Oct. 23, 2012
Once a week, RamblinWreck.com will introduce you to one of Georgia Tech’s seven women’s basketball freshmen as we get ready to tip-off the 2012-13 season Nov. 11 against Tennessee at McCamish Pavilion.
Aaliyah Whiteside is a six foot wing player from Memphis Central High School Memphis, Tenn. She played four years of basketball under head coach Niki Bray and was a two-time team captain. Whiteside led her team to a 39-9 record and the TSSAA AAA State Championship in 2011, which she lists as her best sports memory. She was selected to the 2009 and 2011 Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class AAA All-State teams and earned MVP honors of the 2011 TSSAA Regional Tournament.
Whiteside began playing basketball at age seven while living in Greenville, S.C. She was ranked No. 24 nationally in the class of 2012 by ESPN HoopGurlz and was rated as the fourth-best wing player in the class. Whiteside earned Women’s Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention All-America in 2012.
More on Aaliyah Whiteside:
Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
Kobe Bryant
What is your go-to pre-game meal?
Really good cooked meal – chicken, corn, mac and cheese, bread
What is your pre-game routine?
Listen to my favorite songs, get hyped with the team
What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Dance, play beach volleyball, play pick-up basketball
What are you most looking forward to in your freshman year?
Traveling and experiencing things I haven’t before
What is your best sports memory?
Winning the state championship in high school my junior year
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
New York
Who has influenced you the most?
Natarcha Pearson, my mother and Lonso Whiteside, my brother
What is your favorite kind of music?
Rap
Who have you tried to model your game after?
Ashley Shields
What career do you want to pursue after Georgia Tech?
Play professional basketball and then become an accountant
What is your major?
Business
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Location, the basketball program, the people and coaches
What is the coolest place you have ever visited?
Hawaii
Which opponent are you most looking forward to playing against?
Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Duke
What team would you really like to see on the schedule?
Memphis or somewhere close to home
