3 Wise Men of NBA are asked: Is Ashley Chea Jesus Shuttlesworth?
July 19’, Mamba Academy. E-Woods spies with my lil eye a 5-7 woman-child, mind blowing handles, balance, speed burst, behind the back sham god to-the-rim from the free throw line, crisp pure jumper.
I’m asking my guy Paul, “Who is that college player ballin, taking no ish from anyone out there, looking strong and agile like UCLA’s Charisma Osborne?”
P said, “Ha, you don’t start smoke with her bro, and she’s not even a college player E-Woods.” “She a pro?” I ask. Nope, P informs me that it’s Ashley Chea, and she’s only in 8th grade E!
3...2...1 a nuclear bomb goes off inside the pupil of my eye, mushrooming up fast, blast area expanding through my body, vitals explode, blood rushes through my aorta and ventricular capillaries, KA-BOOOM, my heart is propelled through my chest and straight onto the wooden floor at Mamba Academy.
Seeing A-Chea show ALL THAT poise and skill, for only an 8th grader?
Ashley caught Kobe's eye at Mamba Academy too. Watch as he demonstrates a basketball move for her to learn:
Watching Ashley perform brought me back to 2003, to this convo I had with my guy Ryan Jones, writer at SLAM Magazine who had just written a book on LeBron James, titled King James, Believe The Hype. Ryan was telling me about the first time he saw young King James and wrote Bron’s 1st story, “He was like gift from the basketball heavens.”
Maybe Ryan’s heart burst out like mine did, you rarely witness a kid in 8th grade that is the real life version of how Ray Allen played Jesus Shuttlesworth in the 1998 movie, He Got Game.
I have a photographic memory, not sure if that’s a curse or blessing, dunno, but I remember exactly how I was telling Ryan about these beyond amazing two 8th graders DeMar DeRozan and Brandon Jennings from the LA area.
Also about prep phenoms like Dorell Wright and Trevor Ariza too. Us hoop writers, we like to share our passion on players, it’s what we do.
Me saying 3...2...1, kaboom, that’s not fluff, 321 stands for me setting out to personally talk to, text or email at least 321 different basketball insiders, movers and shakers in the hoop world.
I remember promising DeMar’s dad, Frank who is such a good guy, when I was coaching DeMar that my mission was to tell at least 321 different people personally about how great a person and player DeMar was.
I even remember telling Jason Richardson’s people about DeMar, J-Rich had just won the NBA Dunk Title.
I was also proud to write D’s first story, click to read it.
https://ucla.rivals.com/news/free-report-future-bruin-hoops-star-part-i
Ashley Chea? Love and respect her the same as a person and baller like I do DeMar. I’ve been calling, texting, emailing at least 321 people about her, real talk? It’s more like 3,221 people lately.
Like who? - other talent evaluators, hoop insiders from ESPN Gurlz, dope writers and elite prep ballers, great AAU coaches, WNBA players, and I’m telling you the reader about her right now now, right?
If you could hear my voice in front of you now, you’d be like E-Woods, have you gone straight crazy about this girl Ashley fosho bro?
How crazy am I? Real talk? I sat down our family dog Buddy, he’s a Maltese-Poodle. I showed him Ashley’s video from Pass Tha Ball, that video site that highlights the best female ballers in America. I played it on the iPad / YouTube and told Buddy you might be the alpha dog of the house bro but A-Money, that’s my nickname for Ashley, she’s that top dog, #1 player, for the class of 2023.
Click it if you dare, straight up! https://youtu.be/uGb99mMrwpY
Why do I spread the word? People must know the truth, if you earned it from E-Woods, that’s the only way I can repay being moved and thrilled by such a special, special player I’ve been blessed to see. Like a DeMar, Brandon, Dorell, or a Trevor, and now in 2019, it’s Ashley Chea.
The 1st wise man of LA I told about A-Money was DeMar. The title of this story has Jesus Shuttlesworth in it right? I was chillin with DeMar DeRozan at The Mamba Academy recently in August, He made all the campers day at Mamba Camp, lifting up the kid who beat everyone at “knock out.”
He’s so great with kids, I told DeMar about A-Money who was practicing right in front of us, “See that Asian girl over there D, that’s Ashley Chea. She’s a great girl, has dope handles and as much swag as our guy Brandon Jennings did in 8th grade. She crafty and drip, drip with her jumper, you got to respect she’s going to be a doctor and save lives when she grows up bro.”
DeMar, who is low key, just gave me one of those looks like dang, it’s like that E-Woods. Yup, it’s like that, the quiet storm is on its WAY my guy, its name is Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep and Team Taurasi AAU.
