A six-foot, four-inch forward, Fagbenle brought her skills stateside to Blair Academy in New Jersey a few years ago. Head basketball coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, now beginning her thirty-first year at Harvard, ranks her among the top players she has coached. "Temi has that kind of potential," Delaney-Smith says, "and maybe more."
Fagbenle is one of the most athletic women ever to play for Harvard, and her versatility is impressive. "She's fast in the open court, has great back-to-the-basket moves, and a beautiful finishing touch," Delaney-Smith says. "Usually people of her size don't have speed or perimeter skills, but she is good away from the hoop, and has been working on her three-point shot. She's a great shot blocker and is smart defensively." For her part, Fagbenle says, "I love defense-it's what gives me joy. When you have a total team effort on defense, it feels so different from anything else. Everyone communicating, moving, working hard, each player on the same page. Then when that ball is denied-maybe a block or a steal-that's the best feeling ever. Those special moments are rare, but totally worth it."
To read more on the feature with Temi Fagbenle, click here.
