Spark Spotlight
Jerren Shipp
ASU Basketball
Major: Exploratory
Words: David M. Brown
Photos: Bruce Talbot
For the 19-year-old graduate of Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, family spirit has driven him to post standout numbers at ASU. In his first collegiate game, against Northern Arizona, Coach Sendek’s first high school signee scored 23 points – a new record for an ASU freshman. For that season, he played 30 minutes per game – the third-highest frosh total in school history. Only NBA-ers Byron Scott and Ike Diogu surpassed this in their first years.
"Jerren is a great student-athlete who comes from a great high school background," Coach Sendek says. "He was well-coached in high school, and that is shown on the court with his ability to see the floor." Coach adds: "He was voted best cutter and screener last year, and in our offense, that is a very valuable attribute to have. He is also unselfish and accountable."
"Something is running in the family," says Debbie Shipp, Jerren’s mom. "For us, it’s about hard work and understanding that ‘great players are average players who do what others won’t.’" Debbie’s a program administrator in Los Angeles, where Jerren and his three siblings were born, and husband Joe is a manager at Anheuser-Busch. "In the Shipp home, we are devoted to God and our family." Jerren notes that his personal relationship with God is an essential part of his day, and his play.
So inspired, members of the Shipp family have been doing what others couldn’t on the hardwood – and on the field – for years. Joe was a tight end for the USC Trojans, and played briefly for the Buffalo Bills. His dad, Jerren’s grandfather, James Knight, played basketball at Kentucky State as well as participated in track and field (a national champion for broad jumping, Debbie notes). "He got each of the boys started at an early age by being their first youth basketball coach. He passed along his love for the game to them."
One of Jerren’s older brothers, Joseph, starred recently at Cal, where he was the team’s MVP in 2001–2002 and 2002–2003, earning All-Pac-10 honors the latter year by leading the league with 20.4 points a game. "He set the standard for his younger brothers," Debbie says. "He showed them with character and confidence that they could do it, too."
His other brother, Josh, is at UCLA earning basketball honors as well. "He’s probably Jerren’s toughest critic and number-one supporter," Debbie says. No nepotism here: Last year, the two met twice on the floor, with Jerren shooting .429 (6 of 14) in games against the top-five-ranked Bruins at Pauley Pavilion and at Wells Fargo Arena. That’s particularly tough, as the two grew up playing against each other – day and night – in the backyard. "He didn’t go easy on me; that’s for sure," Jerren says.
Jerren, "the baby," is a combined talent of his brothers, both of whom also achieved honors at Fairfax High: strength and shooting, says mom, probably one of two people on Earth who can safely call him "baby." Brittney is the trio’s older sister – "the boss of the family," Mom says. She attended UCLA and, after recently accepting a position in Phoenix with Channel 3 as a weather reporter, looks forward to living and working close to Jerren and watching him play.
"I worked with my brothers," says the reserved Jerren, an undecided major who plays dominoes and video games and bowls for recreation. "They worked so hard, and I just followed them." This prepared him for the college game: "Everyone’s bigger and faster and there’s more intensity," he says. "It’s a higher level of play."
At a very early age, Jerren actually didn’t want to play basketball," Debbie explains. "Jerren liked the computer and climbing trees, walls, rocks – anything that would give him a view from the top. He earned the nickname ‘Sticky Feet’ because he made it look so easy."
Today, Jerren Shipp makes his opponents look as though they’re stuck to the floor while he continues to look to the top again – this time to a career in the NBA. "We look forward to watching Jerren continue to get better," Sendek says. "All of a sudden, he goes from newcomer to leader in one year. He has the tools and ability to be a great leader."
2007 / 2008
+ Started 16 of 28 games to date
+ 100 rebounds / 3.6 average
+ 172 points / 6.1 points average
Jerren Ship feature article provided by Spark Magazine.
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