On Success: Marissa Coleman

Here's an excerpt from colleague Avis Thomas-Lester's interview with fan-favorite sophomore wing Marissa Coleman for the Post's On Success section.

When colleges started scouting Marissa Coleman as a freshman basketball standout at St. John's College High School in the District, she was hoping to leave the area. Instead, she rejected offers from such powerhouses as Duke University to sign on with the University of Maryland, College Park, where she went on to become the first player in the school's history to amass 1,500 career points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 blocks, according to a U-Md. web site. Last year, Coleman, 23, of Cheltenham, was drafted second overall by the WNBA's Washington Mystics, where she quickly became a fan favorite. The Mystics forward augments her modest WNBA salary by playing with Famila of Italy, 2008 winner of the EuroCup, which pays her six figures, and by endorsing Under Armour athletic gear.

Why she's successful: Because of her parents, Anthony, a Prince George's police officer, and Joni. "I was lucky that my parents put me in the right situations and surrounded me with the right people and made sure I had the best coaches and went to the right schools. Also, I was really dedicated to it ... Making those sacrifices, having a strong work ethic, working hard at it, being put in the right positions and surrounding yourself with the right people helped me be successful."

You can check out the full interview in the What It Takes blog, here.