'Basketball was life-changing': Canada's Laeticia Amihere finds confidence on court

On the basketball court is where Canada's Laeticia Amihere thrives. 

Insecure about her height growing up, it was the moment she traded the pitch for the hardwood that she felt like she truly belonged. 

"The first sport I played was soccer," said Amihere. "My parents are from West Africa, [the sport] is huge in our tradition. Obviously I grew a little bit too tall to be a striker so I picked up basketball." 

"I just didn't have that confidence growing up," said Amihere. "I wasn't used to seeing people that are as tall as me. It wasn't until I was able to step on that basketball court where I saw people like me and I just finally embraced it. Any other setting in my life, I was always an outlier. 

"For me, [now] I could finally use things I was insecure about to an advantage. Basketball was life-changing for me." 

At 15, Amihere drew global attention as the first Canadian woman to dunk in a game.

WATCH | Amihere's journey to becoming key player for Canadian national team: 

"A lot of people would tell me that's not typical for girls to do that. And I don't know how many other Canadians have been able just to do it, even in practice. So I knew that when I did it, it was something remarkable," Amihere told CBC Sports.

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal would send Amihere an Instagram message after seeing a replay of the viral dunk, saying, "That's nice." Canadian rap star Drake also sent a message to Amihere and began following her on Instagram. 

The dunk, which came in a 2017 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournament game also earned the attention of scouts.

"It was crazy. Like none of my teammates expected it. The coaches didn't expect it. But I think it was really just the momentum that carried me," Amihere added, on the dunk.