Street Talk - "Live in L.A."
Street Talk with Nikitta Gartrell
By "L.A." - Street Talk
Apr 10, 2006, 04:06 EST

L.A. "Keeping It Real" with Nikitta Gartrell 

Nikitta Gartrell hit the B.E. Mays campus as freshman rolling and didn’t stop until she had helped the “Lay Raiders” win a state basketball championship, a track title, became the schools all-time leading scorer and was selected as a high school All-American (who should have been selected to play in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game). Next year the two-time 4SHOT Hoops 1st Team All-Classification All-Star will be rolling in the ACC with the North Carolina “Lady Wolfpack”…don’t be surprised if she is in the running for the ACC “Freshman of the Year” honors.

During this past summer l ventured out to the 2005 US Festival Games held in Colorado Springs, CO at the US Olympic Training Facility to watch Gartrell and 2 other players from Georgia, Christy Marshall (Beach H.S.) and Porsha Philips (Redan H.S.) compete against some of the best high school players in the country.  Between sessions I sat down with Gartrell for a little “Street Talk”.

L.A.: “I have seen you play in State High School Playoff games, Championship games and in AAU competition; how did it feel when you all found out that you had been selected to compete in the US Festival Games and were does it rank among your accomplishments so far?”

Nikitta: “It was an honor and it really excited me a lot because there is a lot of talent all over the country and I was chosen as one the girls to be here.”

L.A.: “How has it been playing under the international rules verses the high school rules you play under all of the time?”

Nikitta: “It’s going alright.”

L.A.: “How about the differences in the size of the lane being wider, has that affected your play at all?”

Nikitta: “No sir”

Gartrell competes everytime, I mean everytime she steps on the basketball court.

L.A.: “Were the difference in the rules explained to you all or had either of you played international rules before?”

Nikitta: “No, I had not played using those rules but they were explained to us so we could adjust to them.”

L.A.: “How have the basketball skills clinics been and what types of things are you learning?”

Nikitta: “I have learned a lot of basic type things also like as a guard pushing the ball in front of me which helps you get the ball up the court faster, dribbling between my legs things like that.”

L.A.: “Tell me something, the team that you are playing on if you took those players back to Georgia would you all win the state championship?"
Nikitta: “No question.”

L.A.: “What players at the Festival have impressed you?”

Nikitta: (Sitting quietly with no initial response) “I’m mean everybody’s good (L.A. - “In Keeping It Real terms, my girls was saying nobody really) but if I had to say anyone it would be Jacki Gemelos (5-11, G from St. Mary’s H.S., Stockton, CA).”  

L.A.: “What part of your game has shown improvement since you’ve been here?”
Nikitta: “I mean I had everything (L.A.- “That’s what I mean Keep It Real, Nikitta”) but I felt like I needed to learn how to catch and shoot.”

L.A.:  “Who have been some of the most influential people in your career so far?”

Nikitta: “God and family members”

L.A.: “Nike, Reebok or Adidas?”

Nikitta: “Nike”

L.A.: “Sean John or Roc-A-Wear?”
Nikitta: “Sean John”

L.A.:  “Escalade, Denali, Corvette, Mercedes or Ferrari?”

Nikitta: “Ferrari”

L.A.: “To Pac, 50 Cent, P-Diddy, Ludicrous or Nelly
Nikitta: “Ludicrous”

L.A.: “Who’s your favorite players, it doesn’t matter if it’s WNBA, NBA whoever?”

Nikitta: “Tamika Catching”

L.A.: “What’s your favorite TV Show and movie?”

Nikitta: (laughing) “106 Park and Out of Time”

L.A.:  “Nikitta, I’ve been watching you play for some time and have really enjoyed seeing you grow as a young lady, keep representing.”

© Copyright 2006 by 4SHOT Sports