One redshirt freshman waited for almost a year to show the Memphis community what she can do on the court.
And the expectations that were set before a knee injury sentenced Bilquis Abdul-Qaadir to a year on the bench are starting to form again, as University of Memphis women's basketball commenced full-team practice this week.
"I feel a little pressure, just because nobody has seen me play, so they are probably expecting the same of what they did last year, maybe more," Abdul-Qaadir said. "I'm just going to go out and do me."
Whatever she did before she tore her anterior cruciate ligament seemed to be working. At just 5-foot-4, the point guard broke the Massachusetts scoring record her senior year in high school. The crowd at New Leadership Charter School paused and broke into cheers before she made her 3,000th point, according to the onslaught of media coverage that followed.
Abdul-Qaadir was featured in Sports Illustrated and SLAM magazine before she came to Memphis. Not only does her talent on court make her stand out, but her choice to wear a headscarf and the Nike equivalent to long johns under her uniform as a testament to her Muslim faith have helped her gain notoriety.
"I cover up because it's a modesty type of thing... So people take you as who you really are and not physically what you look like," she said before practice Thursday afternoon. "That's why I'm going to continue to do that. And it's unique. I'm the only one that does it in the NCAA - I think I take that as a benefit.
"A lot of Muslim girls all over the country Facebook me saying, 'We really look up to you,' and I like the feeling I get from it."
Last year around this time, Abdul-Qaadir was sitting at dinner with President Barack Obama, who called her an "inspiration" in the White House.
"Well it was really unexpected," Abdul-Qaadir said. "I got an invitation in the mail and I thought it was fake mail... When I called the place and it was real, I was like 'Wow.'"
Obama told her they should "get together and play ball sometime."
"He was a regular person; it didn't seem like he was the guy running America," Abdul-Qaadir said. "I was awestruck, but he made me feel really comfortable."
The president wished her luck on her upcoming season at The U of M. And now, a year later, she'll finally get her chance. When asked about her year on the bench, she kept a positive attitude:
"I think it bettered me. Off the court, I matured a lot," she said, who made the dean's list and C-USA academic honor roll last season. "It was more of a learning experience than a negative experience. I mean, I wasn't used to sitting out for a whole year of basketball, but I did learn a lot."
As one of only two point guards on the roster this season, coach Melissa McFerrin said it was important that she become a quick study in these initial team practices.
"Fortunately for us, she's a player that wants that role, that wants to play," McFerrin said. "No different than any other player, we expect her to perform to the best of her ability."
There are only a few players in the NCAA that adhere to their religious guidelines on the court, but McFerrin said there's more to her than that.
"Bilqis is really a quality kid. She's been an outstanding student - she is an outstanding basketball player," McFerrin said. "She is one of the more visible female athletes that just happens to be Muslim. She is a great credit to her faith, to her family, and a great credit to our program."
For her teammates, who've been around Abdul-Qaadir for a year now, the focus is less on what she's wearing and more on how she handles the ball. With eight returning players this year and three others who also sat out the 2009-2010 season, the team camaraderie is already there. Now the focus is on the game.
Senior post player Taylor Mumphrey said she has a lot of trust in Abdul-Qaadir as a defensive player but wants to learn more about her on offense. Already comfortable with the style of senior point guard Alex Winchell, she said this season will be an adjustment.
"Once we do get into offense, we'll see how she does as a point guard," Mumphrey said. "She is a good scorer, she's got good defense. We already know how Alex (Winchell) plays but we're still learning about Kease (Abdul-Qaadir)."
Having a heralded recruit like Abdul-Qaadir is a testament to the growing reputation of the program. With 20 wins last year, the team had its best season since 2004. And the momentum is still building.
"There's a vast difference from past years," McFerrin said. "I feel that at times the last two years we've been hoping to be in a position (to win) and this year we are fully expecting to win.
"It's one thing to sneak up on people and get 20 wins. It's another thing when everybody has you in their sights. So we've got to learn how to manage those expectations and learn that when we take the floor, we're not going to sneak up on anybody anymore."
