The Tennessee Lady Volunteers are all set to welcome a new power force to their roster for the next college basketball season. Standing at 6-foot-3, the 17-year-old Oliviyah Edwards is set to lay the foundation for her college career, which might transition into a WNBA career, while carrying certain expectations. After all, she was named the No. 2 player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100 class, the highest-rated recruit to originate from the Lady Volunteers since 2019, and the first top-five recruit for Caldwell. But the support behind her growth is worth every attention.

With any luck, Edwards continues having the support of her stepfather as she progresses with the Volunteers. Why her stepfather, you ask? Let us take a look at Oliviyah Edwards’ loved ones who have helped her get into professional basketball.

Oliviyah Edwards’ early life

Oliviyah Edwards was born on February 21, 2008, in Atlanta and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Edwards was adopted by Jordan West, who remains her legal guardian, and Zach Carter is Edwards’ stepfather. Initially, basketball wasn’t her passion because she preferred wrestling, rock climbing, football, and soccer. However, after developing knee pain, her mother encouraged her to focus on basketball full-time, a decision that would ultimately set her on the path to athletic success.

To gauge where Oliviyah Edwards stood athletically, she and Jordan West attended a tryout for Hard Work Beats Talent, a nonprofit AAU basketball program based in Tacoma. At the time, Zach Carter, West’s boyfriend, coached teams ranging from fourth to eighth grade. Carter noticed something others might have missed: a spark of raw athleticism. When Edwards chased down a loose ball and kept trying despite her struggles, he saw potential worth nurturing.

One of Oliviyah Edwards’ famous moments came in the summer before her eighth-grade year. During a local tournament in Centralia, Washington, she slammed down the rim-grazing bucket. The same caught the attention of WNBA legend Candace Parker, who herself got some additional fame at the age of 15, after she made a memorable dunk. Parker posted the moment to her more than 1 million Instagram followers and reached out directly to Edwards.

Who is Oliviyah Edwards’ mother?

As mentioned earlier, Oliviyah Edwards’ adoptive mother is Jordan West. According to reports, West started taking care of Edwards when she was a baby in Georgia. She was quite familiar with Edwards’ biological parent.“I grew up in Atlanta, and Oliviyah was born in Atlanta, so she is not my biological daughter, but I’ve raised her,” West said. “Her biological family is there, I have family there, and so it’s nice because Georgia is close enough that they can go and visit.”

Who is Oliviyah Edwards’ stepfather?

Oliviyah Edwards’ stepfather is Zach Carter, who has also served as the basketball star’s coach. Zach Carter met Jordan West when the former was already a basketball coach and running a program. As West recalled, “He’s been around basketball his whole life”. When West had doubts about Oliviyah Edwards’ prowess, it was Carter who came up and said, “You don’t understand what she’ll be able to do one day, the way she can move her body.” And so, Edwards stuck with basketball and the rest, as they say, is history.

Zach Carter still occasionally appears in his stepdaughter’s social media posts. One of the most recent came last year, when Edwards wished him a happy birthday by sharing a heartfelt post filled with photos capturing special moments between them and other family members.

Oliviyah Edwards’ sibling-like relationship

Jordan West and her now ex-husband together have a son named Jaidyn and a daughter named Victoria. The couple had gotten married young. To support his family, the ex-husband joined the U.S. Army, due to which the family had to relocate from Georgia to a station in Alaska, and then to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. West remained in Washington after the divorce.

Oliviyah Edwards once recalled that she was out with her brother when she dunked first. She was just “practicing”, and then dunked. Edwards called out her parents, who at first didn’t believe her skill. After all, basketball wasn’t her first love, was it?

The role of family in Oliviyah’s basketball career

Oliviyah Edwards is reportedly known as a two-way player who can operate well out of the post. She holds this reputation thanks to Zach Carter since, as she recalls:

“My stepdad, he coaches me, so when I first started playing, I was known for being able to block shots and being really big. He didn’t like that because he was like, well, ‘she can do so much more,’ because he had already seen my athleticism and other sports because I used to play football, I used to wrestle and all that. So, he knew that he could pull that out of me. So we started working on all of that stuff. So that’s kind of where [the finishing] comes from, [as well as] being able to dribble. It’s just a lot of work that I do at home.”

Edwards’s mother reportedly helped her with her mental health by giving her some ground during high-anxiety moments. She also gave the occasional pep talk, telling Edwards that “You’re the best. Go and get it.” With any luck, Oliviyah Edwards will continue receiving this support as she begins a new chapter of her life. Who knows, perhaps we might catch a glimpse of the star’s parents when she is on the court, looking to put the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball on top.