Katie Cox is a talent like few others in the world of sport. And while performing in one discipline is already a great feat, the 18-year-old Englishwoman didn’t stop there. Until this summer, she was showing off her skills on the basketball and football fields. This week, she announced that she was quitting basketball to focus on her football career.
Katie Cox grew up in the world of sport. First attracted to rugby union, then moved on to the tatamis until she was a black belt in karate, it was finally for football and basketball that she opted. And the Englishwoman rarely does things by halves.
Barely an adult, the high-level athlete has already shone in both disciplines. Playing for the London Lions, in London, the winger won the Eurocup this season with her club. Cox was even the youngest player selected for the All-Star Game. A match bringing together all the best players of the women’s premier division season.
London is her city of heart. In football, she opted for the legendary club Chelsea. As a goalkeeper, Cox has positioned herself as one of the club’s greatest hopes. She was voted Chelsea Academy player in 2024, and best player in the under-21s the same year.
The athlete absolutely loves both sports. In 2023, she told the media Hoopsfix: “I wouldn’t be the football player I am without basketball and I wouldn’t be the basketball player I am in football.”
Inspired by basketball greats like Holly Winterburn and Janice Monakana, she was especially influenced by her brother who took her to the pitch. A goalkeeper for Brentford in the Premier League, Matthew Cox won the European Youth Championship with England in 2022. It runs in the family.
