Photo courtesy of Ben Wolf
Having a professional athlete as a parent can pressure a young player, but that’s not the case for Shyanne Sellers.
Sellers’ dad, Brad Sellers, was the ninth overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, and he played in the league until 1990. He played overseas until 1999 following his NBA career, when he officially retired from basketball.
Brad Sellers has been his daughter’s biggest supporter since day one.
“Because now what I do is I give more advice than coach,” Brad Sellers said. “So I am still in a way coaching but I am still in an advising role. The best thing that happened to us was me going back to dad and out of the everyday coaching position.”
While their bond is stronger than ever, Shyanne Sellers always wanted to create her own story.
“Growing up, I feel like he motivated my competitiveness just because I always wanted to be better than him,” Shyanne Sellers said. “I always wanted to get out of the shadow from underneath him.”
Despite wanting to establish her own path, Maryland women’s basketball’s star guard knows that having her dad’s knowledge surrounding her is valuable.
“I also think it’s like something super cool, super sacred,” Shyanne Sellers said. “I feel like because not many people do have the opportunity to have a former athlete as a parent. So, I think I just got to know the game a bit better than most growing up.”
Brad Sellers has played a considerable part in helping Shyanne Sellers grow into her leadership role this season.
“Me sitting out that game, especially against Indiana, just kind of helped me shift my mind on how I could be a better person, be a better leader, like how I can help his team go a little bit further,” Shyanne Sellers said. “I feel like I’ve done that since coming back.”
“The injury here has put her in a better position because the injury is for Shyanne to slow down,” Brad Sellers said.
While Brad Sellers currently serves as the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, and does some radio work for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he always makes that extra effort to see his daughter play.
“My kids are funny,” he said. “They know there are two different schedules, and you better get equal games here.”
With his other daughter Shayla Sellers playing at Purdue-Fort Wayne, the Sellers’ dad will drive to Fort Wayne, Indiana, then to College Park and head back to Cleveland right after to be there by the morning.
“I think it’s super meaningful knowing that my dad can come to a lot of my games,” Shyanne Sellers said.
As for the memories the two make, they’ll remember them forever.
“This was in kindergarten. I said do something that you would do in a game, ‘Why are you working on behind the back’?” Brad Sellers said. “She does a behind-the-back back in the game. She’s still dribbling, and then she looks back at me like, ah.”
“I feel that’s just my whole life story, just trying to prove him wrong and trying to prove other people wrong,” Shyanne Sellers said. “So I feel like that’s just the funniest one.”
With endless support from her dad, Shyanne Sellers continues working and fulfilling her dream of playing in the WNBA. The two have a relationship that will last a lifetime.
