It all started as an activity. An activity meant to keep her active and build good, healthy habits at a young age. This is how Claudia Ramos first became introduced to the game of basketball. Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, Claudia remembers slowly diving into the ins and outs of basketball and quickly falling in love with the game. The more she learned about it, the more she became fascinated by the possibility of embarking on a journey of her own in the sport. This was only the beginning. As Claudia began to strengthen her skills on the court, study the game—watching WNBA and NBA games—, and expand her basketball IQ, it became evident she wanted to explore this avenue to the fullest. She was all in. From playing national championships in Jalisco to joining the Mexican Basketball National Team's junior leagues, Claudia continued to step through the doors that opened along the way and embraced her journey. She was unstoppable. Little did she know that one of the biggest opportunities yet was right around the corner. After receiving a Division I athletic scholarship to California State University, Northridge, Claudia moved to the United States and officially embarked on her collegiate basketball career at the age of 17 years old. Throughout her time in college, Claudia elevated her game further, earned an array of accolades, and confirmed her interest in taking the next step in her career upon graduation.
After briefly stepping away from the game for a year and pursuing a career in advertising, Claudia found her way back to the sport and started her professional basketball career. The rest is history! From playing in an array of countries to joining the senior national team in Mexico to creating content focused on giving the next generation insights of the game, Claudia has established her personal brand and legacy across her years in the space. Along with this, she has also drawn inspiration from her upbringing and roots to start an artisanal footwear business called 'Palmas' alongside her brother. Even with these accomplishments, there are two things that remain top of mind for Claudia: the importance of letting her love for basketball be her driving force on this journey, and the incredible honor it is to represent her country around the world through this very game. Truly inspiring!
Let’s start with your time in college! Take us through that experience of attending California State University, Northridge. How did you grow as an individual and what was that experience like for you?
It was an amazing experience. I met people that I will call my sisters for life. I grew in ways that I don't think I could have grown if I didn't leave home, (and) if I didn't push myself to be so outside of my comfort zone. I think the main point that was so key for me was to really detach myself a little bit from my identity as a basketball player. I think we hear it a lot with athletes where they finish their college careers—or even their professional careers—and kind of (experience) an identity crisis. You know, that's been the main focus in your life for so long. I kind of went through that during college where it's like…having to find other things that brought joy when basketball was being very tough, when it wasn't going my way, and just being by myself. So that was one of the main growth (areas) that I had in Cal State. Of course, as an athlete, Division I was incredible. I mean, I started to learn so much more. I became a student of the game. I realized that up to that point I was really just playing, training, and doing a lot of skill work. But in college, I got pushed by my great coaching staff to really think strategically about the game and really hone in into specific skills that I could excel at—not trying to do everything. Those little nuggets change you as an athlete, and I think that (those) are key for my success right now in the pro scene.
You briefly stepped away from the game and pursued a career in advertising for a year. How did you find your way back into basketball? When did you know: “Ok, I love advertising. I love marketing. But, I do want to pursue a career playing basketball.”?
Yeah! It's funny actually (*laughs*). I took that step back and then, as we all know, the pandemic happened. I think that kind of shifted a lot of priorities for a lot of people. For me, it was kind of like: “I miss competing. I miss being part of a team. I miss the adrenaline—that rush that basketball gives me. You know what, I'm gonna start playing a little bit more here and there. I'll start playing in some social leagues.” Then, I was actually part of a very cool experience called “Exatlon”—which is a TV show that's broadcasted in Telemundo here in the U.S. and it's a reality show for athletes where we run through courses, it's two teams, you're competing, and there's weekly eliminations. I got invited to this experience and I was like, “You know what, this feels like a life experience that I can't pass on. Let's do it.” I was in the Dominican Republic for three months. It was an amazing experience, but it was also a turning point for me. That really reminded me (of) how much I love competing and how much I love being part of a team that has that drive to win a championship and to accomplish a goal. At that point, I realized that I was really missing being back in that environment; so as soon as I got back from that experience, I started reaching out to old coaches and agents. I got an opportunity to join a team in Mexico for the playoffs. I loved it and I just kept it going, you know? All throughout college, and up until this point, I never stopped playing for the Mexican national team so that helped me kind of stay in the line of the game. Right now, I'm full on and I'm loving it.
As you made that transition back into the professional world, what were some challenges that you faced early on as you began your professional career and how did you work to overcome them?