While it is not uncommon for well-known athletes to use their platform to advocate for causes close to their hearts, it’s rare to see a star athlete step away at the peak of their career to focus on their work full-time. WNBA athlete Maya Moore is no stranger to challenges, bringing all the courage and dedication she has shown on the court over the years to her fight for prosecutorial reform in the U.S. justice system.
Born on June 11, 1989, Moore quickly showed an affinity for the game of basketball at the age of three, when her mother mounted a hoop on the back door of their apartment. She pursued the game through her early years, graduating from Collins High School with a 4.0 grade point average in addition to being the school’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. She announced she would play for the University of Connecticut, where she went on to pursue an individualized major in sports media and promotion.
The highly competitive Moore found herself leading the University’s basketball team to four years of achievements, being the first freshman to be named the Big East Player of the Year, receiving multiple National Player of the Year awards as a sophomore, leading her team to a second straight undefeated season and 2010 National Championship in her junior year, and finishing her college career with an incredible 150-4 record while graduating with a 3.7 GPA. Upon graduating, she was selected by the Minnesota Lynx as the 1st overall pick in the 2011 WNBA draft.
Moore’s professional basketball career is no less impressive. Her first year with the Lynx concluded with the team finishing the season with the best record in the WNBA and winning their second championship. The following five seasons were a continuation of her pursuit of excellence, amassing highlights and accolades including repeated All-Star MVP awards, five all-star game appearances, and an Olympic gold medal.
A lifelong Christian, Moore puts her faith into action, having performed ministry work throughout her life as well as advocating for reform in the American justice system during her years with the WNBA. In 2019 she made the groundbreaking decision to take a sabbatical from basketball to focus full-time on her advocacy, including efforts to secure the release of Jonathan Irons, who was sentenced to a 50-year imprisonment at the age of 16 due to the state withholding exculpatory evidence. Irons was released in July 2020 after his conviction was overturned. Moore went on to marry Irons and the two are continuing their efforts to assist the wrongfully convicted as well as educate people about voting.
While Moore has announced she will continue her sabbatical through the 2021 season, it’s hard to imagine her working any less during that time. Wherever she goes, her dedication, courage, and determination will follow.