Hoops Elite Magazine
to Louisville. Do you think your decision
helped shape theirs?
TJ - I’m not sure, if it did or not. However, I’m
excited about playing with my teammates,
and I give credit to our great coaching staff
for choosing the right pieces.
HEM - Do you plan to play basketball after
college?
TJ - Yes, my dream has always been to play
in the WNBA, and I’m very excited to now
because the fan base at the games has
improved drastically, and even the All-Star
game went in triple digits this year (shout
out to the former Louisville player Shoni
Schimmel)!
HEM - Do you ever pay attention to your
rankings via scouting services and ESPN?
TJ - Not really. I just focus on getting better
and winning. I was taught by my parents
that rankings are simply ones opinion and
that I should play and let my game speak
for itself. I am very competitive though, so
I always tried to match up against the top
ranked players and use that to evaluate my
own game.
HEM - Most scouts say you are a great lefty
guard that can score under pressure. You
are also known for your defending skills.
What do you think your top basketball
qualities are?
TJ - I think my specialty is breaking my man
down off the dribble and creating plays
from there… whether it’s for my shot or for
the kick or no look. I think once I get in the
paint it’s hard to determine what I’m going
to do next. I also have a pretty consistent
pull up, that I continue to work on.
HEM - Some may also know that not only
are you a great basketball player, but also
you have a knack for clothing design,
sparking your own line at 13, Team Cole 5.
What does the name Team Cole 5 mean?
TJ - It’s actually one word (Teamcole), but
it stands for Taja Cole and 5 is the number
I’ve worn all my life, but it means 3 words to
me… Humble, Hungry and Hardworking.
All individual characteristics.
HEM - Who do you design Team Cole 5 clothing for? Is it only for basketball players?
TJ - Teamcole is for everybody whether
you play a sport or work in an office all day.
7 | Issue 1 - Jan 2015
As long as you outwork at your craft and
stay focused and humble about it you’re a
part of the team.
TJ - Yes. I do. With the help of my teammates
and my coaches. I think about winning a
National Championship at U of L a lot.
HEM - What do you see the clothing line
becoming in the future?
TJ - I see my clothing line becoming the
next big thing. I want people to know it’s
my clothes when they see it and I want it
to have a positive effect on people’s lives.
HEM - Do you plan on having your own
basketball camps in the future?
TJ - Yes. I enjoy volunteering and coaching
youth, so a TC5 camp is in my future plans.
HEM - You are known to have a variety of
styles and looks when you dress. Does
your styles and creativity inspire your
clothing line?
TJ - Yes it does. I like different/weird things
and colors that jump out at you to catch
the audience attention. But at the same
time I like neutral colors like black and
white that can go with any and everything.
I dress according to how I feel, I think that’s
important for people to be true to who
they are.
HEM - How do you see your clothing line
expanding while starting a new life at U
of L?
TJ - I know if I do my job while I’m there
academically and on the court the fan base
and my team will really embrace, support
and help me continue to grow my clothing
line. I got to do big time things to make big
time sales, that’s how I look at it.
HEM - What’s the easiest way for someone
to order from Team Cole 5?
TJ - By visiting my website…
www.teamcole5.com
HEM - Louisville is a very basketball friendly
area, with a large following of fans, much
like a professional team. How do you plan
to handle the stardom that comes from
being a U of L basketball player?
TJ - The “TC5 Way”, I plan to stay humble,
hungry, and work hard every day.
HEM - How does it feel to be named the
number one class in the nation for 2015?
TJ - It feels great, but it’s only the beginning
of our journey. It kind of shows that the U
of L coaching staff hand-picked each of us
to be a part of something BIG!
HEM - Do you think you can bring a
National Championship to Louisville?
HEM - What is the highlight of your career
thus far?
TJ - Starting off playing for my parents
program, which was a small local
program… deciding that I wanted to
be one of the top players in the nation,
working hard and never giving up, being
offered a starting spot on Coach Boo’s
(Williams) team… proving that I was able
to accomplish my goals as one of the
best players in the nation and earning a
scholarship to an awesome college!
HEM - If you have a choice to play for a
WNBA team, who would it be for? Why?
TJ - LA Sparks. I’ve liked them all my life,
back when Candace Parke ȁ