Elizabeth Cambage, widely known as Liz Cambage, was born on August 18, 1991, in London, to a Nigerian father and an Australian mother Julia Cambage.
Her parents went through a separation when she was just three months old, and shortly thereafter, she moved to Australia with her mother.
Initially, the family settled in Eden, a town in New South Wales, before eventually relocating to Melbourne when Liz was 10 years old.
Later on, they made another move to the Mornington Peninsula.
Liz Cambage‘s unique background and multicultural upbringing have played a significant role in shaping her identity and basketball career.
As one of Australia’s most talented and dominant female basketball players, she has represented her country on numerous international stages and has become an inspiration for aspiring athletes worldwide.
Liz Cambage Parents: Meet Mother Julia Cambage & Father
Raised by a single mother after her parent’s separation, Liz’s childhood was rather hard.
Around the age of nine or ten, Liz’s mother, Julia Cambage, noticed that her daughter was feeling upset and lonely.
Liz expressed her frustration, saying, “I have no friends, Mummy.”
Concerned about her daughter’s well-being and wanting her to find a sense of belonging and camaraderie, Julia came across a small newspaper ad for a girls’ basketball team tryout, and she saw it as a potential avenue for Liz to channel her energy.
Considering her daughter’s impressive height of six feet, Julia believed basketball might be a good fit for Liz.
Little did they know that this decision would lead Liz Cambage to become one of the most remarkable basketball talents in Australia and internationally.
Julia, recognizing her daughter Liz’s potential and passion for basketball, started taking her to the neighborhood court to practice shooting baskets.
However, during a competitive game of one-on-one, Julia accidentally knocked Liz to the ground, prompting her to rethink their approach.
Concerned about potential injuries and wanting to foster a more focused and self-driven approach to Liz’s basketball development, Julia came up with a new strategy.
She decided that it would be best to pay Liz an allowance for each hour of self-improvement practice she invested in on her own.
This decision proved to be a turning point in Liz’s basketball journey.
With the added incentive of earning an allowance, Liz became even more dedicated to refining her skills and working hard on her game independently.
She spent countless hours on the court, practicing her shooting, dribbling, and other aspects of her game.
Cambage Was Ashamed By Her African Heritage
In a candid revelation, Liz Cambage, who was raised in Australia by her white mother, disclosed that she hid her African roots for years due to feelings of shame and insecurity.
As a teenager growing up in Melbourne, Liz, who is half Nigerian, struggled with her darker skin tone, leading her to try to emulate the appearance of the blonde women she saw on Australian television.
Admitting to resorting to straightening and dyeing her hair and even wearing blue contacts to school, Liz felt compelled to conform to societal beauty standards prevalent at the time.
However, at the age of 16, she had a transformative realization that this façade was not true to her identity.
She decided to shed the artificial appearance and embrace her authentic self, fully embracing her African heritage.
It wasn’t until Liz moved to the United States and played in the American Women’s National Basketball Association with the Dallas Wings that she truly began to appreciate and celebrate ethnic diversity.
The exposure to a more diverse and inclusive environment helped her embrace her background proudly and authentically.
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