University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Brown and Women’s Basketball Team Rally Around Young Fan
July 31, 2020 | Women's Basketball
LEWISVILLE, TEXAS – When fifth-grader McKenzie Taylor-Clark opened her front door on a Saturday afternoon in early July and saw UCLA Women's Basketball players Camryn Brown and Natalie Chou staring back at her, she couldn't believe her eyes. She was so shocked, in fact, that she screamed and closed the door, wondering how two players from one of her favorite collegiate basketball teams could be standing in her doorway with a gift basket.
"I think she was just really surprised," said McKenzie's mother, Sheila. "When she opened the door, she was not prepared for it. But she was so excited."
Meeting Brown and Chou and scoring some Bruin gear wasn't the extent of McKenzie's unanticipated interaction with UCLA Women's Basketball, as she unexpectedly found herself on a Zoom call with the team earlier in the day. The entire team, including incoming freshmen and several coaches, joined to meet the young fan and her family.
A point guard for True Texas Hoops, McKenzie was able to ask the team questions and came away with some invaluable advice on how to grow as a young player and balance her athletic interests with the importance of academics in her quest to, ultimately, play college basketball.
"They said, 'Listen to your teammates,'" McKenzie recalled with a smile. She said the team emphasized passionate play and told her if she ever got to the point of feeling too tired, she needed to "push forward, go harder."
McKenzie's wonderful day with the Bruins was made possible by the leadership and generosity of Brown, an incoming sophomore and Texas native, herself. Brown and her mother are involved in Jack and Jill of America, Inc., an organization that teaches African-American children life skills and emphasizes leadership, public speaking, and community service.
It was through Jack and Jill that Brown's mother met Sheila, who was also involved in the organization with McKenzie. Sheila is currently battling breast cancer for the third time, and Brown's awareness of McKenzie's love for basketball and the difficult circumstances for the Taylor-Clark family initiated her desire to make a difference.
"Just knowing all that her family is going through, I couldn't imagine doing that – going through that with my mom – as a college student, let alone a fifth grader," Brown remarked. "I was like, 'Man, I just want some way to put a smile on her face.'"
Brown decided she wanted to surprise McKenzie with the aforementioned Zoom call and in-person, physically-distanced encounter. She was struck by the program's immediate willingness to help her in her efforts, whether it was Director of Operations Pam Walker's shipment of the full gift basket to Texas or her teammates' enthusiasm to meet the young supporter Brown had only just described to them.
"Honestly, the support from my teammates, my coaches, and just everybody who I talked to about this was super cool," Brown said. "Each and every person in this program loves to help people, loves to do whatever they possibly can to make other people smile … We just want to do whatever we can to make the world better or make someone's situation better."
Brown hopes to develop an even closer relationship with McKenzie through mentorship as McKenzie continues her basketball career. The guidance Brown wants to provide is part of her effort to pay forward the mentorship received as a young player from fellow Jack and Jill alumna Ashley Deary, a longtime friend who went on to be a starting point guard for Northwestern (2013-17).
"She really helped me," said Brown. "I've known her forever but really started to get in touch with her and talk with her more about basketball in middle school. She just really helped me through high school, telling me what I should look for in a college, in a coach. What do I want in a program? How do I shape myself into the best player?"
Deary's positive impact on Brown's life and basketball career has inspired Brown to do the same for McKenzie. Brown hopes this chain of mentorship can continue to grow moving forward.
"I want McKenzie to have a role model that she can look at and say, 'If she can do it, I can do it, and I can probably do it better, as well,'"Brown remarked. "I want her to carry this on to somebody else, just to keep inspiring young kids, especially African-American girls, that they can grow up to be whatever they want. Even in times when they're not fully supported by everybody in the world, I want them to know that there are people doing it."
The relationship between Brown and McKenzie will continue to blossom for years to come. While she was a girl of few words in our discussion, McKenzie acknowledged the happiness she felt for having Brown to look up to whenever she needed her. Sheila made clear how meaningful Brown's actions were to her and her family.
"She wanted to do that and be an inspiration in another child's life through Jack and Jill, which I think is amazing," Sheila said. "It was wonderful to have a young woman really do that and really want to be a part of my child's life. I really, really appreciate it."
