Oprah interviews J'can Marvadene "Bubbles" Anderson
Oprah
Winfrey met "The World's Tallest 16-Year-Old Girl"
Marvadene Anderson who goes by the nickname "Bubbles" on
Monday.
"Bubbles" currently stands 6'10' and she is still
growing. Doctors believe she may reach an astonishing
height of 7'1.''
Even though Bubbles has
only been playing basketball for four months, Coach
Coyle-Klinger believes she has incredible potential.
"If
she continues to work and progress the way she has in
such a short time, she'll reach her goals," she says.
"She has such a burning desire to be the best."
One look at Marvadene "Bubbles" Anderson will tell you
she's not a typical teenager. At 6'10'', she is presumed
to be the tallest 16-year-old girl on the planet.
Bubbles, a Jamaica native who got her name because of
her good humor and bubbly personality, started to notice
she was different when she was 12 or 13 years old. At
that time, she says she stood 6'4''. "At that age, I was
feeling left out," she says. "Then, I found out that I
can do stuff with my height."
At age 14, Bubbles began playing sports in Jamaica,
becoming a top junior netball player. Last July, Bubbles
decided to move from Jamaica to America to live with
family friends and learn to play basketball. When Mary
Klinger, coach of New Jersey's prestigious Rutgers Prep
School girl's basketball team, saw her play, she offered
her a position on the team on the spot.
Now, she's the starting center for the 'Argonauts'. She's
been making up to 23 points per game, but because of a
knee injury, she has to sit out the rest of this season.
Off the court, Bubbles is adjusting to life as an
extraordinarily tall teenager. She doesn't have much
trouble fitting in…but she does find it difficult to
find clothes that fit.
"How do you make people at ease with your height?"Oprah
asks.
"Well, if they ask me a question, I always answer with a
smile," Bubbles says.
Bubbles' teammates say that after you get to know their
star center, you forget about her height and realize
she's just like everyone else.
"I want to be an inspiration to others," Bubbles says.
"To all the tall people out there: Don't feel like
you're alone. Just be happy and love yourself. Then,
you'll get love from other people."
Bubbles is originally from Jamaica but moved to the
United States because where she believes that there are
more opportunities for tall people, including
Basketball.
Bubbles says she wants to become a pediatrician and play
professional basketball in the WNBA.