The 19-year-old Valencian player was selected as the number 3 pick in the WNBA draft last Monday, an achievement that culminates years of dedication. Her journey began when, at just 12 years old, she and her family decided to move to València to join the Valencia Basket youth academy, a club that was already strongly committed to promoting women's basketball.
Laura Lago, her first coach at l'Alqueria del Basket, recalls Awa Fam's arrival: “They had told me there was a kid coming from Santa Pola, who had a profile that could be very good for Valencia Basket and was coming for a tryout.” Lago highlights that Awa already then “stood out physically, but also had very interesting technical-tactical conditions,” and they discovered she was a year younger than they thought.
“"Awa stood out physically and technically, she lived with me, she was a very mature girl."
Awa Fam showed exceptional maturity and determination from the start. Laura Lago was not only her coach but also her tutor, as the club's young prospects were integrated into private homes. “I was Awa's tutor, she lived with me, and I can only say good things about her in all aspects. She was a very mature girl, with tremendous organizational skills, very tidy, and had a very good upbringing, always very respectful,” states Lago.
The player led a historic moment for the orange academy by winning the Minicopa LF Endesa just before the pandemic, in March 2020. Lago recalls that Awa grabbed 41 rebounds in the final and even then said she wanted to play in the United States, demonstrating her ambition and innate talent.
