Home ARTICLE BASKETBALL SPORTS From Underdog to MVP: Mikayla Blakes' Incredible Journey

From Underdog to MVP: Mikayla Blakes' Incredible Journey

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Mikayla Blakes
Mikayla Blakes, the rising star of College Basketball

The last seconds bled off the clock and Memorial Gymnasium erupted. A near-capacity crowd didn’t hold its breath, it roared in ecstasy. The Commodores hadn’t just won; they had staged a breathtaking clinic, utterly dominating one of the most storied and talented women’s programs in the country.


“She shines, and I just want everyone to appreciate it...”


The atmosphere at Memorial Gymnasium was electric as No. 5 Vanderbilt delivered a dominant performance against No. 4 Texas, beating them 86-70. The crowd was ecstatic, still reeling from the Commodores' impressive display of skill and teamwork. It was clear from the opening tip that this game belonged to Vanderbilt.


Mikayla Blakes was the star of the show, torpedoing Texas with a game-high 34 points. Her performance was a masterclass, leaving the Longhorns struggling to keep up. The sophomore sensation has been making waves, and she's showing no signs of slowing down. From sleeping in gyms to dominating them, Blakes is living her best life.




Vanderbilt's lead was commanding, with a 26-point advantage midway through the third quarter. Texas mounted a late push, but it was too little, too late. The Commodores' defense was solid, and their offense was clicking. It was a total team effort, with Blakes leading the charge. 


Blakes' performance was absolutely electric, slicing through defenders at all levels - she buried three-pointers, attacked the rim with confidence, and dominated at the free-throw line, finishing an impressive 13-for-15. Her all-around game was on full display, and it was a joy to watch.




That night, Blakes made history, becoming the first SEC player in the last 25 years to record four straight 30-plus-point games. It's just another milestone in a resume that's growing at a staggering pace - the stats are crazy, and she's showing no signs of slowing down.


The five-foot-eight guard is just in her sophomore season at Vanderbilt, but she's been on a tear - spectacular, sensational, and unstoppable. She's taken the NCAA by storm since stepping on campus, and it's been a wild ride.






Nearly two years ago, women's college hoops had a huge void to fill after superstar Caitlin Clark graduated from Iowa. The new face of women's basketball was up for grabs, and Blakes instantly stole the spotlight with her incredible talent and performances. 


She grew up in Somerset, New Jersey, and was never a stranger to basketball – her father played at St. Michael’s College in Vermont, a Division II university. He is currently a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. Her older brother, Jaylen, played at Duke and Stanford before going to Israel to pursue a professional career. The game was always around her.






Basketball wasn't her first love, though. Blake used to fall asleep in gyms as her father was working out with her brother. “There were a lot of early-morning workouts with him,” she recalled. She would come with them, dribble around a little, then find a quiet corner to get away from the noise. And then fall asleep and rest until the practice was over. 



A Spark Ready to Burn Bright

Before basketball took center stage, Blakes was a force to be reckoned with in other areas - she was a competitive dancer and a nationally ranked 800-meter runner at just 10 years old. But neither dance nor track could match her passion for hoops.


“I was like, I want to do something instead of running in circles. Like, I want to do something with the running,” Blakes said.






It wasn't until middle school that she finally gave basketball a chance. Blakes had the athleticism, but skills were a different story - she was raw, but had potential to be honed.


“I was very uncoordinated at first,” Blakes said. “Like, really bad.”


What she lacked in skill, she made up for with tenacity. From her first steps on the hardwood, Blakes played with burning passion and competitive spirit - her drive was palpable, and it fueled her growth.


“I was very much like a perfectionist,” said continued. “It would upset me when I missed the shot or turned the ball over. But I just worked on it.”


As time went on, her skills started to match her effort, and the bond between Blakes and the game grew stronger.


“With the other sports, I got a little burnt out,” she said. “But basketball was just joyful. I had a team behind me, and my coach made it fun.”


Her potential started emerging, so her parents decided to enroll her in Rutgers Preparatory School – one of the best high schools in the state to challenge her both academically and athletically.


Blakes flourished at Rutgers Prep, helping the team to a state title as a sophomore. She went on to average 20.4 points, 3.6 steals, and 3.2 assists per game as a senior, cementing her status as a top prospect.


“You knew she was different from day one,” said Rutgers Prep girls basketball coach Mary Coyle Klinger, who coached her all four years. “She was special in so many ways. She had elite athleticism, an elite work ethic, elite knowledge of the game, and it all showed through from the get-go.”


Next Stop: Vanderbilt

Blakes finished her high school tenure as the No. 8 recruit in the country, accompanied by national honors. She was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, was named a McDonald’s All-American, and received an invitation to the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit all-star games.


After collegiate powerhouses lined up to get Blakes, she made her decision. The star guard chose to move to Nashville, opting to play for Vanderbilt. 


Blakes wasted no time adjusting to the style of college basketball. As a true freshman, she averaged 23.3 points per game, ranking second in the SEC. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year and earned All-SEC First Team and AP All-American Third Team honors.


On January 30, 2025, she erupted for 53 points against Florida — the most ever scored in a single game by a true freshman in NCAA history. Two weeks later, she surpassed that mark with 55 against Auburn, breaking a record previously set by Elena Delle Donne during her redshirt freshman season in 2009-2010.


"Mikayla Blakes is special,’’ Vandy coach Shea Ralph said recently. “She shines, and I just want everyone to appreciate it. There can be lots of arguments about who's the best player, but look at what that kid has done for our program and tell me there's a more meaningful player in the country, to this team.”


Even her extraordinarily consistent performances couldn’t prevent Vanderbilt’s first-round exit from last year’s March Madness as the Commodores fell to the Oregon Ducks. The loss was a tough pill to swallow, but it only sharpened expectations for what followed.




This season, Vanderbilt is destined for greatness, piloted by Blakes’ leadership. The Commodores have been nationally ranked since the beginning of the year, starting at No. 21 and climbing all the way to No. 5. 


Vandy is set up to make a deep postseason run this time. They're currently sitting in second place in the SEC – a conference that's packed with talent, featuring ten nationally-ranked teams, and is widely regarded as the best in women's basketball right now.


Blakes regularly competes against the best, and she always finds a way to rise to the occasion. The star sophomore is a favorite to win the SEC Player of the Year, leading the NCAA in points per game with 26.3. 


In January, Blakes was named 2025 Female Athlete of the Year by USA Basketball. It's a testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport.


Last summer, she represented the United States women's national basketball team at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup, earning MVP honors while leading the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game en route to a gold medal. The achievement was especially meaningful considering she had failed to make the U17 national team just two years earlier. Rather than dwell on the disappointment, she used it as motivation. Her growth since then has been exponential — and unmistakable. 


Comparison is the thief of joy, a famous quote says, but in Blakes’ case, it feels inevitable. She's done something remarkable in such a short time.


In just two collegiate seasons, she has reshaped Vanderbilt’s trajectory and redefined expectations. She is not simply piling up points; she is transforming the program & college basketball.


Blakes has already established herself as a megastar, and it's clear she's got a bright future ahead in the sport.


And as Memorial Gym once again rises to its feet, there is a sense that this is only the beginning. She is just a sophomore, and she is only getting brighter. The energy is palpable, and it's exciting to think about what's to come.





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