Jessica Timmons started playing basketball at the age of five years old. For this Charlotte, North Carolina native, there were two main sources that sparked her interest in the game early on. From learning about the ins and outs of the sport from her parents to watching her brother Seth play in AAU circuits growing up, it was clear to Jessica that this was a world she was intrigued by and determined to explore further. It wasn't until her time in eight grade though—after receiving her first athletic scholarship—that she decided to go all in on the sport. She was on a mission. As she embarked on her high school career, Jessica remained committed to expanding her skill set and making an impact on the court—surpassing the 2,000-point mark during her time at Independence High, receiving the 2020 AP All-State recognition, and even earning a McDonald's All-American nomination. Even with these incredible accomplishments, she remained focused on her goal of playing at the collegiate level. Sure enough, she did just that. Upon graduation, Jessica began her career at NC State—where she played for two seasons—before transferring to the University of Alabama. Currently in her second year at Alabama, Jessica is excited for all that's in store. Despite sitting out this season due to a knee injury, she is looking forward to helping her team from the sidelines and learning more about the game from a different perspective. As she looks to what's next, Jessica is eager to make a comeback next season, work towards a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, inch closer to her dreams of playing professionally in the WNBA and overseas, and continue to explore her interests beyond the court in the world of athlete training and sports management. Amazing!
Take us all the way back! When did you discover you were all in on the world of basketball and wanted to play the sport at the highest level?
It’s funny. I wouldn't say I was a dual-athlete—because I wasn't super good at soccer (*laughs*)—, but in middle school I played for the soccer team and basketball team. There was one practice where I had missed a free throw, you know I was coming with my cleats and stuff like that…and my coach was like, “Yeah, you missed that free throw from kicking all those soccer balls.” After that, I came home to my mom and was like: “Mommy, I don't want to play soccer no more. I just want to stick to basketball.” (*laughs*) After that, I was all in on basketball and realized I was much better at basketball. I really liked soccer and it was still fun for me, but that’s when I was like: “Okay, we’re all in on basketball.”
Looking back on that journey early on, how do you think your game elevated throughout your time in high school to prepare you for the next level?
Even though you're never going to be just 100% ready for anything you step into in life—because, you know, life is also about adversity and getting comfortable and familiar with certain things—, I think what really allowed me to prepare myself for college was joining the EYBL circuit. It was super big. I played for One Dream and then for the EYBL Circuit I played for Boo Williams. I also played for the Carolina Flames with one of my teammates—Saniya Rivers. During my first two years of college basketball, we played (together) at NC State as well. I think really getting yourself on those circuits where a lot of coaches are able to see you, and you're also playing with elite athletes, is (important). At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter what you're ranked; you just want to have the opportunity to showcase yourself in front of those ranked players to show college coaches that you're able to compete. That's something that helped me a lot.
How was that transition from high school to college like for you? Take us through those early months of going from high school to college.