Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Kai Crutchfield became fascinated with the game of basketball at just six years old. Although her first love in the world of sports was with track and field, there was something unique about the game that quickly piqued her interest. From its team-oriented culture to the relationships it fostered, Kai was captivated by the array of opportunities basketball provided both on and off the court. This was only the beginning. Over the next several years, Kai continued to develop her skills on the court and solidify her commitment to playing the game at the highest level. She was on a mission. After graduating high school, Kai embarked on her collegiate career at North Carolina State University—where she has won back-to-back ACC Tournament Championships and earned an array of individual honors throughout her undergraduate career. It doesn’t stop there. Along with her on the court efforts, Kai has also cultivated her personal brand beyond the game. Fueled by her passion for DIY projects, art design, and clothing, she founded her own apparel company—Scripted Apprl—this past year, and has been expanding the brand since. As she begins her last year at NC State, Kai is looking forward to elevating her game further this season, exploring opportunities to play professionally, growing her company, and giving back to her community. Amazing!
Diving into your journey early on, how was that transition from high school to college like for you?
The transition from high school to college was a little difficult for me. I definitely (would) say there were valleys and peaks. You know, it's not for everyone. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Just the speed of college basketball—especially playing in the ACC—was different. To me, the ACC is the best conference there is in women’s basketball. So just being able to guard all different types of players, going from being one of the bigger guards (in high school) to one of the shorter people on the floor (in college), and learning the style of play was an adjustment. In high school, sometimes you just go out and hoop—kind of similar to playing pickup. But, basketball in college is more about fundamentals, techniques, and everything. My high school coach did a good job of preparing me for what college had in store, so I think the transition definitely had its valleys and peaks.
How did you work to overcome some of those challenges that you faced early on?
Just (by) talking to people that I looked up to who were in college before me, and seeing what their perspective was on the game. Also, just making sure I trusted the process. My parents always told me to trust the process regardless of the situation—whether that's in corporate America, academics, or athletics—, so knowing that all the work that I had put in on the front end was going to come out in the back end helped me overcome some of those challenges.
Reflecting back on your undergrad career at NC State, how do you think your game elevated throughout your first four years?
I think my game elevated just with my confidence. You know, when you shoot the ball and you see the ball go in a few times, it kind of gets you going. It also gets your team going. With that, my teammates, my parents, and my trainer—Mike Jones—had that confidence in me. They continued to make sure that I knew what I wanted to do regardless of what was thrown at me. You know, they made sure that my shot stayed consistent. Senior year, in the postseason, I think I shot 47% from the three-point field which ended up being the best in school history. So just really seeing the ball go in the net and getting up those extra reps really helped my game elevate over the years.
You earned an array of accolades throughout your undergrad career at NC State, including back-to-back tournament championships in the ACC and several individual honors. What did achieving these milestones mean to you?
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