Sugar Rodgers

Thank you to Akashic Books for this Advance Reading Copy (ARC) to review with my honest thoughts and opinions.

Sugar Rodgers shares her inspiring story of overcoming tremendous odds to become an all-star in the WNBA. She honed her skills as a young girl growing up in Suffolk, VA, by shooting hoops with neighborhood drug dealers before eventually being recruited by the Georgetown Hoyas, making her the first person in her family to attend college. She graduated Georgetown as a three-time AP Honorable Mention All-American, an English major as well the leading scorer of all time.

As a prolific three-point shooter, she was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in 2013. She also played several seasons with the New York Liberty before being traded to Las Vegas in 2019. She was named to the WNBA All-Star team for her 2017 season with the New York Liberty. Rodgers is now an assistant coach for Georgetown Hoyas women's basketball team program in the NCAA Division I Big East Conference.

The story of Ta'Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers is inspiring and motivating. The book grips you from the beginning and all the way to the end. The telling of her life challenges, heartbreaks, and struggles to overcome her environment yet still stay positive and connected to her family is a great story of triumph and resilience. Sugar's mother, who had played basketball herself in high school, died in 2005 from lupus, and her father died in July 2012.

This memoir will make a great gift for a young daughter or teen who is aspiring to play basketball for the WNBA.… (mere)

'They Better Call Me Sugar' by Sugar Rodgers is a frank, compelling memoir about Rodgers' experience growing up in Suffolk, Virginia and achieving a career in the WNBA despite an overwhelming number of obstacles. Although targeted at a younger audience the books is honest, and does not gloss over the realities of growing up in an extremely poor neighborhood full of gang violence. She also does not shy away from describing where she struggled and hurt, and when and how she needed help. One of the most compelling aspects of her story is her family's and community's commitment to helping her succeed as best they can. Even with few resources, and many of their own hardships it is clear that her family showed her so much love, and what a difference that made to her life.… (mere)