Photographs courtesy University of Maryland Athletics
Shyanne Sellers gets a lot of inspiration from her parents not only in basketball, but also in life. That inspiration has been particularly crucial because Sellers, a University of Maryland shooting guard, has developed into one of the country’s best women’s basketball players.
Her father, Brad, a 7-foot forward who played professional basketball for 10 seasons—six in the NBA—and her mother, Kymberly, give her on-and-off the court advice.
“It’s been the perfect mix,” Maryland Women’s Basketball Coach Brenda Frese says. “You get the high-level basketball I.Q. from dad. You get the free spirit she plays on the court from mom. That’s why you see this blend of a ferocious competitor and winner who has a great love and passion for the game.”
Sellers goes out of her way to say her mother, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, has had as much of an impact on basketball as her father. “He sets the standard for me,” Sellers explains. “Though, the same goes with my mom. My mom is a main part of my basketball career.”
Sellers comes from a basketball family. Both of her sisters, Shayla (Purdue University Fort Wayne) and Syrra (Kentucky’s Thomas More University) played Division I college basketball.
The Terrapin leads her sisters in achievements and it’s likely Sellers will play professionally. The Aurora, Ohio, native earned Big Ten First-Team All-Conference honors during both her sophomore and junior years. She led Maryland in points (15.6 average), assists (5.5), and free throw percentage (84.9), while ranking second in rebounds (84.9).
Sellers’ growth from year to year has been impressive, and she’s proven to be a vital player since her freshman year. The Big Ten named the 6-foot-2 Sellers, a combo guard, the Sixth Player of the Year that season and she nearly doubled her scoring average as a sophomore (7.7 to 13.9).
“She’s a versatile, dynamic guard and has found a way every to make an impact for our program,” Frese says. “She is in the long line of greats who have come through here.”
Sellers also made some news off the court, going public with her sexuality and support for the LGBTQ community in June. We caught up with Sellers just as the 2024–2025 season began.
Photographs courtesy University of Maryland Athletics
Photographs courtesy University of Maryland Athletics
What do you want to do after your Maryland career is over? Play professional basketball. Hopefully, I am blessed to do that, and my goal is to really play in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). I would say it’s my dream, but I am not really focused on it right now. I am focused on this season. After my basketball career is over, I want to stay involved in sports. I am a communications major.
The hook shot is rare in men’s or women’s college basketball. How did you learn it to make it a quality shot? You do see it a lot less nowadays. I learned it here at Maryland. I have worked closely with assistant coach Jess Imhof. She put that in my arsenal a couple of years ago. I have also watched some YouTube videos of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar [considered to have the all-time best hook shot] to improve my mechanics.
Describe your relationship with Coach Frese? It is really great. She does a good job of being my family away from family. We have our moments, but at the end of the day it’s really love. We have been together for four years and it’s one of the best relationships I will ever have. She has taught me how to be resilient and battle adversity. She is big on family and making family time. She understands there is more to life than just basketball. She prepares you for the real world.
What did it mean to you to play against your sister Shayla in a game in December of 2022, when she competed for Purdue University Fort Wayne? It was phenomenal. You don’t see things like that too often in college sports. It’s just uncommon. It’s easily one of the best moments in my basketball career. It was just a blessing to experience it, and it made great conversation for Christmas dinner.
How important has your father been during basketball career? He is a great role model. My father and my mom are great people to have by my side during this process. He critiques my game here and there. He does a good job of not being overbearing. He says some really good things about mentality versus critiquing my game. He wants to mix it up and play up my ability. I do my best in those areas. With my play, I think I have shown that I can do that.
I’ve read that your mom told you to play with no fear. Is that true? Yes. She battles multiple sclerosis. She hasn’t gone a day in her life without knowing fear. She is a very beautiful woman. One of the things with this game is that you can’t play scared. That’s what she has instilled in me from a young age.
What are your pre-game rituals? Are you superstitious? I always do the same thing. If it’s breakfast, I eat an omelet and oatmeal. If it’s an afternoon game, I will eat pasta and some vegetables. And I am a left shoe kind of girl. I always put my left shoe on first. You can say I am superstitious.
You must have put a lot of thought into the decision to discuss your LGBTQ experience and orientation publicly. Was this difficult for you or not? It really wasn’t that tough a decision. I have a very supportive family. I got a lot of positive feedback. I really didn’t get negative feedback. It really didn’t matter to me, though. What I like is the support out there. Some (pro and college) teams will have charity games and they donate a lot of the money to children or people who don’t have a supportive system. It’s great.
