Rushia Brown was born in Bronx, NY and raised in South Carolina. As a sophomore Brown 1st picked up a ball and joined the Summerville High School JV Basketball team. Athletic yet unskilled, Rushia began a journey that would forever changer her life. Through hard work and dedication, she was one of the top student-athlete recruits in the state of South Carolina as a senior; being courted by esteemed universities such as Harvard, Duke University and her then dream school, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. With the recent loss of her father, Rushia chose to stay close to home and attend Furman University.
As a Lady Paladin, Rushia pursued her education and competed on the court, attaining every accolade available including Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, multiple MVPs, Southern Conference Player of the Year, Edna Hartness Athlete of the Year and eventually having her jersey hang from the rafters as #34 was retired, never to be worn again. Rushia’s collegiate years lead to a 10 year professional career overseas, which spanned 5 countries; Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Korea and 7 years in the WNBA; 6 years in Cleveland and 1 year in Charlotte.
Basketball was truly a blessing to Rushia as she developed as an athlete and a woman in the professional ranks. During her 10 year stint in Europe Rushia was exposed to different cultures and attitudes that helped form her perspective. The challenges on the court and in the culture were just what she needed to motivate her. Rushia made a point to learn as much about the cultures as she could. She took the development of her game very seriously and the results showed it. Winning a number of International Championships and 4 European Championships were the highlights of her career, aside from meeting numerous teammates that would remain long time friends. Her work ethic and 3 years playing professionally in Europe prepared her for the WNBA.
Brown was neither drafted nor brought into camp as a free agent at the inception of the WNBA but went on to try out for team. She was assigned as a practice player but after a stellar training camp, was promoted to a roster position, where she went on to become a starter for the Cleveland Rockers. She is no stranger to hard work and understanding what it takes to be the exception and not the rule. During her 7 years in the WNBA, Rushia was a part of the Eastern Conference Championship team but never captured a WNBA title. The experience and relationships built during her 7-year tenure assisted in forming her post career aspirations.
With a successful career, multiple European titles, and a myriad of teammates converted into lifetime friends, Rushia decided to transition into her life after basketball. To date she has founded multiple companies. Rushia is the President and CEO of OverTime Basketball Academy, a company formed to assist young ladies in their athletic and academic pursuits by exposing them to the necessary tools on and off the court in order to be successful. Rushia’s love for the game and the ladies who play it, extends to the professional players as well. This love led to the development of the Women’s Professional Basketball Alumni Association (WPBAA). The purpose of the WPBAA is to assist professional female basketball prepare and transition into a productive life after they leave the game.
Rushia’s very own life after the game has her based in Atlanta, GA where she continues to be a vessel of growth for the very game that changed her life. She humbly uses her experiences and influence to move everyone she comes in contact with to transform their lives.