Kelowna teen has received multiple offers for NCAA basketball scholarships

Kelowna teen Kanani Coon has already received multiple Division one basketball scholarship offers at just 15-years-old.

“I think it started last year. I started talking with a bunch of coaches. Div 1 coaches from the states and some really high-level universities in Canada,” she said.

The grade 10 student, currently stands at 6-foot-one. Coon says she didn’t start playing basketball until grade seven but had watched the game growing up with both her parents playing.

“It’s always been a goal, but I still can’t believe I have a couple. I have been talking to UCLA. I have a scholarship with the Portland Pilates and North Dakota. A couple more and then we are also talking to schools In Canada.”

Coon says she isn’t leaning in a certain direction just yet. And isn’t able to officially decide until after her grade 11 year. The teen has spent her seasons with FYBA Basketball in Kelowna.

“All of her basketball offers were generated from her grade nine year which is really quite young," said her father, Fred Coon.

Along with her success in basketball, Coon wants to pursue her education as well with the goal of one day becoming a doctor.

“I definitely want to go to a really good school for basketball, but another priority is also having a really good medical program.”

Coon, who is Indigenous, says it's also important for her to pursue her passions to inspire others.

“I know a lot of First Nations kids have not had as many opportunities as I have had. So I am really thankful for that and I am always thinking about that and trying to be a role model for the First Nations community and especially kids my age,” she said.

Once Coon decides on a university, she says her next goal is to make it to the Olympics to play for Team Canada.