The 2nd wise man I had to tell was Dorell Wright, who I ran into at The Hometown Favorites Clinic at Cal St LA. After not seeing Dorell for years, we were hyped to reconnect. I was so proud to write his first pro NBA story. I happened to ask Dorell if he might want to meet Ashley some day at Air West, give her some pointers, share his knowledge.
I respect him so, he told me, “Us giving back to kids, that’s so important. We were given so much E-Woods, I’m happy to help youngsters.”
3rd wise man I was proud tell about Ashley was Trevor Ariza, also at the clinic. It had been so long since linking with Trev, it made my day to see his eyes light up and remember me.
I did Trev’s 1st NBA story and told him, “Good looking for helping out with the kids, I wish this one girl was here today at the clinic. I’m going to bring Ashley Chea here to the clinic next year to work out with Pooh and LB.
“She reminds me how you were in prep Trev. This girl is rare, the only incoming freshman girl that could hold their own, handle elite boy’s prep intensity, her and Ju Ju Watkins of Windward. Those 2 girls just might rewrite the history books to be the best ballers ever in this city, just like you entered your name in that book Trev.”
Let me put it in context, how special Ashley is. For all my life, I’ve just wanted most of all to be a dope D1 baller, like the ones I write about, but I was never that good at hoop. If you asked me before I met Ashley to choose between being a hoop star or a writer, I would’ve always chosen being a hoop star more than a writer.
But after meeting Ashley, this is bigger than me, she is why God put me on earth to write stories, be a storyteller, she might inspire a generation of others to follow.
I truly wish the reader could get to know Ashley as I have. She’s so gleeful, filled with utter joy, a kid who absolutely loves her family, wakes up excited like crazy each day to attend Flintridge Prep near Pasadena.
What you need to know about A-Money, that’s my nickname for her, is when she steps on that basketball court, her mind is so freaking fierce, a killa, that has an aggressive mentality in monster-attack mode.
She channels this Mike Tyson in the ring thing, but not in a mean spirited way like “I’ll eat your children.” No, she’s not menacing, trying to eat the ear off an opposing guard’s head in-game. A-Money is like Iron Mike Tyson in a way, like when he got punched in the face during a fight he didn’t feel the pain because he trained himself to ignore the pain. His secret sauce to being super human was some intense training.
Like Tyson trained, Ashley thrives off of intense pressure. Tyson took whatever other boxers could throw at him, Ashley is the same. She can’t be rattled by her opponents.
Defensively, Ashley smothers opponents, locks them down and creates turnovers. Offensively, she runs an efficient offense from the point guard position, locks in and uses whatever dribble move or pass is needed to break down a defense.
She has nifty alley oop passes to her AAU and prep teammate like Kaitlyn Chen. Ashley? She might love the game more than anyone I’ve met.
These Public Enemy lyrics, A-Chea lives them through her play:
“What's love got to do with what you got?
Don't let a win get to your head or a loss to your heart.”
Why does Ashley impress me so very much? She has put herself in the lab since she was very young, like age 8, constantly practicing to ball, many crazy high skill drills. It’s mind blowing. She has trained 2-4 hours a day since then age 8, can you believe it, since.......age 8? I shake my head the dedication that takes, true love for the game. I’ve never seen anything like it.
See her vid below at age 9, she’s doing things with the ball most prep kids never will, you think it’s breathtaking like I do?
How do I figure if a prospect is worthy of being called a Jesus Shuttlesworth level player? They have to impress me like few others ever have, in so many ways, capture the imagination in so many ways. After seeing them, sensing if they are #1 in their class, I dialogue with my contacts at Blue Star, 24/7, Prospect Nation. I triangulate, build consensus, and I’ve only wanted to call a prospect Jesus Shuttlesworth like 1-2 times in the last 20 years really.
I cross-checked Ashley’s recruitment potential with Power 5 elite high major woman’s basketball coaches I know. I can’t give their exact words, that’s against NCAA rules, an infraction, but they were like, yes, she is incredible, very worthy of recruiting.
Hear what well respected AAU coach George Quintero, founder of Cal Storm and Team Taurasi says of A-Chea, “Ashley has so much potential, she works so hard. Her pull-up jumper is awesome, I’m very proud of her.”
It’s time to hear from Ashley Chea herself, about her hoop goals. “Ever since age 7 or 8 I’ve had this drive in me. No one told me to play, it just came to me. I would see 20 or 30 year old men doing great moves at the park, people I really respect, like the street-baller, Bone Collector.
