WBB: Young hoopers put in work at Call to the Hall Futures Camp

Women’s basketball might be rising in popularity in a major way right now, but for plenty of people, it’s always been the hottest sport around.

When husband-and-wife duo Dominic James and Angela Phillips, a Marquette University Hall of Famer with 10 years of overseas basketball experience and a four-year Division I starting point guard for Indiana State and Kentucky, respectively, decided to put together a girl’s basketball camp in Knoxville, TN, they immediately knew they had to bring in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Positioned prominently downtown, the Hall of Fame honors the best of the best in women’s basketball, from athletes to coaches to other contributors to the sport. That recognition of the spectrum of the sport aligned with James’ and Phillips’ vision. “We saw a need for educating players and parents on a deeper level than what most camps [in our area] offer,” they explained to Swish Appeal. “There is so much more visibility now for women’s basketball thanks to media coverage. Little girls are now about to see very special women’s basketball players and will want to follow in their footsteps.”

The result was the Call to Hall Futures Camp, a one-day girls’ camp held in Knoxville on Dec. 27, 2024.

The process of preparing the next generation

James and Phillips also knew they wanted to bring in experts from across women’s sports: mental health professionals, former WNBA players, scouts and evaluators, and domestic and international trainers. Alexis Hornbuckle, a former Tennessee Lady Vol who was drafted No. 4 overall by the Detroit Shock in the 2008 WNBA Draft, shared that she joined the camp to “add value to young athletes with their mental training and skill development.”

“Everyone knows the importance of putting in the time and the reps for their physical health,” Hornbuckle continued, “but oftentimes, we neglect the mental reps we need to put in as well. It’s imperative to give back to the game and to be a blessing to other young girls to help grow the women’s game—and to help these girls get one step closer to their dreams.”

Dr. Kelly Ownby, a therapist board-certified in addiction medicine and psychiatry, echoed Hornbuckle’s emphasis on mental health as a reason she was all too happy to participate in the program. “For so many years there has been so much stigma about mental health, but that is changing thanks to the transparency of so many current athletes,” she said. “By understanding, normalizing, and seeking help for mental health issues, I hope that more athletes will be able to maximize their potential by being better equipped to overcome adversity. There is more pressure in the game than ever before, and knowing how to handle it is half the battle.”

Phillips and James also invited ESPN HoopGurlz scout Kenneth Pannell, who was joined by his colleague Tenishia Benson. Pannell cited the “opportunity to share knowledge with young ladies who have a passion to elevate their game” as the biggest reason he joined. “Communicating what evaluators and college coaches are looking for when watching athletes is an important part of the process.”

Parents attended the day’s events along with their daughters and had the opportunity to speak to the entire panel of guests. International basketball trainer and 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame nominee Tremaine Dalton told parents it’s important to support their kids, but also to talk to kids and teach kids the competitive nature of the game. “Make it about growing, educating and learning,” he said, “instead of taking a shortcut.”

“I wanted to help these young ladies out,” Dalton told Swish Appeal. He hosted a 2v2 clinic intending to make the game competitive and fun. “I think the competitive nature of basketball is the most important thing, and these are the types of opportunities that I feel women and girls who play need more of.”

Get to know the next generation

The individual stories of each athlete who attended the camp also were elevated. Several players were eager to work on not only their game on the court, but also their media and social media game off of it—including a few who spoke to Swish Appeal.

Azariah, who is 13, has been playing basketball since she was four years old. Her dad, who is also her coach and trainer, was the first to put a ball in her hands, and she also plays AAU basketball. Playing for her school and playing AAU are two different experiences, she told Swish Appeal, but she likes them both. She cited Kobe Bryant as her favorite basketball player. “I just like how he played and his intensity,” she said. Like Bryant, Azariah is clear on her goals and intentions when it comes to her own game. “I want to play in the WNBA,” she said without hesitation, and to get there she hopes to play Division I under the one and only coach: South Carolina’s Dawn Staley.

Jordan, also 13, was just as focused. Unlike a lot of her fellow camp attendees, she only began playing basketball two or three years ago. (Before that, she was into martial arts, and tae kwon do, specifically.) Her favorite basketball player right now is Kaleena Smith, a sophomore in California who has been gaining national attention this season. “I really like her game—how calm it is, how she really knows how to work her way around the defense, and how she can score from pretty much anywhere on the floor.”

Like Smith, Jordan cited her own scoring ability as her biggest strength, which is why she admires the sophomore so much. Jordan also has her eye on the biggest schools in NCAA women’s basketball, including UConn and USC—“pretty much where everyone wants to go to”—and Staley also is her dream coach.