Lincoln freshman is 6-foot-3, can dunk and is already a national recruit
Oliviyah Edwards is 6-foot-3, can dunk a basketball and already holds over a dozen offers from Division I programs.
Oh, and she just celebrated her 15th birthday last week.
Lincoln High School’s budding star is no ordinary high school freshman. She came into the school with a buzz that coach Jamila Jones hadn’t seen before.
“It’s kinda dope,” Jones said. “We’ve had some good players, but nobody that came in with that expectation and stature. Now it’s just always about finding how to help her get to where she wants to go. It’s a super exciting thing to deal with.”
Edwards has been a prized national recruit since middle school. Her first offers came from Ohio State and Oregon when she was in seventh grade, the same year she first dunked a basketball. She was shooting hoops outside with her brother when she had her first successful attempt.
“We were just practicing,” she said. “Then all of the sudden, I dunked. We called our parents out, and they didn’t believe me at first. Then I went out there and did it.”
Two weeks later, she dunked in a game for the first time. Edwards, who was born in Atlanta and raised in Tacoma, doesn’t want to be known as just the girl who can dunk, though. She’s athletic, can beat defenders off the dribble and has a growing array of post moves.
“Dunking is cool, but I really do want to work on my skill set,” she said. “That can come next. I don’t want to be known as just the dunker. I can do many things on the court.”
Edwards didn’t start playing basketball until she was 10 or 11, after a knee issue made it difficult to continue wrestling. She’s always been the tallest girl in the class. In fifth grade, she was 5-foot-8, before shooting up to 5-11 or so in early middle school. During the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, she grew to 6-foot-3.
“I didn’t get playing time,” Edwards said with a smile, recalling the early days of her basketball career. “I used to ride the bench.”
Then she started playing more aggressively. As she learned the fundamentals of the game, her skill set started to match her natural athleticism and frame. While some players become arrogant when big-time recruiting offers roll in, Jones said Edwards has been humble and coachable.
“She’s an artsy, outgoing, love-everybody goofball,” Jones said. “That’s what makes her great. … I was worried people were on her for the wrong reasons. That hasn’t been the case. The teachers love her, talk about her all the time. That’s been awesome.
“When you come in and you’re a national recruit, you can get big-headed. But she’s really just level-headed and just gets gravitated toward people.”
Whether she’s belting out a solo on the team bus when her favorite song comes on the radio or joking with teammates at practice, Edwards keeps the mood light. On the court, though? She’s intense.
“You know what you’re going to get on the court,” Jones said. “She’s gonna play hard.”
Edwards is the team’s leading scorer in her first high school season, averaging 15 points to go along with nine rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She’s grateful she came into an established high school program with a winning tradition. Four Lincoln players average double digit points, and this week the Abes will head to the Tacoma Dome to compete in the 3A state tournament. That’s a far cry from her middle school days, when she was expected to do everything.
“I was the only player that could actually dribble and get to the basket,” Edwards said. “My mom was worried because I was doing everything. … I’m glad I’m able to pass without having to worry about the ball getting turned over. We trust each other. I’m really glad to be on this team. I wouldn’t pick anyone else.”
Lincoln, the 3A state tournament No. 5 seed, plays No. 13 Everett at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome.
