As the younger sister of San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant, Cydnee Bryant admittedly stayed away from playing basketball as a way to be her own person, finding herself through volleyball. It’s only recently that she began to grace the hardwood with the hoops lowered. This coming winter will mark year number three, to be exact. And in that short amount of time, she’s been on a straight tear, rising to No. 37 in the class of 2026, according to ESPN, and to fourth-best in the state.
“Basketball and volleyball bring me two different senses of peace, two different senses of excitement, explosiveness in the game. So, I think that change of pace was comfortable and familiar,” Cydnee says.
Whether the nets are raised or not, the 6-4 forward spikes shots all the same. The paint isn’t patrolled, it’s controlled with a feel around the basket that’s unmatched. She does her work early, creating prime position for board after board, contest after contest, and-one after and-one. From the basketball court to the volleyball court, Cydnee’s lone concern is searching for ways to contribute to a win. As long as she knows she locked up on that end, she can walk away from the game satisfied.
“On the offensive end, I’m not necessarily flashy. I get to it down low. I’m aggressive. I think I’ve had more offensive fouls than defensive fouls in my career, but it’s all right,” she says. “Defensively, I hate losing more than I love winning, and defense wins championships, so I’m going to give it my all on the defensive end for sure.”
The Corona native’s parents both played and coached hoops and volleyball, so Cydnee’s competitive drive was instilled earlier than most. It’s evident in the physicality she plays with, in the passion that spills over after turning a loose ball into a bucket. “West Coast players definitely ain’t soft,” Cydnee says. “Cause if I was soft, I wouldn’t have finished No. 1 in rebounds and blocks in EYBL.”
“Let ’em know, big dawg,” Christian and Brandon both reaffirm.
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