Freshman point guard Khayla Pointer seemed destined to be a Tennessee Lady Volunteer.
Pointer grew up cheering for the Lady Vols and her aunt helped win national titles as a player and an assistant coach at Tennessee.
But when it came down to finally choosing a college to play basketball for, Pointer, an ESPN top 100 recruit, was determined to be an LSU Lady Tiger, in part because of her aunt, LSU coach Nikki Fargas.
“She definitely played a major role in my decision to go to LSU,” Pointer said. “I went through my recruitment process just like any other kid, however. When I was younger, it was [like] I was definitely going to play for my aunt. It was something I battled with, going back and forth as I got older.”
For Pointer, playing on her aunt’s team had been a dream since she was kid.
Many LSU women’s basketball players attribute the family atmosphere around the women’s basketball program as a reason to come to LSU.
“We are a family here,” Pointer said. “[The returning players] welcomed us here. They made us feel welcome as soon as we came here. All of us freshmen are learning, but they made sure it was not a hard adjustment for us.”
For Pointer however, it was about playing with her family-her aunt.
“I have been playing for my dad all my life,” she said. “So, it is kind of like jumping from family member to family member. I know that on the court, inside these lines, she is the coach and I am the player. Off the court, she is still my auntie.”
While Fargas may have led Pointer to LSU, Pointer has made her own place at LSU.
Along with being an ESPN top 100 recruit, Pointer was on the Naismith watchlist as a high school senior.
Pointer has already gained national recognition. SEC Network women’s basketball commentator Blake DuDonis suggested Pointer could finish as the SEC Freshman of the year.
While she has gained national media attention, Pointer has impressed her teammates at LSU, too.
“She is a definite point guard, a strong point guard,” said sophomore forward Ayana Mitchell. “She is young and she has got a lot to learn, but her go-getter attitude is contagious.”
Before most freshmen had started practice, Pointer had already started three games for the Lady Tigers after LSU went to Italy in an exhibition trip during August. Pointer was the lone true freshman to start all three games in Italy.
Pointer led LSU in assists during the Italy stint and improved her stats in each game. In the Lady Tigers’ closing 83-50 win against FSG Academy, Pointer broke through with 10 points, 7 assists and 4 steals.
In Italy, Pointer was second to LSU senior guard Raigyne Louis in steals. Pointer says Louis has become someone she learned from since Louis started playing for her aunt.
“She is definitely been a mentor,” Pointer said. “I have been watching her since I was a kid. I have known her for a while. I just look at different pieces of her game, she is so good at everything and I try to pick up pieces from her game.