Former Aztecs women's basketball standout Carey to appear on NBC's 'The Titan Games'

Former Pima Community College women's basketball player Na'Derra "Nadi" Carey (Canyon del Oro/Flowing Wells HS) was selected to be part of NBC's show "The Titan Games." She will be on the Season 2 premiere on Monday, May 25 starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

     Carey played for Pima from 2010-12 where she helped lead the Aztecs to a runner-up finish at the 2011 NJCAA Division II National Tournament. She signed to play at the University of Texas Permian Basin, an NCAA Division II school in Odessa, Texas.

     "It's a funny story, my aunt (Latoya McCord) loves that show and one day she called me and told me that I should apply for Season 2," Carey said. "I told her no because I was too shy and I didn't know if I could get into my competing mode again. I straight out said, 'I love the show, but no Aunti.'"

     McCord got creative once Carey said no.

     "Long story short I got an email a few months later from NBC producers saying, 'We got your application and we love you,' Carey said. "She signed me up behind my back.

     "I am very thankful for her believing in me and my abilities when I haven't competed since college. That was like six years ago and she still believed that I could get out there and compete against the BEST athletes in the world; hand-selected by The Rock."

     Carey had a month and a half to prepare so she turned to her trainer Tim Adams. Carey was one of 60 people to be invited to the combine.

     "There were challenges we had to do like obstacle courses and how many push-ups you can do in three minutes," Carey said, who's brother is Ka'Deem Carey, a former Canyon del Oro High School, University of Arizona and NFL running back. "How long can you dead hang and dead lift (I dead-lifted 420 pounds so I think I impressed the producers there and a VO2 max thing where we had to run on a treadmill). A couple weeks later I got the call saying I was selected."

     Carey shared her story from winning two state championships in high school, to her days at Pima and UTPB and getting sick her senior year with the Falcons which resulted in her doctor not clearing her to play. She also talked about getting into refereeing and becoming an NCAA Division I ref in just her second year.

     "They loved my competitiveness and how sweet I was and picked me," Carey said. "The experience was great. I got to meet a lot of different people from around the world; most of them were professional athletes and then there was just little ol' me who isn't a cross-fitter.

     "Obviously I can't share the results but I decided to be on 'The Titan Games' and give into my aunt sneaking me onto the show because I wanted to prove to myself that I still had that competitive nature that I thought I lost in college," Carey said. "I wanted to show the world that all things are possible through faith and in God and believing in yourself. I was told I would never compete again so I had to get out there. Having a strong support system from my family definitely helped."