Q&A with Kayla McBride

Kayla McBride is a junior guard from Erie, Pennsylvania who lives in Ryan Hall at Notre Dame. She has played on the team two years and is off to a great start in her third. I recently caught up with her for a Q&A.

Q: When did you start playing?

When I was five, in the YMCA league.

Q: Is there any story behind your number (21)?

Yeah, Charlie [Ward] wore it. He played for the New York Knicks. He always ran a camp back in my hometown, and that’s where I first started playing basketball with all the boys, so ever since then I’ve worn it. Natalie Novosel wore it when I got here, but after she left last year, I decided to switch it up.

Q: Do you have a favorite professional player?

Michael Jordan. But if you’re talking about now, I definitely like Dwyane Wade’s game–I think he’s probably my favorite.

Q: Do you have a favorite player in college basketball to match up against?

Playing against Maya Moore was pretty cool, but I also just love playing with Sky [Diggins], she’s very competitive, and she’s really easy to play with. She has a really high basketball IQ.

Q: Why did you pick Notre Dame?

I came here when I was sixteen, a junior in high school, and I was just so wowed by everything. It’s a perfect combination of athletics and academics, and I knew I could succeed outside of basketball here.

Q: Apart from the basketball team, what’s your favorite part about Notre Dame?

The camaraderie, I would say. Everyone’s so close, and even after you leave, there’s so much opportunity to remain close.

Q: What’s your major?

I’m a marketing major. Mendoza all the way.

Q: Do you have a favorite class? 

Yeah my favorite class is definitely Consumer Behavior with Professor Bradford.

Q: Do you have a pregame ritual?

No, I did in high school, but once I got to college, everything is already so planned out for you, I just got caught up in that. It’s kind of hard to have one.

Q: What was your high school basketball career like?

I played four years on varsity–we won states my junior and senior years, and we were runner-up my freshman year.

Q: Do you have a favorite shot to use in HORSE?

Between the legs reverse…lay-up. Actually it’s behind the back too. Behind the back, between the legs, reverse lay-up. 

Q: And you’ve made that before? 

Yeah. 

Q: Are you ever going to use it in a game? 

Not in a game, I think Coach might take me out.

Q: If Manti Te’o played Skylar Diggins 1v1, who would win and what would the score be?

Sky, 11-5.