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Ziah Minor (Ziggy Ziah)

Nickname: Ziggy or Zi

Hometown: Washington, DC

Birthday: September 20th

Parent(s): Aziza Minor & Rassaan Anderson

Wears Number: #11

Community Relations: BLM, LGBTQ+, Mental Health Awareness, Cancer Research.

Video Game: NBA 2K, Call of Duty

Movie: Pan’s Labyrinth, Sweeney Todd

Food: Seafood and Any Pasta

Hidden Talent: Playing Guitar

NBA 2K History:
2021: Round 3, Pick 52 | Mavs Gaming
Third woman ever drafted in the NBA 2K League (2021)
First woman gamer in the history of Mavs Gaming

2021 PLAYER PROFILE: 2021 marks the first season for Ziah “ZiggyZiah” Minor in the NBA 2K League…she’s already made history as the first woman to compete for Mavs Gaming in the four-year history of the franchise…Ziah is also the third woman to ever compete in the NBA 2K League…She brings remarkable poise and experience to the league after competing on the hardwood as a NCAA Division I athlete, who also played one year of professional basketball overseas…The native of Washington D.C. qualified for this year’s draft by becoming one of the top performers in the Women in Gaming initiative launched by the NBA, and she is also one of the top female gamers in the world…on the night of the NBA 2K League Draft, she was called by Dallas Mavericks CEO, Cynt Marshall, who is the NBA’s first Black female CEO…The Mavericks now have a woman CEO, a woman assistant coach, Jenny Boucek, that coaches the team on the court and now a professional female gamer…all three women are considered pioneers in the basketball world and continue to inspire young women and men all across the globe….Ziah was born on Sept. 20, 1999 and is the proud daughter of Aziza Minor and Rassaan Anderson…Ziah first started playing NBA 2K with her father at age 12…she is passionate about community relations and social justice issues, particularly Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+, plus mental health initiatives and cancer research…she is a highly-talented artist and also plays the guitar.

MAVS GAMING OVERVIEW: 2021 marks Ziah Minor’s rookie campaign in the NBA 2K League and the first with Mavs Gaming… Mavs Gaming selected Ziah and Andrew Valle as subsequent picks this past season with draft positions determined by a snake order arrangement…Minor has been passionate about the game of basketball, both on the hardwood and the sticks for nearly her entire life…she first picked up the sticks around age 12 and coaches say her crafty skills on the basketball court translate well to esports…she is a natural-born leader and has become a vital piece on the Mavs Gaming operation on the court and in the community…she’s been featured in numerous special feature stories and major media outlets before the season ever started…coaches have high hopes for her entering 2021 and say her athletic background has prepared her to compete at the highest level of professional gaming…she’s a standout athlete beyond just her gender and has a natural feel for the game with an extremely high basketball IQ…Her poise, drive and determination are key characteristics that will help her flourish in the upcoming season…Minor said she expects the team to be a playoff contender and she is thrilled to inspire girls and women to dream big.

LT FAIRLEY QUOTABLE: “Ziah will be a trailblazer for women in gaming and equal opportunity. She is at the top of her class with her dribbling and shooting skills.”

ZIGGY ZIAH QUOTABLE: “I know that I have super-duper expectations for how I perform in this space. I’m one of the first women in esports and the NBA 2K League, but I want to be one of the greatest, period. There’s a lot that comes with this role beyond just the game. I want to be a source of inspiration for others to also pursue their own goals. I especially want to show young girls and other women that they can do anything.”