Strong highlights European influence on basketball IQ at Chicago camp

Sarah Strong, the 2026 Naismith Player of the Year and University of Connecticut guard, addressed the Basketball Without Borders All-Star Camp in Chicago this weekend, offering insights into how her early years in Europe have defined her approach to the game. Speaking with CBS Sports at the event, Strong emphasised that her time abroad instilled a focus on fundamentals and basketball intelligence that continues to inform her play at the collegiate level.

The camp, hosted at the Chicago Bulls’ practice facility during All-Star Weekend, gathered 40 of the top international prospects in women’s basketball. Among the attendees were 2026 U20 EuroBasket Women MVP Sarah Cisse and Aïnhoa Risacher. The event served as a platform for Strong to engage with the next generation of players, many of whom are aiming for WNBA careers.

Strong’s connection to the event was personal as well as professional. Born in Madrid while her parents, Allison Feaster and Danny Strong, played professional basketball overseas, she holds dual French citizenship and began her basketball journey with Club Baloncesto Alcobendas. Her mother, Feaster, served as the camp director for this year’s event, having played in Madrid from 2013 to 2016. Strong noted that spending her childhood in the gym watching her mother and other professionals provided a unique educational foundation.

"I think it taught me a different side of basketball," Strong told CBS Sports. "I think overseas, they're focused more on fundamentals. A lot of the smartest players are European, so I think I gained a lot of knowledge playing over there and watching my mom and dad play."

She cited European NBA stars Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić as key influences on her own style, specifically pointing to Dončić’s pace and Jokić’s passing ability. Strong expressed satisfaction with the current state of the international game, noting that her UConn teammates from countries including Egypt, Ecuador, Ireland, France, Serbia, and Croatia bring a high level of intelligence to the court.

As she enters her junior season, Strong is preparing for a shift in her role at UConn. Following a Final Four defeat to South Carolina, the Huskies are aiming for their 13th national championship. With veterans like Paige Bueckers, Kaitlyn Chen, and Azzi Fudd no longer on the roster, Strong acknowledged that her responsibilities are expanding.

"My role is definitely changing. I've become more of a leader -- vocally, and on the court, by example," Strong said. Projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2028 WNBA Draft, the 2025 NCAA national champion remains focused on leading the team through the upcoming season.