Red-Hot Recruit Seventeen-Year-Old San Francisco Hoop Star Is Ready To Light It Up At UW.

In Jamie Redd’s words, if it weren’t for basketball, she might be “in trouble or pregnant or something.”

But Redd has been blessed with both talent and unrelenting drive, setting her apart from many of the guys she challenged every day on public courts while growing up.

This fall, the 17-year-old, who rose from San Francisco’s toughest neighborhoods to become one of the hottest collegiate prospects, is heading to Washington on a basketball scholarship.

“I’ve never seen any other girls play like her,” said Brian Brewster, 17, a hot-shot high school junior, who has played against Redd. “She doesn’t play like a girl. She’s not afraid to get hit or anything.”

Chris Gobrecht, the women’s basketball coach at Washington, more succinctly described Redd: “She’s an exceptionally gifted player.”

Redd herself acknowledged her skill with all the bravado of a college-bound teenager. The 5-foot-9 guard even vows to dunk in a game situation.

So far, she’s only been able to accomplish the feat in practice or while playing with the boys.

“It will happen,” she said.

Redd’s family lives in the Sunnydale housing project, a cluster of dingy, box-like apartment buildings splattered with graffiti.

Inside the modest apartment, scores of Redd’s trophies are proudly crowded atop an entertainment center in the living room. Glancing toward the sparkling shrine, Redd was keenly aware of the opportunities basketball has afforded her.

“I’d probably be in trouble or pregnant or something. Selling drugs,” she said. “I still get pressured to do stuff now. Some people don’t like you to be successful.”

In her bedroom, Redd proudly showed off new school clothes. Her father, who lives in Colorado, sent her the money. Not a tomboy when it comes to clothes, Redd picked out a pair of short skirts and a dressy pantsuit.

The girlish Redd contrasted with the basketball player who took on a group of boys at a community recreation center earlier that evening.

In the street game where theatrics are everything, Redd trash-talked after blatantly fouling an opponent. She postured on the court, tugging at her baggy shorts and wiping the sweat from her forehead with the front of her shirt. More than once she tried to dunk, but she didn’t have any success this afternoon.

During a break, Redd said she was always interested in sports.

“Everyday I got up at 8 a.m… . to play softball, basketball, tennis. It didn’t matter. Actually, I was better at softball, but I got burned (out) on it,” she said.

Basketball turned out to be Redd’s game. Her mother, Debbie Konaris, said it became clear when her daughter was 10.

“It’s been about seven or eight years - when she was playing at Army Street she was playing with all the boys, and the people there said she was better than them,” Konaris said.

Jon Greenberg is the man Redd calls her “guardian angel.” Greenberg is the director of the Potrero Hill Recreation Center, where a young O.J. Simpson first showed his athletic talent as a youngster.

Greenberg first saw Redd play six years ago and has closely watched her progress in various leagues.

Redd has a treasured shoebox full of letters she got from universities expressing interest in her talent. She has set aside a special set of notes from Washington assistant coach Sunny Smallwood.

Smallwood first noticed Redd two years ago, about the same time many other coaches first noticed her, too.

“Once people got to know about her, she got huge,” said Smallwood.

Redd’s most recent challenge had nothing to do with the court. She struggled this summer to get the minimum ACT test scores she needed to go to UW.

Coach Gobrecht said she’s not worried about Redd, academically or otherwise. “I think Jamie is one of the sharpest and brightest players I’ve ever recruited. She’s unbelievable,” she said.

Redd is not nervous about college. She leaves the impression she’s not afraid of any challenge.

“I don’t back down to anything or anyone,” she said.