“Her consistent willingness to learn and lead can only be found in success-bound players who are destined for greatness,” said Gillespie, who played professionally overseas for 17 years after starring at Texas-El Paso. “As a coach, when you come across a player like Muji, you’re easily reminded why we love this game.”

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As much as she’s accomplished on the court, Vader is also a catalyst off it, using basketball as a vehicle for change. She and her brother, Joey, captain of the boys’ basketball team at Minuteman, founded a non-profit service organization called “The Assist” that spearheads basketball-related service projects around the world.

She also holds Swiss citizenship through her father, Dave, who was born and raised in Switzerland.

We chatted with Vader to learn more about her latest experiences and why they mean so much personally.

Muji Vader (left) averaged 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game for the Minuteman girls’ basketball team as a junior. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

How did you decide to found a service organization with your brother? What kind of work does “The Assist” do?

The idea was there. We had been doing so much work with basketball already, and it just seemed like the right thing to do. We try to do work through basketball, since we both love basketball so much.

We thought, ‘Why not try to give back with basketball?’ We try to put up nets at courts, provide new basketballs, and clean up courts. We volunteer at clinics and camps whenever we can. It’s been super amazing experiences, and we’re super lucky to be involved.

How did your childhood prepare you for what you’re doing now?

Growing up, I didn’t really have a lot. My brother and I both lived in an orphanage until 2016. I was 9 and he was 8. We didn’t have a lot of opportunities. A lot of kids have potential, but they don’t have opportunities. You don’t really have a chance to prove what you can do.

I think me being adopted really set me up for everything that I do now. Having that mentality of not having a lot, and knowing how that feels, I wanted to give back to people who have less than me. I knew how that feeling was. I want to use basketball to give other kids opportunities. Sports can open a lot of doors.

You and your brother recently coached at a clinic in Jamaica. What was that like and why did it mean so much to you?

The experience in Jamaica was amazing. The Philadelphia Men’s Basketball League, the organization that started this Treasure Beach camp 11 years ago, they’ve done a lot of work, and they’ve touched so many hearts. It was amazing being a part of it. This was our first year going, and I definitely look forward to going again. You can see how much they’ve changed the kids’ lives. It was incredible.

Muji Vader loves using basketball as a platform to change lives.Courtesy photo

What was your experience like in Switzerland trying out for the national U20 team?

It was a really cool experience. At first, I was kind of nervous, because I didn’t really know anyone, and it was my first time meeting the coach. I was kind of shy. Once I got out of that zone, it was super fun and exciting. We did a bunch of drills and workouts, 3-on-3s, 5-on-5s, full-court games. I’m super grateful for the opportunity. I can’t wait to go back to Switzerland and do that again this following year, play for club teams, and then hopefully travel and play for the national team.

What has your time training with Gillespie been like, and how has he taken your game to the next level?

Working with Coach Antoine is incredible. He believes in me 100 percent, which is really encouraging. Ball Academy is Europe’s first athletic prep school, and I’m the first American to be recruited. That’s been amazing. The first time I worked out with him, it was a three-hour training session, and I could see the results right away. He’s more passionate about the game than anyone I’ve ever met.

How will playing in Switzerland next year during a gap year prepare you for college?

The whole point of going to Switzerland is to prepare me for college and develop my game. I’ve already seen the results of his coaching. Next year, I’ll be traveling back and forth and training with Ball Academy in Geneva. After I graduate in spring, I’ll do a gap year and play for the Swiss National Team and play for a club team in Switzerland. I’ll be starting college in fall of 2027. It gives me more time to develop my game and bring it to the next level. I’m super excited about that.

How much pride do you take in giving people around the world an opportunity to play basketball?

It’s amazing to be able to take something that I’m passionate about, and something that changed my life, and use it as an instrument to put smiles on other people’s faces. That means more than the game itself to me. Switzerland will give me more opportunities to do service through basketball.

I’m actually an ambassador of Ball Academy’s Sport Diplomacy Program, because that’s where all the big humanitarian organizations are based — the FIBA Foundation, the Olympic Committee, YMCA, and UNHCR, which does all kinds of work with refugees. I already have plans to do clinics in Kenya and maybe Tunisia working with Antoine. That will be exciting.

Minuteman senior Muji Vader takes a shot at the 11th PMBL Treasure Beach camp in Jamaica earlier this month.COURTESY

Trevor Hass can be reached at trevor.hass@globe.com. Follow him on X @TrevorHass.