CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dropping by Butler High School for an interview, Cierra Burdick finds her name all over the school's athletics displays.
“I wonder if I have these trophies at home," Burdick said. "I’ll have to look into that.”
From back-to-back state player of the year honors, to track and field awards, to a state championship trophy, Burdick's name is everywhere.
“My junior year, we were able to get it done, we beat Green Hope," she said. "That was special.”
One afternoon – months before traveling across the world for the biggest moment of her basketball life – she laces her basketball shoes up on this floor one more time.
“A lot of hours were put in between these lines," Burdick said. "So it's always good to get back. I don't get back often. But it is nice.”
The work on this court was just the beginning. For Burdick, it was an early step on the path to becoming an Olympian.
"She works so hard, she never gave up," Burdick's mom said. "Two years ago, when she said 'okay I'm going to do this,' she pivoted her whole life to make this happen."
"It’s kind of still surreal that I'm going into the Olympics," she said. "It is beyond my wildest dreams.”
Burdick is part of the United States 3x3 women’s basketball team, a sport that made its Olympics debut in Tokyo in 2021.
But for Burdick, the journey there was a long, winding road.
“Journey is a good word," she said.
After Butler, Burdick went on to an All-American career for the famed Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Then she was a WNBA draft pick and played a handful of seasons for a handful of teams.
A few of Burdick's accolades with USA Basketball include winning 3x3 gold medals at the 2023 Pan American Games, 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup and 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.
Lately, she’s been playing overseas.
"You can throw a dart on a map and I probably played there," Burdick said. "Italy, Israel, Russia, Poland, France, Hungary, Spain ... I think that covers it.”
And about a decade ago, the now 30-year-old was introduced to this version of her favorite game: Three on three – or 3x3.
"It's just genuinely fun," she said. "It's high stakes. It's a 10-minute sprint”
The 3x3 is a half-court game with a continuous 10-minute clock.
“Everybody plays," Burdick said. "You're subbing every dead ball. So you can't hide. You need everybody. So the chemistry is huge.”
Shots made beyond the arc are worth two points, and inside is worth one. The first team to make 21 points wins.
"It's fast-paced, and it's super physical," Burdick said. The endurance is next level.”
Burdick has helped Team USA to multiple gold medals in the Pan American games and FIBA World Cups.
But still, she was sweating her selection to compete in the Olympics until the team surprised her in Charlotte in June.
"Honestly I just started laughing because I was so shocked," she said. "They set me up. So it was just a really cool moment, something that I'll probably remember for the rest of my life.”
Joining Burdick on the 3x3 team will be Wake Forest alum Dearica Hamby, as well as Rhyne Howard and Hailey Van Lith. The team is coached by Jennifer Rizzotti and hits the floor for the first time in Paris on July 30 against Germany in pool play.
But first, it was nice for Burdick to visit Butler, where it all started.
"Hopefully when I'm putting a gold medal around my neck, people can see that it's not just me up there," she said, "but that it's everyone who helped me get here.”
Contact Nick Carboni at ncarboni@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.