Chelsea Dungee is now a major leaguer, and she owes it all to her mother. Chelsea Dungee’s ambition of becoming a professional basketball player was realized in 2021. The Dallas Wings of the WNBA selected her in the first round of the 2021 WNBA Draft. This achievement resulted from a lot of hard work and commitment during her collegiate career. But she wasn’t the only one who worked hard. Her mother was at her side the whole time.
Making Mother Proud
Chelsea can’t remember ever not wanting to play basketball and make it to the NBA. The WNBA is currently in its 25th season, and she is 24 – in some ways, the two grew up together and were meant to be. Growing up in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and learning to play in the dirt, she showed remarkable promise from the start. From the age of 14, she drew the attention of journalists.
Chi Dungee, her mother, had her job cut out for her with all of the attention and accolades. And she handled the burden of raising a future superstar admirably. Chi, a single father, and social worker made several sacrifices for Chelsea. “She made several sacrifices. She sacrificed her aspirations so that I may pursue mine. Taking time off work to attend games, always soliciting sponsors to assist me, “She told People about it.
Chi sacrificed everything in order to help Chelsea flourish. She did everything — she brought her to sports, to the gym, and even worked out, jogged, and conditioned with her. But Chi didn’t see it that way. When Chelsea says thank you, she answers by claiming she did what she did because she wanted to and that it wasn’t a sacrifice. Chi never missed a home game for Chelsea throughout her high school and college years. And now that she’s in the big leagues, that tradition is set to continue. Because she was drafted by the Wings, she is extremely close to Chi, who still resides in Oklahoma. “I’m just about three and a half hours from her and about five hours from Arkansas,” Chelsea told the New York Times.
Difficult Childhood
Chelsea had a tough upbringing. Her mother and father did a lot for her, and she adores them, but she grew up under a lot of constraints. For example, social work did not pay well. And the mother-daughter team frequently had little money to spend on supper every night. They got through it all, and Chelsea established herself early on. She began amassing prizes from her illustrious high school career.
Their home, however, burnt down while she was in her sophomore year of high school. That included her prizes, clothing, and furnishings. Chelsea and Chi spent some time at a hotel. They couldn’t afford to restore their home, so they chose to rent one after a few months. Chelsea seemed to catch fire as a result of the incident. She emerged from that adversity with her mother’s support and a determination to succeed in the sport she loved. Her career skyrocketed after that. Chelsea completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas with honors. And now she’s on her way to etch her name in the annals of time, beginning with the Dallas Wings.
