Women’s sports continue to make history as new records are established and big moments become memorable. For Raejana Wright, the game continues to grow beyond the court. Wright started playing ball in the fifth grade when she started going to basketball camps at her elementary school and playing on the school’s fifth-grade team. However, Raejana’s love for the game began around her freshmen year in high school where she got the opportunity to play varsity. “After losing our first game, I realized how much playing meant to me,” Raejana explains. “It was all I thought about, talked about, and dreamt about.” Wright knew from that day that basketball was going to play an enormous part in her life. During her high school career, Wright helped Rib Lake clinch the Marawood North Title and was part of the Team Wisconsin Basketball team. Raejana committed to Barton College to continue her collegiate career. 

Wright would play for Barton College for two and half years before stepping away to focus on academics. Raejana’s love for the game remained strong as she was an assistant coach for her sister’s AAU teams and coached varsity basketball at her mother’s old high school team. “While I lost love and passion for playing the sport myself, I never lost the love and passion I had for coaching and teaching other people how to play and be great in their own way,” Wright stated. The daily work that the student-athletes have to put in is intense day in and day out. Wright admitted that balancing both academics and athletics can be a struggle at times. However, Raejana saw the importance of time management as she transitioned from pre-med to nursing. “I started going to the library a lot more to study and do homework, so I wasn’t distracted,” Wright explains. “You have to have great time management skills to be able to balance basketball and a major as hard as pre-med/nursing.” Just like sports, Raejana explains how both nursing and basketball are similar. “It (nursing) was a lot like my sport because they both took a lot of hard work, dedication, and time-consuming,” Wright states. “However, you get out what you put in. It was definitely hard but very, very worth it.”

“Stay focused, stay true to yourself, and be your biggest believer.” Those are the three components that Raejana advises to anyone who wants to take their talent to the next level. With the outside influence that can easily distract the individual from pursuing one’s career by saying you can’t do this or hearing the word, “No!,” Wright reassures the importance of being in a good space (mentally, emotionally, and physically) and focusing on what’s best for you and your future. “Stay strong in your faith and be patient,” Raejana emphasizes. “Everything happens for a reason.”

When it comes to family, they are one’s role model. For Raejana, she credits her mother not only as her role model but also as her biggest fan. “She (Wright’s mother) always pushes me to be the best version of myself. She’s my biggest fan and also my favorite coach,” Raejana exclaims. “She always wanted to see me win, made sure I had access to a gym 24/7, and always made sure my grades, and mental, emotional, and physical well-being were good.” Wright acknowledges that her mother never doubted her (Raejana) abilities and pushed her to be the best person/player on and off the court.

Women’s basketball continues to be on the rise. This past March Madness Women’s basketball, 9.9 million people watched the Iowa-LSU game as it made television history by having the highest viewership in NCAA Women’s Basketball Final ever. Wright sees women’s basketball continue to increase as the shift in women’s sports is breaking barriers and history each time. “The ladies who participated (in the March Madness) really made history,” Raejana states.

Raejana is the epitome of what it means to be a Beautiful Baller as her story is more than just sports, but also perseverance. Wright explains what makes her journey stands out from other: “My story is pretty simple. I think a lot of people have gone through a lot of the same things I did. I went to college on a full scholarship both athletic and academic. I played for a few years and lost love for the sport.  I had thoughts of transferring, but I decided to just go home and focus on school. I was in a really bad place mentally and now I’ve never been better. Everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t go back and change anything. I’m forever grateful for the opportunities and experiences God has blessed me with.” 

To learn more about Raejana and her journey, follow her on Instagram: raejanaaa