Aria Ralston
 Photo by Pac | |
| No. 32 – Edmonton Excavators | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| Species | Spotted-Necked Otter ( Mustelidae ) |
| Gender | Female |
| Nickname(s) | |
| Lady Gat | |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
March 15, 2001 Sewanee, TN |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Shoots | Left-handed |
| Career information | |
| School | Vanderbarn University |
| FBA draft | 2021 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Las Vegas Wildcards | |
| Pro playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021 - 2022 | Las Vegas Wildcards |
| 2022-2023 | Biloxi Venom |
| 2023-present | Edmonton Excavators |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Contract information | |
| Contract year | 2024 |
| 2026 Salary | $3 million |
| 2027 Salary | $3 million |
| Player Contacts | |
| (IC) Agent | BladesDaRaccoon |
| (OOC) Creator | BladesDaRaccoon |
| (OOC) Actor | Unknown |
| (OOC) Usage | Ask me before any use |
Biography
Early Life
Aria knew very little of her parents growing up...Or chooses to remember very little of them. Neither option was good between her mother being an on and off recovering addict and her father being overly strict and overbearing. By the tender age of 13 she was homeless...bumbling around and making it on the generosity of others. Backyards, friends' couches, treehouses, playgrounds, even her mom's couch from time to time...not out of desperation but rather...pity. She still loved her mom and wanted to help her but as a kid...what could she do? She'd just give her a hug after a night's stay and go on her way...
During this tumultuous year a couple bright spots came to be...one of which was getting a seasonal gig as a ball girl at The Still. Wiping floors during games might not seem fun or glamorous, however...it kept her out of trouble...and inspired her. Seeing the players do seeming unreal feats and plays, commanding the cheers and jeers of the crowds. Looking up as she was wiping the sweat off the floor she thought...maybe she could be here on the court someday.
High School
After that experience Aria made efforts to really pull herself together, picking up oddjobs so she could scrape the money together for a gym membership...a gym with a basketball hoop. The chance to work on her physical fitness and keep out of trouble while starting to find her game. In late night pickup games she struggled a lot to start but as time passed she found herself able to hang with the players there...and later on even besting them. Couldn't deny she had grit, especially defensively...leaving some wondering how they were getting clamped up by this young otter.
As pricey as it could get and as hellish as her schedule got scraping by with passable grades was worth it...in High school she displayed a raw, unharnessed athleticism able to get nice finishes at the rim and could even toss up a dunk here and there. She was undisciplined and rough but with the proper mentor she could go far...
This was already on top of working everything from cleaning houses, working for a pizza place and an ice cream shop, even going back to The Still as a janitor, mopping up the very court she hoped to play on one day. Finally she landed an apprenticeship at a local tattoo parlor at 16, while it'd be a long time before she could put needle to fur, she found herself at graduation getting certified as a piercer. A better answer to her fiscal woes going forward, able to finally give her mother just a little support, sending her gift cards so she could have decent food.
But...the real crowning jewel of her adolescence...was when she was invited to Durham Street Jam by Ash Van Zant. Under his guidance, Aria showed a lot of her raw talents through the tournament. Going toe-to-toe with street ballers and former athletes really let her display her talents at the rim and defensive end. The team's victory certainly got her some looks from scouts.
College
With mediocre at best grades, Aria might seem like a bit of a hard sell to some recruiters. However...Vanderbarn was willing to look past that and see her for her skill set. Upon having their stars Ash Van Zant and Lucy Jo Heitkamp declare for the FBA draft, it was expected that Vandy would have a down season but then...something miraculous happened. Even with Aria as the team's sole star and very much carrying the bulk of the burden that season...even as a 15th seed in the FCAA tourney, she willed the Admirals to the Final Four in nothing short of a heroic display.
Many were surprised that she hadn't declared after that season, seeing a raw yet rising star but...beneath the surface she and her coach knew she needed some time to really hone her game. That...and she wanted to finish out her apprenticeship. With hearing she'd be returning, Vandy's staff immediately saw the chance to capitalize on their hotshot point guard. the scouting and recruitment department went to work trying to get her some help...and that came in the form of Kevon Oakley...an undersized but mighty center who Aria had at several points crashed with him and his family. It was a welcome sight in more than one way.
With Kevon and other new additions to the Admirals' roster, Aria found herself having to bear less of the burden and time to work on her passing touch now that she had weapons to work with. Her assist average made a great leap that season followed with another deep FCAA tourney run. However she did seem unhappy at the end...wasn't the leap to the finale she'd hoped for.
After the season...Aria seemed unhappy...but luckily Kevon was there for her...and seemed to have an interesting remedy. He showed her the wonderful sport of Slamball. It was a small-time, underground league for fun but it was exhilarating. She loved the high-flying, gritty experience dodging tackles, leaping up for dunks that seemed only possible in video games. Her team liked her for her versatility being able to bounce between handler and gunner. It seemed to do just the trick for her sadness, seemed to melt away as she jumped up and dunked...
However now...now seemed like the time for Aria to step up and put her name up for the Draft...it was time for her to be on the court, and this time without a mop...