by Vishakha Deshpande
Lexie Hull loves shopping, binge-watching Netflix shows, going to the beach and enjoying life. But what she loves the most is playing basketball. A WNBA player, an NCAA champion, an Elite 90 Award winner and a USA Basketball standout — Hull has done it all.
And her journey has just begun.
Hull, grew up playing basketball in Spokane, Washington. She was positively influenced by her grandfather and uncle who also played the game.
“When I was younger, I kind of played every sport but the reason I started basketball was because of my family,” Hull said. “And then throughout middle and high school, I always gravitated toward basketball.”
Hull found a basketball partner in her twin sister, Lacie, right from the beginning. The duo played against each other in their childhood and eventually made it to Stanford University’s women’s basketball team together. Hull believes that having her sister by her side has made things a lot easier.
“It was amazing to play with her,” said Hull. “It made the transition from high school to college, leaving family and friends that you’ve grown up with your whole life and moving to a new place a lot easier. You are also going through the same experiences so there’s someone to always talk to. You’re never alone.”
At Stanford, Hull made quite the splash. In 2021, she won the NCAA championship, an experience she describes as the ‘highlight of her career,’ which was especially meaningful given the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Winning the NCAA championship was an incredible feeling,” said Hull. “That being the COVID year was really tough and just showed how much we rely on teammates and friendships to get through hard times. And basketball was an area where we could forget about what was going on in the world and play and compete to win a national championship.”
While she was making waves nationally, on the international front, Hull was selected to the 2022 USA Women’s AmeriCup Team. Additionally, she played a pivotal role as a member of the 2022 USA 3×3 Women’s U23 World Cup Team, emerging as the tournament’s leading scorer with an impressive 63 points, averaging 9.0 points per game. Her performance helped the team secure a silver medal.
“It’s an honor to put on the USA jersey every single time,” said Hull. “To be a part of something as big as the USA Basketball is pretty awesome. And I feel really honored to be able to do that at the international level. I definitely am very grateful for that opportunity.”
Hull will represent USA Basketball in 3×3 at the 2023 Pan American Games starting on Saturday, Oct. 21 in Santiago, Chile. Coming from the WNBA season, she believes that playing 3×3 requires some adjustments.
“Your role isn’t necessarily pinpointed,” said Hull. “Everyone has to be a little bit of everything. We all have to really lock in defensively and we all have to be a threat offensively. The game is so fluid and you’re kind of expected to wear a million different hats while playing. You are not pigeonholed to a certain role.”
In 2022, Hull was drafted No. 6 by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft. That same year, Hull graduated from Stanford with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in management science and engineering. Apart from having the highest cumulative GPA in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, she also won the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s basketball.
She attributes her multi-tasking skills to planning well and ahead of time.
“I’m a big planner,” said Hull. “For any student-athlete, it is very difficult to balance the sport you’re playing, school, and also have a social life. I just determine my priorities and decide what needs to be done and when. I think it’s super important to be balanced and keep yourself happy. The happier I am, the more efficient and effective I am in every category. It helps me be at peace on and off the court.”
While Hull has tasted success in all forms and shapes, she knows that failures are always around the corner. However, she isn’t fazed by that. She draws inspiration from WNBA and USA Basketball legend Sue Bird and believes that to succeed, honest perseverance is the best way.
“Focusing on having a growth mindset is very important,” said Hull. “There’s always something you can learn from in every situation, every win and every loss. There’s always something that you can pull away from it in order to get better as a player and as a person. Every little thing you do contributes to the bigger picture and goal and success in general. Making sure that you’re focused on everything and that everything has a higher meaning and purpose.”
Originally posted on usab.com