"I think she was just really surprised," said McKenzie's mother, Sheila. "When she opened the door, she was not prepared for it. But she was so excited."
Meeting Brown and Chou and scoring some Bruin gear wasn't the extent of McKenzie's unanticipated interaction with UCLA Women's Basketball, as she unexpectedly found herself on a Zoom call with the team earlier in the day. The entire team, including incoming freshmen and several coaches, joined to meet the young fan and her family.
A point guard for True Texas Hoops, McKenzie was able to ask the team questions and came away with some invaluable advice on how to grow as a young player and balance her athletic interests with the importance of academics in her quest to, ultimately, play college basketball.
"They said, 'Listen to your teammates,'" McKenzie recalled with a smile. She said the team emphasized passionate play and told her if she ever got to the point of feeling too tired, she needed to "push forward, go harder."
McKenzie's wonderful day with the Bruins was made possible by the leadership and generosity of Brown, an incoming sophomore and Texas native, herself. Brown and her mother are involved in Jack and Jill of America, Inc., an organization that teaches African-American children life skills and emphasizes leadership, public speaking, and community service.
It was through Jack and Jill that Brown's mother met Sheila, who was also involved in the organization with McKenzie. Sheila is currently battling breast cancer for the third time, and Brown's awareness of McKenzie's love for basketball and the difficult circumstances for the Taylor-Clark family initiated her desire to make a difference.
"Just knowing all that her family is going through, I couldn't imagine doing that – going through that with my mom – as a college student, let alone a fifth grader," Brown remarked. "I was like, 'Man, I just want some way to put a smile on her face.'"
Brown decided she wanted to surprise McKenzie with the aforementioned Zoom call and in-person, physically-distanced encounter. She was struck by the program's immediate willingness to help her in her efforts, whether it was Director of Operations Pam Walker's shipment of the full gift basket to Texas or her teammates' enthusiasm to meet the young supporter Brown had only just described to them.
"Honestly, the support from my teammates, my coaches, and just everybody who I talked to about this was super cool," Brown said. "Each and every person in this program loves to help people, loves to do whatever they possibly can to make other people smile … We just want to do whatever we can to make the world better or make someone's situation better."
Brown hopes to develop an even closer relationship with McKenzie through mentorship as McKenzie continues her basketball career. The guidance Brown wants to provide is part of her effort to pay forward the mentorship received as a young player from fellow Jack and Jill alumna Ashley Deary, a longtime friend who went on to be a starting point guard for Northwestern (2013-17).
"She really helped me," said Brown. "I've known her forever but really started to get in touch with her and talk with her more about basketball in middle school. She just really helped me through high school, telling me what I should look for in a college, in a coach. What do I want in a program? How do I shape myself into the best player?"
Deary's positive impact on Brown's life and basketball career has inspired Brown to do the same for McKenzie. Brown hopes this chain of mentorship can continue to grow moving forward.
"I want McKenzie to have a role model that she can look at and say, 'If she can do it, I can do it, and I can probably do it better, as well,'"Brown remarked. "I want her to carry this on to somebody else, just to keep inspiring young kids, especially African-American girls, that they can grow up to be whatever they want. Even in times when they're not fully supported by everybody in the world, I want them to know that there are people doing it."
The relationship between Brown and McKenzie will continue to blossom for years to come. While she was a girl of few words in our discussion, McKenzie acknowledged the happiness she felt for having Brown to look up to whenever she needed her. Sheila made clear how meaningful Brown's actions were to her and her family.
"She wanted to do that and be an inspiration in another child's life through Jack and Jill, which I think is amazing," Sheila said. "It was wonderful to have a young woman really do that and really want to be a part of my child's life. I really, really appreciate it."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballUCLA W. Basketball Media Availability - Coach Cori Close (March 31, 2026)
Tuesday, March 31
UCLA W. Basketball Media Availability - Players (March 31, 2026)
Tuesday, March 31
Bruin Insider Show - Kiki Rice (March 31, 2026)
Tuesday, March 31
Media Availability - Cori Close
Tuesday, March 31