Success seems to find Maya Moore everywhere she goes. But life hasn’t been a bed of roses for Maya and her biggest supporter, her mother. The path to success required a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

More than teammates

Maya discovered her love of basketball in 1997 at the age of 8. That was the year the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) began holding games. The young girl watched WNBA star Cynthia Cooper play in the Olympics. Maya dreamed that she, too, could one day compete in the Olympics. 

Three years later her mother, Kathryn, was offered a better job in North Carolina. Kathryn decided to make the move from Missouri because North Carolina provided greater basketball opportunities. Sadly, in under two months the company downsized, and Kathryn lost her job. She remembers, “It was a bad, bad time.” 

Maya says the difficulties brought them closer, and she praises her mom. “She’s more than a teammate. I know she’s going to be on my side.”