierre-Louis by no means imagined this basketball life. By no means envisioned engineering a seven-year skilled basketball profession that allowed her to stay in a number of European cities, making a six-figure wage.

Basketball was a method to medical college.

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The 6-foot-4 Lake Price native went on to win a state title for Boca Raton’s Grandview Prep in 2014 that netted her the Palm Seaside Put up Participant of the 12 months. She additionally copped Miss Florida that 12 months.

The hotshot recruit earned a scholarship to the College of Oklahoma as a conventional low-post heart the place she averaged 13.4 factors her remaining two seasons and shot 56.2 p.c in her faculty profession.

And that was speculated to be it for hoops.

“Completely not,’’ Pierre-Louis stated when requested not too long ago if professional basketball was ever a purpose. “I used to be a pre-med main. My purpose was medical college.’’

However one factor led to a different. When she graduated Oklahoma in 2017, her mentor/AAU coach Kimberly Davis-Powell related her with an agent.

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Pierre-Louis obtained an invite to coaching camp  with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA in 2017 and medical college was postponed.

Women basketball state champions:

Participant of the 12 months winners:

2014 Women Basketball Small Faculties Participant of the 12 months: Vionise Pierre-Louis, Grandview Prep

Pierre-Louis performed three weeks of coaching camp with Minnesota, turned one of many final cuts. The publicity led to an abroad journey that also is ongoing.

“It was an excellent expertise for me as a result of it opened up the potential for professional basketball,’’ Pierre-Louis stated of WNBA coaching camp. “No person in my household actually performed. The very fact you may play basketball and generate profits was unimaginable to me.

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“With out “The W’’, I wouldn’t have realized how critical basketball was,’’ she added. “In faculty, it’s critical however my purpose was medical college. My head was within the books. It opened my eyes to the likelihood and a special realm.’’

The professional circuit confirmed a special model of basketball to Pierre-Louis, who was born in Florida however comes from Haitian mother and father. She discovered the type distinction rapidly within the three-week WNBA stint.

“It was a tradition shock for me,’’ Pierre-Louis stated. “I by no means adopted WNBA basketball. It was my first ‘Wow’ second. I wasn’t acquainted with the celebs. It’s a special stye of play – faculty basketball the place it’s systematic and coaches let you know what to do and the place to be. Then you definitely go professional and assume for your self with out your coach telling you go left, or proper. It’s studying the offense – a variety of studying.

Pierre-Louis was talking from her Lake Price dwelling in late June – simply days after returning from Europe. Her season with Girona, Spain led to late April with a semifinal knockout within the Spanish League playoffs. Then she launched into some touring earlier than heading dwelling.

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Medical college is transferring nearer on Pierre-Louis’ horizon. VP-L will flip 30 in October and has postpone changing into a physician lengthy sufficient. Her post-playing dream is to be an OBGYN.

“Subsequent 12 months is my final 12 months.’’ Pierre-Louis stated.

Pierre-Louis, who has performed in Spain, Turkey and France, hasn’t signed but for subsequent season. However she doubts the subsequent contract can be in any of these three nations until the contract supply is extraordinary.

“I’m searching for a brand new nation,’’ stated Pierre-Louis, who’s relationship a French professional basketball participant. “I need to see one thing new – being in the direction of the top of my profession.’’

Although she has eight brothers and a sister, basketball wasn’t a factor of their Haitian-infused family. It wasn’t till a youthful brother took up the game, Stanley Glaude, that sparked Pierre-Louis’ basketball enjoying. Her mom, Lola, was a wonderful athlete however performed soccer within the homeland.

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In center college, Stanley Glaude joined a journey basketball crew and was going to neat locations across the state. “My brother was dunking within the sixth grade,’’ Pierre-Louis stated. “I used to be like: “how does he get out of the home for the weekend”? He was like, “You’re tall, you may as properly play basketball too.’’

Late in highschool, Pierre-Louis grew to 6-4. She first attended American Heritage, then transferred to Grandview Prep, the place she led groups to the state finals two straight seasons. Lake Price Excessive wasn’t on her mother and father’ radar.

“We had been on the lookout for a non-public college,’’ Pierre-Louis stated. “(My mother and father) had been very massive on schooling, a Caribbean household. That was precedence. And if basketball might pay for my education, we wished to go to a very good basketball program.’’

Together with her elite dimension, VP-L spent her basketball profession with a again to the basket, scoring inside and off mid-range jumpers. She by no means took a 3-pointer in her faculty profession regardless of a brand new period of facilities branching out to the perimeter.

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“My footwork nonetheless is unimaginable,’’ Pierre-Louis stated. “I can learn the courtroom as a guard from the publish place. I’m an excellent passer. My footwork is nice. It’s not a variety of strong publish gamers anymore. So many are stepping out extra.’’

Her first season, the 29-year-old gained the Spanish League title with Girona. This previous season, VP-L began the season with a Turkish crew however left to return to Girona. (Most European groups permit a most three Individuals).

“Didn’t just like the (Turkish) program,’’ Pierre-Louis stated. “It didn’t swimsuit my type of play. Girona wished me again and I bought a pay increase. Turkey is extra….I like crew basketball however Turkey is extra about massive factors. It’s a must to common like 20 as an American. I prefer to play crew ball.’’

Twice throughout her profession, she took six-month sabbatical to finish prep work for medical college together with an internship in a hospital. She bought her masters on-line in hospital administration throughout her rookie season abroad.

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Regardless of the latest rise of WNBA’s pay construction after Caitlin Clark’s trancendance, Pierre-Louis isn’t eager on one other crack on the WNBA. “Not a dream of mine,’’ she stated.

However VP-L added, “I’m simply joyful it rose. Plenty of ladies don’t have to depart their dwelling and household to make ends meet. Whether or not Caitlin Clark or not Caitlin Clark, I’m simply joyful we got here to some extent as feminine athletes, folks love watching and are tuning it. That’s wonderful.’’

There may be one one that will rejoice most when Pierre-Louis hangs up her basketball footwear – Lola. “She’s very pleased with my profession however like all moms, she needs me dwelling,’’ Pierre-Louis stated.