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Samaya Clark-Gabriel (born October 1, 2009) is an American teenage athlete and actress fromBrooklyn, New York, area.[2] She gained recognition for her athletic abilities at the age of four[3] and has also been involved in community and philanthropic initiatives.
In 2016, Clark-Gabriel helped lead the Brooklyn Stars soccer team to their first championship.[2] She received the Lion's Heart Award for her performances against predominantly male teams.[4] Following her time in soccer, she shifted her focus to basketball.[5]
Clark-Gabriel's basketball skills have been shown on several media platforms, includingGood Morning America,[6]GoodDay NY,CBS Sports,USA Today,News 12 Brooklyn,SportsCenter,ESPN,ESPNW,Chasing News, theNew York Post, Women You Should Know,[7]The Ben & Pickler Show,Rolling Stone[8] andPeople.com.[9]
In addition to media features, Samaya has practiced with theNew York Liberty Basketball team and has played 1-on-1 with NY Liberty PresidentIsiah Thomas.[10] In January 2018, Samaya became the first child to play alongsideThe Harlem Globetrotters in a game atBarclays Center,Madison Square Garden, andNassau Coliseum. Clark-Gabriel and her father were featured onFatherly social media platforms, where she garnered 2.8 million views and 76,000 shares.[11] She was also featured in aMonday Motivation post by theOlympic Games social media account.[12]
For the2018 NBA draft, Clark-Gabriel teamed up withVerizon andVince Carter's Dunk Clinic.[13]
In 2020, Clark-Gabriel was featured onLittle Big Shots, starringMelissa McCarthy.[14][15]
In 2018, Clark-Gabriel made her acting debut in the indie film titledFoster Sin. The film brings awareness to the mistreatment of children in the foster system.[16]
Clark-Gabriel raises donations forSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, supporting research towards cures for child cancer and other life-threatening diseases.[17] She was recognized for her efforts by New YorkGovernor Andrew Cuomo.[18]