“I wanted to copy their moves, to create new ones, get crafty, perfect my footwork, get faster, then even faster than that. I’m constantly challenging myself to improve. I think what you can do with a ball, it can be artistry. In my head, even when I was age 8 or as I am now, I want to be the best in the gym. If people are paying to see me, see our team play, I want to make it exciting for fans and give them a show.
“Even when I was age 9, I’d play vs. 13 year old talented boys, the tough boys. They’d try to knock me down, that just got me better. I see players like Kyrie Irving and think, I want to dribble and be like him. I see LeBron, I think I need to explode like him. I’m just going to push myself to be the best I can be, sacrifice whatever time it takes to be the best while still trying to be a normal kid. I try to squeeze in some fun when I can, but life is pretty busy.”
To me, Ashley is such a fascinating person to know. She doesn’t give herself enough credit, teenagers are like that, but she has this easy swag and confidence about her, like my guy Josh Christopher does. Ashley is trying to carve out her own true destiny, maybe she’ll be as good as WNBA champion Jordan Canada was in prep or college. Jordan was a 4 time All American in high school out of Windward. Who knows?
Hear what inspires Ashley as a person, “I’ve always looked up to people like LeBron James or Jennifer Lawrence. LeBron because of how much he has done for children and for people that don’t have the life they deserve. He’s announced that his Promise School is for kids that don’t have an education and it has provided them many essential things such as bikes, uniforms, food, and of course an education.
“Lebron is also a strong believer in ONEXONE. It supports children that are living with one string left in them, by helping them get better by providing solutions in hunger, health, education, water, and play.
“Jennifer Lawrence has always been someone I looked up to because she’s not once ever been cocky or a show off. Jennifer is a kind and humble person and is a great role model for women because she exerts the facts that girls should have a strong work ethic and to never take yourself so seriously. I’ve always tried to have fun with life and basketball and it’s all because of her.” The most impressive thing about Ashley Chea might be her crazy work ethic. She has this fantastic work out regimen and her dedication to acquire skills reminds me so much of my guy Skyy Clark. I feel blessed to have spent time and gotten to also know her dad Baov, who grew up in Cambodia. He immigrated here a couple years before Ashley was born.
Baov is a cool guy, and a mellow supportive dad. He’s good with his hands, as he works as an automotive mechanic. That’s maybe where Ashley learned how to take things apart, put them together, from seeing her dad do that to cars.
Baov, in his early 30’s, is fit and one in-shape dude, built like a trim brick house. If he tells you he was beastin’ on the blacktops a few years ago as a power-forward rebounder, you best believe him. I love that Baov is also a humble and hard working guy, putting in 6 days a week, sometimes having to miss Ashley’s out-of-state games, which breaks his heart.
But he is providing for the family, he along with Ashley’s adoring mom, Lida Ha. Ashley has seen her mom work long hard hours, preparing paperwork in the real estate business, and that has inspired Ashley to know the value of hard work.
Baov and Lida have a 1-year old son, Ashley’s lil bro Ethan. She says she’s going to train him to be a BEAST! Do I believe her? I’ve never seen anyone like Ashley so into getting their lil bro into being a dope player.
Wait? Ashley has that same determined look in her eyes like my guy Patrick Christopher did in 03’, when I met Pat. He was a freshman at Mayfair, like Ashley is a freshman now. I still call Pat all the time, because he’s the smartest dude I know. You the reader might have heard of his ultra dope lil bros Caleb and Josh Christopher, they were 1 and 2 years old in 03’.
So in 15 years? Watch A-Money turn Ethan into a top 10 prep baller like the Christopher fam ballers, that’s just how driven A-Money is to get her Iil bro beastin! That’s Crazy!
Want to hear pure love? Hear Baov speak on what his daughter Ashley means to the family, “The Chea family is so proud of Ashley and is so blessed to have her. We came from Cambodia to find opportunity and do our best to have a great life.
“Ashley has such a positive attitude and never fails to make anyone smile. We are so excited to see her do great things in the future. She’s the hardest worker you’ll ever meet and is focused on what she wants to do and surrounds herself with people that will make her an even better person. We are so lucky to have Ashley”
#true words, from a pure heart Some question whether Asians can make it into elite college hoop programs, whether Asians can play in the WNBA. My response to people who doubt that Asians can establish premier hoop players is to highlight a really dope friend I have, Raymond Townsend. I took my 6th grade class to train with him in San Jose in 1999, because Ray is that guy.
The first Filipino-American to ever play in the NBA, a UCLA legend and the last John Wooden recruit, great spirited Raymond told me why Asians should believe that they can make it like he did. He told about kids like Ashley, “Erik, you have to believe in yourself that you possess the skill. Being Asian is a chance to be a trailblazer, to show others that you belong.
