KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Jillian Hollingshead wears the number "53" on her Tennessee jersey, but the junior forward didn't always wear it.
"Went to 53 – and I don't think I'll ever go back," Hollingshead said.
While at Mceachern High School, Hollingshead wore the number "35" after her favorite NBA player, Kevin Durant. However, the change to "53" symbolized new beginnings when she played her first year at Georgia in the 2021-2022 season. The number reminds her of her mom, Jeannette, who wore it in high school.
"We were best friends. My friends would say, 'Do you want to sleep over? And I'd say, 'No, I'll stay with my mom. It's okay," she said.
On May 8, 2016, Hollingshead's mom passed away on Mother's Day due to blood clots in her heart. It's a day she remembers like it was yesterday.
"I remember I had a game that day, and I brought her her little Mother's Day flowers and a card that I made at school the day before," Hollingshead said. "I remember her saying my pointer that I needed to do for the game."
Later that night, Hollingshead was with her teammates after the game when she received an urgent call to get to the hospital.
"I remember getting out of the car and something telling me just to run, so I ran to her room, turning the corner and seeing my sister, like, crying," Hollingshead said. "I remember the floor being so cold, I think I remember dropping down to the floor and it being so cold."
Hollingshead was just 12 years old at the time, and the year following her mom's passing was hard for her. Focusing on school became difficult, and her grades began to drop. The one thing that kept her in line was the game her mom taught her how to play.
"The only thing that I really did that was good was basketball. Just remembering all that she instilled in me," she said.
The valuable advice on and off the court helped Hollingshead move forward when she transferred to Tennessee in 2022. However, she didn't make that decision alone. After her mom's passing, her aunt, Jackie, became her legal guardian and helped guide Hollingshead, including helping her become a Lady Vol.
"We went with our heart and prayed about it. She's always there for me no matter what, just like my mom," Hollingshead, said. "It's good to have someone who has your back like she has mine."
Aunt Jackie also contributed to Hollingshead's decision to change her number to "53."
"Someone above me already had 35, so I was like, 'Oh my gosh what am I going to do?' My aunt and I were talking, and she was like, 'Just switch to 53, like literally, your mom's number.' I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is perfect,'" Hollingshead said.
Whether she wears jersey "53" or not, her mom's presence will always be with her, and the way she plays and lives is always to make her mom proud.
"It was a really hard time in my life, and it still gets hard to this day, but just knowing that she's looking down on me, always right by me, helps a lot," she said.
