Jaylyn Sherrod has come a long way! Undoubtedly, grit, perseverance, and a knack for defying odds were her mantra. From taking her high school Ramsay team by storm to leading the University of Colorado’s women’s basketball team to the NCAA Tournament three times, she has done it all. And now, she’s got yet another accolade- her jersey retirement. 

Just after clinching a WNBA championship with the New York Liberty—on her birthday, no less—her high school, Ramsay, has officially retired her jersey. The Liberty guard’s former coach spoke on her behalf, saying, “A little girl from Pratt City made it all the way to the WNBA championship, so we are extremely proud of her.”

Celebrating “Jay Day” at Ramsay High, Sherrod shared words of encouragement as her jersey was hoisted high. “Never let anyone tell you no,” she told her younger fans. “So many people told me no…that’s really all my story is; I just kept my head down and kept going.” 

And truly, Sherrod’s journey hasn’t been all glitters. Even her career could have ended back in high school, long before she’d reach the NCAA or the WNBA. She suffered a severe injury during her senior year, an injury that nearly forced her out of the game for good. Doctors were not certain she’d return, and for a young athlete, this could have been a major blow. But Jaylyn Sherrod didn’t quit. She pushed herself beyond what anyone expected. But after getting into Colorado through a scholarship and rocking the court, she faced the sting of going undrafted in the WNBA.

But as fate would have it, she signed with the Liberty on a seven-day contract mid-season, which soon turned into a season extension. Then came the championship and New York Liberty finally won an overtime battle against the Minnesota Lynx. That too, on October 20, her birthday. 

She took to X, writing, “Under-recruited, undrafted, cut, re-signed, WNBA Champion and three degrees at 23. And you gone tell me God ain’t real?” But through it all, one person, her coach, Ronnie Jackson, never left her side. 

The coach who believed in NY Liberty star

Jackson has been a constant source of strength. Recalling the time of her injury, he said, “She had an injury her senior year, which the doctor said that she might not be able to play basketball again, and she survived that. She ended up playing and got a scholarship to Colorado.”

The Liberty star won the championship, the coach couldn’t contain his pride, saying, “I was crying on one part, and I was happy on the other because I’m just so excited for our kids to reach a level, a goal that they’ve been trying to get to for so long.”

“She’s like a daughter to me,” he shared, highlighting how closely they worked together and how he never doubted she’d make it big. The No.00 has always connected to her hometown, and she’s vocal about it. “So many people who were a part of my process came from home. I almost think about it like their hard work paid off as well,” she said. Although she only played 3.7 minutes, we hope to see more of her next season. If her record tells us anything, it’s that she’ll keep proving herself.