Sky’s the limit
Skylyn Wright is so young in her basketball career, it’s inevitable she’ll have plenty of nights that may qualify as the best of her life. But after Monday, she has an early favorite on which day is her favorite.
Wright, who everybody calls Sky, got a greeting of a lifetime when she attended the Little Gamecock Camp in South Carolina. There, Sky – along with her mom, Haley Nowlin, and sister Makani (MK) – got to meet one of the most influential figures in women’s basketball, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.
“Sky said it’s the best day of her life,” said Haley, who added with a laugh, “It was a huge deal for me too. MK was a little shy at first, but now she can’t stop talking about it.”
Nowlin had been trying to get her daughters into the camp for a while, but spots fill up fast. Everybody wants the chance to learn from Staley and this week Sky and MK will finally get that opportunity during the three-day event.
And Staley isn’t the only notable instructor - Chloe Kitts and Tessa Johnson, members of South Carolina’s most recent national championship team, were helping work with campers Monday, along with 6-foot-7 forward Alicia Tournebize.
For Haley, seeing her girls at the event is a moment she won’t soon forget. And while the training will be something the girls will carry forward, the experience is about much more than basketball.
“I’m very vigilant on the girls – and not just mine – having a positive influence, positive experiences and building confidence,” said Haley. “I want them to have everything I didn’t growing up.”
It hasn’t taken long for Sky to become a standout locally.
As a fourth grader, she was a tenacious defender for the Boyd Lady Broncos as they finished second in both the regular season and tournament standings in the 3-5 grade league. Despite often being one of the smallest players on the floor, Sky’s defense and court awareness were already advanced enough to earn middle school minutes as well.
“The saying is ‘the sky is the limit’ and Sky really embodies that,” said Boyd coach Tim Page, who coaches Sky in elementary basketball and has also worked with her through TN Revolution. “She’s already so good and she works hard every day to get even better. And she’s an even better teammate. She lifts people up, plays with such passion and understands the game at such a high level. She has all the potential in the world.”
During the BCS Annual Wax Museum day in May, Sky dressed up as Dawn Staley. On Monday, she got to meet the coaching legend.
Anybody familiar with the Nowlin family probably isn’t surprised.
Basketball runs deep through the family tree. Both Kamryn and Kelsey Nowlin played college basketball, while Sky’s great uncle earned a scholarship to play at Motlow. Georgia Southern standout Kyra Perkins is also a distant cousin and close family friend.
The entire family has spent years making trips to support Sky as she developed her game. Along with helping TN Revolution capture multiple tournament championships, she has traveled across state lines to compete against older players and tougher competition.
One of those opportunities came when she joined a 12-U team from Huntsville coached by her uncle. Though significantly younger than the rest of the roster, Sky still played a key role as the Rocket City Ravens won a tournament championship. By the end of the weekend, the tournament director had named the 10-year-old point guard MVP.
The performance also caught the attention of another women’s basketball legend.
“I was approached by the great Tina Hutchinson, who admired Sky’s abilities and gave me great words of advice and even talked to Sky,” said Haley.
Hutchinson starred at San Diego State in the 1980s, setting an NCAA Division I freshman scoring record by averaging 29.9 points per game.
While defense remains Sky’s calling card, her offensive game continues to grow.
She’s developed touch around the basket, particularly with floaters and finishes in traffic, and continues to work on building strength and consistency with her jump shot. There always seems to be another skill she wants to improve, another aspect of the game she wants to master.
That drive starts with a genuine love for basketball.
“She loves the game more than anyone I know. She loves watching it too, which most kids don’t do,” said Haley.
For one day, though, Sky wasn’t the player everybody was watching - she was like every other little girl camping and standing in line hoping to meet one of her heroes.
When Dawn Staley stopped to greet her Monday, the moment felt bigger than basketball. Sky’s hard work, countless hours in the gym and all the long drives and family commitment were rewarded. And if Sky keeps chasing the game the way she always has, there’s a good chance Monday won’t remain the best day of her life for very long.
Maybe the next time she meets Staley, it’ll be on a signing day. Nobody is going to tell Sky she can’t after Monday - she knows for sure now the sky is the limit.
