Jayla Forbes: High School Basketball Player, IMG Academy & University of Texas Commit
Jayla Forbes started playing basketball in the eighth grade. For this Alabaster, Alabama native, learning about the endless opportunities that came with the game quickly strengthened her desire to play the sport at the highest level. "Around my sophomore year, things started to really pick up in basketball...I actually started playing Varsity as soon as I started playing, so I immediately went from not playing basketball to playing Varsity basketball," Jayla highlights. A leap that not only pushed her to expand her basketball IQ, but also led her to achieve incredible feats early on in her basketball career. From becoming a five-star prospect—and one of the top post players in the nation—to winning a gold medal with Team USA
at the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup, Jayla has undoubtedly become one of the rising stars in the Class of 2027. Through it all, she has maintained her commitment to fostering professional habits. "(For me), it’s knowing in the back of my mind that I want to be a pro and asking myself if the decisions that I make are going to continue to build professional habits," she states. A perspective which led to her decision of transferring to IMG Academy for her senior year, and one that has also deeply influenced her approach towards the next chapter of her basketball career. Upon graduating from IMG, Jayla is looking forward to embarking on her collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin and working towards her dreams of playing the game at the professional level. Incredible!
Take us all the way back! How did you get started playing basketball?
I started playing basketball in about the eighth grade. I didn't wanna play because I played volleyball (*laughs*). My mom played basketball, but I was a little late to the game. Around my sophomore year, things started to really pick up in basketball and I just decided: “Hey, I might as well stick with what’s popping right now.” I actually started playing Varsity as soon as I started playing, so I immediately went from not playing basketball to playing Varsity basketball.
Wow! As you look back on that time of going straight into playing Varsity basketball, what were some challenges that you faced and how did you navigate through those?
Physicality was one because you just go from learning how to do Mikan drills to being out there on the court with the top people and top players in your state. You know, I had to pick it up really fast or I wasn't going to play. Volleyball is a non-contact sport, but you have to think a lot. It's about reading and reacting. I played volleyball at a high level and I trained at a high level, so I feel like those experiences also helped me translate basketball and break it down for me.
Once you started playing basketball, you continued to elevate year after year. You recently became a gold medalist with Team USA. Could you share more with us about what that experience was like for you?
Team USA was extremely fun. I loved every single moment playing with the best of the best, competing for a spot with the best of the best in the country, and having some of the best coaches on the staff and best trainers—you know, just elite people all around me. It was an amazing experience and I'm forever grateful for it.
What was that moment like of winning gold with Team USA?
It was definitely surreal. I mean, I don't even think I really realized what I had accomplished until maybe a couple days after I got home, and I was talking with my family and everything. It was just surreal. I'm forever grateful.
Let’s talk about taking that next step in your career. You recently announced your commitment to the University of Texas. What has that journey been like for you?
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