COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new professional sports team is in town and begins their season this winter.
The Columbus Fury, one of the inaugural members of the Pro Volleyball Federation, opens up their season against the Grand Rapids Rise in Michigan. But a lot of volleyball fans will have their eyes on one member of the Fury- the first pick in the first-ever draft, Asjia O’Neal.
What You Need To Know
- Asjia O'Neal was picked first overall by the Columbus Fury in the first-ever draft for the Pro Volleyball Federation
- O'Neal most recently won her second NCAA National Championship with the Texas Longhorns
- O'Neal is the daughter of NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal, which she says has impacted her playing style
- O'Neal has also overcome two open heart surgeries due to a valve leak- something she says allows her to appreciate every day she gets to play the sport she loves
O’Neal was the leader of the back-to-back national championship teams at the University of Texas. The most recent NCAA Championship happened in December, and just a week before O’Neal was the number one pick in the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation draft.
“The last couple days I’ve had time to just sit and reflect on everything that’s happened in the last month, month and a half," O'Neal said. "It’s been a whirlwind!”
A whirlwind, indeed. And that’s just been O’Neal’s life- the daughter of NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal- had a way of showing her who she could be as an athlete.
“Even if it was subconsciously, I feel like there’s so many things from watching his career for all the years that I did that I’ve taken and kind of put on my own self as an athlete," she said.
O'Neal attributes her “Rah- Rah” playing style to her dad, who she says never forced her into playing basketball.
“He never pushed for basketball," she said. "One summer I asked him to train me going into sixth grade year and went to my first practice when school started and I said this is not for me, this is not my sport and that was it, I was done with it.”
O’Neal’s biggest hurdle came with her health, a valve leak in her heart forcing her to get open heart surgery when she was twelve and again after her freshman year at Texas.
“Having that surgery and being told I might not be able to play again, I feel like I really realized how grateful and blessed I am to do what I do every single day," O'Neal said. "So I really use that just as a point of reflection for myself when I’m going through those mentally tough days where I don’t really want to do it.”
And through all the ups and downs, she now finds herself here, in Columbus, Ohio, preparing for her first season of professional volleyball.
“How incredible of a blessing this was to be able to do this and be the first pick in the first year of the first-ever league in America," she said. "This is insane, honestly.”
A league and a dream she never knew would be possible as a young girl.
“Being able to have this year is so incredible and I’m really excited to be able to hopefully inspire some little girls who want to pick up volleyball," O'Neal said.
While she has to wait until February for the team’s home opener, she’s looking forward to making Columbus fans proud.
“Columbus is obviously a sports town and I’ve only played here as the visiting team and I saw how crazy and rowdy their fans were," she said. "So I’m excited to have them rooting for me this time and not rooting against me.”
The Fury’s first home game is Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at Nationwide Arena.