Hey there, sports fans! Big news in the basketball world – Esmery Martínez is taking her talents to the WNBA! Drafted as the 17th pick by the New York Liberty, she’s not just making waves on the court but also marking a historic moment as the first Dominican player in the league. Talk about breaking barriers!
Early Life:
Martinez a native of Hato Mayor, although born in Santo Domingo, discovered basketball by chance. Her growth was such that she was chosen the Most Valuable Player of the National Women’s Basketball League in 2016 and also Most Valuable Player in the NBA Academy tournament in 2017.
“I am from Hato Mayor, of pure stock as they say,” says Martínez, who arrived in this province when he was about “6 or 7 years old.”
It is there where she is casually introduced to the game, she narrates it: “It was my brother’s fault (Lando, younger than her)”, who was betting, shooting three.
“I had about 50 pesos and I said, let me play too, like crazy, I didn’t know how to shoot,” but from then on I started shooting daily “and I fell in love little by little and that’s how I started to progress.”
Family did not want her to play:
Leaning towards that passion was not an easy thing either. And she remembers it, now with an open smile. “Sometimes I tell my mom that, because she and my uncle used to push me not to play,” he says.
“They hated that, I went secretly with my brother and every time I got home they were mad because they didn’t like it.”
Today they don’t tell her anything about it, except “that they are proud of me.”
Martinez great-grandmother, would always her mother: “You should let her do what she loves, you don’t know what she may become in this sport.”
Consequently they were more flexible, “little by little they gave me support.”
Standing tall at 6’2”, Martínez brings serious game to the court, especially in snagging those rebounds. And let me tell you, she’s been grinding hard to level up her skills for the big leagues. Joining the Liberty, she’s in good company with stars like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. It’s a dream team in the making!
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But hold up, it’s not just about Martínez – it’s also a major win for the University of Arizona. With two draft picks in one year, including Aari McDonald and Trinity Baptiste, they’re showing they’re a force to be reckoned with in the basketball world.
So, what’s next for Martínez? The WNBA training camp is just around the corner, starting April 28th, with preseason games hot on its heels. And mark your calendars – May 14th kicks off the regular season, where Martínez is set to shine bright.
But her impact goes beyond the court. Martínez’s journey is inspiring young ballers not just in the Dominican Republic but all across Latin America and the Caribbean. It’s proof that women in sports are forces to be reckoned with – let’s give them the support they deserve!
Playing with the Dominican national team this year is a possibility, if the conditions are right.
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