Who Is Oliviyah Edwards? Everything You Need to Know About Lincoln’s 6’3 High School Star Who Can Dunk

Basketball fans were excited from head to toe when they saw a woman dunk during a college basketball game in December 1984. The name of the player Georgeann Wells stayed famous for quite some time since then. After that Lisa Leslie made history by becoming the first WNBA player to perform the difficult move. And now another high school star by the name of Oliviyah Edwards has come forward to show her exceptional balling skills.

The move which is popular in the NBA doesn’t have that many women basketball players performing it. On the contrary, some analysts have also voiced lowering the net’s height in the women’s basketball games to help the players perform the move which can bring a lot of fans to the sport. Therefore, Oliviyah Edwards provides a great opportunity to bring more popularity to the game.

Oliviyah Edwards’s game and achievements

Edwards was seen catching a lob and performing a dunk during a practice with Lincoln High School where she studies. Edwards was born in Atlanta and is a five-star recruit in the 2026 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. Other than her dunk, Edwards is known for her defense where she uses her jumping range to block a lot many shots.

She was also present at the Under Armour Next Elite 24 where she represented Team Fire in August this year, getting lauded for her consistency and her rim presence on Day 1. She has also transitioned to be a two-way player who can make it through the post. The 6 feet 3 inches star is one of the taller players in high school and as per her own admission is coached by her stepdad, who didn’t like the fact that at one point in time, she was just known for her blocks.

““He didn’t like that because he was like, well, ‘she can do so much more,’ because he had already seen my athleticism and other sports because I used to play football, I used to wrestle and all that,” Edwards confirmed as per SB nation. 

Edwards is currently 16 years old and since she was in seventh grade she has had offers from prestigious universities such as Ohio State and Oregon. And that year was not only special for the acclaim she got but also because that was the first time she had started her new skill- dunking.

Oliviyah Edwards’s childhood and first brush with dunking

Edwards recollects that she was out with her brother when she dunked first. As per her she was just “practicing” and then dunked. Edwards called out her parents who at first didn’t believe her skill. But it would come as a surprise for many but Edwards didn’t want to be a basketball player at first.

As a kid Edwards used to ply her trade as a wrestler. But by 10 or 11 she started experiencing problems in her knees which made wrestling difficult for her. Therefore as she was also one of the tallest girls in her class, she was attracted to basketball which she found easier due to her affinity for it. But till then her skills weren’t carved out for it.

As Edwards recollects at the beginning of her career she didn’t get much time to show her skills. She would usually be benched. That drove Edwards to play more aggressively and with time she learned the skills, complementing them with her height and athletic prowess. But no player can ever be complete without their coach and the same is true for her.

Oliviyah Edwards’s bond with her coach and mother

With time when offers started rolling in, her head coach Jamila Jones noted that Edwardsw still remained humble. That helped Jones coach her better and her teachers too have a good impression of Edwards. She is known to be “goof-ball” by Jones who always keeps the environment light. 

During her first year in high school, Edwards averages 15 points with 9 rebounds. Though she was exceptional in gameplay it wasn’t new for her school where four players averaged in double digits. But what was special about her skill set was that she was the “only player that could actually dribble and get to the basket.”

But we also have to stop seeing Edwards as just a basketball player. Instead, she is a human first. And that is where her mom comes in. Edwards’s mother helps her with her mental health giving her some ground during high anxiety moments. She also contributes with the pep talk telling Edwards that ‘You’re the best. Go and get it.’ 

Edwards admitted that whenever she has a not-so-good day stat-wise, she takes up what is her main USP – rebounding the ball and using her height to her advantage. Thus, she tries to control whatever she can leaving the rest to destiny. But initially Edwards wasn’t so sorted.

 Edwards had a tough time during her freshman year despite exemplary stats. She used to find it difficult to overcome the mental challenges. Then as per her own admission, she got “better at shooting” and “leadership.” She also improved her ability to bounce back since a balling career meant that ups and downs awaited her.

“I used to get really in my head a lot in the game, and that used to take me out of my game, and I feel like now I can mess up and still go after and still be able to bounce back,” Edwards confessed to her mistakes as per SBNation.

And now Edwards stands on the cusp of making history. Her video has gone viral and she will definitely get more offers from prestigious schools. Right now what Edwards can do is concentrate on her game and make dunking the new normal in women’s basketball.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.