NIKKI NELLEN
Nikki was born and raised in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and spent most of her life in the gym. Here Mom played basketball at the University of Kansas, the University of Wisconsin, and then professionally for the Chicago Spirit. Her mother now owns her own basketball business and Nikki has worked for her since she started it eight years ago. Nikki’s whole life she knew she wanted to follow in her mom’s footsteps, not only playing basketball but also coaching. She also knew at a young age that she had a talent for art. If Nikki wasn’t playing basketball she was making art. Nikki never really knew there could be a career for herself in art but the older she got the more she realized she could have a future in art.
When Nikki began school here teachers quickly realized she learned differently than other students. At an early age they figured out that Nikki was dyslexic, which they considered a learning disability. Nikki was a successful learner when she would see things being done or do things hands on rather than just listening which is why she always excelled in gym and art class and always struggled in the classroom. Nikki was embarrassed to admit that she learned differently until she got to high school where she started realizing that it actually benefited her in the things she did well in life. Because Nikki learns differently; she sees differently, she understands differently, and she visualizes differently which all make for a great recipe when she is creating art, playing basketball and coaching basketball.
Nikki’s goal has always been to keep basketball and art a part of her life. In high school it was easy for her. During the day she made art, and after school she played basketball. For college, Nikki accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Lewis University in Illinois, where she is majoring in painting and computer graphics. It’s been harder for Nikki in college to give her art full attention because of her busy basketball schedule, but she always finds time at night to paint and always brings her sketchbook when traveling.
Nikki’s freshman year of college she had an idea that has become her goal in life. Being a huge shoe lover and basketball junkie she started to notice the lack of women's basketball shoes that there are out there. She made it her mission to start designing women's basketball shoes in hopes that one day she would bring her designs to life. Nikki believes that she will have her own shoe line someday, will always continue painting, and will continue coaching basketball! Basketball and art may seem like a weird combination for most people but they are the two things in Nikki’s life that make her happy, and she plans to live her life around them. At the end of the day, Nikki simply wants to inspire others and give back all the knowledge she has gained in her life.