Arysia “Ace” Porter, who started playing basketball at age 6 with professional dreams, was a substitute teacher for the San Antonio Spurs, contemplating her next career move. After a short period playing in Mexico, she intended to try out for a WNBA team when a surprise opportunity presented itself.
Porter told People, “I actually got a call from the Harlem Globetrotters saying that they loved the way I handled the ball. They loved my personality because I love posting content and basketball content. They just invited me to a tryout. Their history fits my purpose. I haven’t looked back since.”
Since joining the Globetrotters in 2023, the 28-year-old has established herself as one of the six women on the largest female roster in the team’s history.
Porter emphasized that while the Globetrotters are famous for entertainment, their games require significant preparation.
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“We go to the gym five hours before the game,” she noted. “Practice my crafts, practice my skills, and get mentally ready.”
“[I] stretch. I listen to music sometimes. I definitely have to say a prayer to get myself mentally ready for the game, be grateful, and be in the moment, knowing that I’m able to do this job and make an impact in any way I can. By game time, it’s ready to go,” she added.
Returning to the team annually allows her to “be that role model” for young women and girls, which she sees as a key opportunity.
“It’s always such a cool experience and a blessing to show that we can do anything that anybody else can do,” she explained. “We can do anything the men can do,” adding that she is proud to be one of the women on the team.
“For me, being a lady on the team is rare. It’s an all-dominant male team, so just seeing a lady on a team and just representing and showing that we’re not limited to anything is also my favorite part of just being that role model,” she continued.
One fan interaction, in particular, remains significant to her.
She recalled an occasion when an older woman approached her and shared that it had been 40 years since her last Globetrotters game. The woman mentioned that Meadowlark Lemon and Frederick “Curly” Neal were still with the team during her previous attendance.
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“She’s like, ‘The fact that I’m here right now and I haven’t seen it in so long and there’s a girl on the team.’ She started tearing up. Then she was holding my hand, like, really tight, and she was like, ‘This is, like, so cool,'” Porter recounted. “She’s seen the Scooby-Doo episodes, and it’s just crazy how they haven’t seen the updated version of the team.”
Another perk, Porter admitted, is “traveling all over the world.”
“Being able to spread that joy, that love and laughter with the game that we love so much, and just making other people feel special and making an impact in any way that we can,” Porter shared.
As the Harlem Globetrotters mark their 100th anniversary, Porter expressed her hope that the team will continue to “break down barriers any way that we can and just keep paving new ways” over the next century.
Porter emphasized that she is grateful for the present, stating she “doesn’t take these opportunities for granted.” She considers the chance to “travel to different places” and experience “different cultures” a true blessing.