“There will be others that follow my lead and make the pro NBA level and the WNBA ranks. They just have to be proud of where they’re from and know that when they get to the pros, that they take their culture with them to the league and inspire others.”
This amazing girl A-Chea, she carried a 4.0 All through junior high, you think she’s not a perfectionist? I love that she has this deep empathy for the world, I’ll let her express that, “In my hometown of Monterey Park, life is not easy for many. I see so many people, their bodies are broken by such difficulties that life endures, a bone sticking out of someone’s neck, a broken arm that won’t move right for a little kid.
“That’s tragic. I want to become a doctor, make them whole, fix them, cure them however I can, get them to feel better. We can’t look away from those in need. People on the streets, they are us, we are them, we need to help them.”
Some may say to me, you’re hyping and gassing up Ashley Chea too much for her own good. Too much expectations for one so young E-Woods. Ha! I’m not using gas, more like solid rocket fuel, the kind they use to power the space shuttle into outer space.
Why? A-Chea can handle the all this hype and gas I’m giving to her here, more than any kid I ever met, I asked her if she could handle being called #1, she’s like, I’m shooting for that spot E-Woods.
What evidence do I have she can take the hype? How many 8th graders do you know are so confident that they’ll call up, all on their own, elite basketball D1 head coaches, ask them to describe their program, just chop it up?! That’s guts, that’s what Ashley does.
This girl is beyond smart in the classroom and her hoop IQ on the court. Elite head coaches already heard she is dope. If you freaking play for Team Taurasi in 8th grade, they’re freaking messing heavy with you and taking your call!
I’m excited to introduce her to my Hometown Favorite’s clinic trainers I appreciate big time. See the photo of DeMar, Dorell, and Trevor. I know Ashley has the heart to work on her craft like all these INCREDIBLE players in this photo. She wants to grow up to be a real one like Pooh Jeter who I’ve told all about A-Money, and her all about Pooh. Ashley can’t wait to also give back to youngsters so how dope is that?
What is A-Chea’s potential? Think who is the most transformative girl player in the prep ranks right now? Azzi, freaking dope Fudd. Will A-Money follow in her footsteps? Maybe. You won’t find a more exciting, a more hard-working player than Ashley Chea.
You got to love that A-Money is like bring your best game people, her fearlessness that prep players will give her their best 20 and 30 ball game, every game, all season long. That sounds like what Kobe used to get as a Laker, people going at his neck and that made him better, the best version of Kobe’s ideal self. That’s why so many love Kobe. You have to applaud that Ashley got it like Kobe to tell the comp, give me your best shot people!
What’s my projection for Ashley Chea? Mucho! Beyond mucho!
Now you see why she is some Jesus Shuttlesworth level ish? I just bought a shirt that has Ray Allen in his Sonics jersey when he was on the front cover of SLAM. You want to recognize me when I’m watching Ashley Chea at her Flintridge games? I’ll be wearing that R-Allen in Seattle shirt. It says the color of money, I’ll be watching A-Money do her thang in it!
That’s why I went out to tell 3 of LA’s 3 wise men about the 2nd coming, that is A-Chea. Kobe is already knowing about Ashley Chea, giving her that next, next level tips on her jumper, how dope a ish is that?
How dope is it to see that humble twinkle in Ashley’s eyes, she not into herself, she’s not acting all Hollywood, jumping up and down and all crazy demonstrative on every lay up. She’s just a humble soul on a simple mission to be the #1 player.
You think Kobe shot his shot just to be #2, Bron trained to finish in 2nd place? I saw in DeMar’s eyes at age 13 that he was playing for far more than a 4 year max 150 million dollar contract when he grew up. D wanted that respect of being #1.
That’s why I also respect D-Wright and T-Ariza so much as well, I looked into their eyes at an early age, as youngsters, I saw them wipe away the sweat. Ashley Chea got it like that, grinding away to be #1, trying to do do her best Jesus Shuttlesworth imitation.100.
I’m telling you the reader, go out and see her play, you don’t want to sleep on or miss out on Ashley, you might regret it big time. I wish I could’ve seen Raymond Lewis play in his prime in the 70’s, he’s considered to be the best LA street baller ever from LA.
I do feel blessed to be living in the age of Ashley Chea. So put on your bullet proof vest people, lil bullets are not puncturing E-Woods vest, put on that vest because you don’t want your heart shooting out your chest like mine did the first time I saw A-Money ball.
The year is 2019 and F-I-R-E is on full display, its name is Ashley Chea, The Take Over, Jesus Shuttlesworth of the class of 2023, and the prep world, it might, it just might never be the same!