October 15, 2025 • 38 mins
On today’s episode of Full Circle, Lexie and Mariah give flowers to the 2025 WNBA Champions, the Las Vegas Aces! Along the way, they praise both A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young for leading the team to their third championship in 4 years. Lexie and Mariah also take some time to reflect on what went wrong for the Phoenix Mercury in this series. Later, they discuss the state of relations between players and owners ahead of the CBA expiring.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Full Circle is an iheartwoman's sports production and partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
What's good, y'all, Welcome back to another week at Full
Circle with Imry Rose and Lexi Brown. Lexi clock in.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
How you doing. The season is over, guys, I feel
Ryan was the Saddays and I did a wow. Thank God.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
That's because I am an innocent bias inating. I didn't
have to go to practice or playing games, or deal
with drama or negotiate cbas.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I'm like godly. This season has felt like it went
the first like seventy five percent of it went by
really quick. But I feel like this tail end of
the season and playoffs like dragged on, at least for me.
But I was highly entertained. I had a great time
despite how my season went. Personally, I've had a great
(01:03):
time covering the league and staying engaged and tapping it
with y'all. So, first and foremost right of applause with
the Las Vegas Aces w VAS.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, congratulations Vegas Aces winning their third championship in the
last four seasons, which is unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
There's so much to get into. Where do we even
want to start, Mariah with this? I want to start, Let's.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I maybe this isn't the best place to start, but
I do want to talk a little bit about Phoenix
because and basically their final series, and I wanted to
know your opinion because I'm watching the game right and
obviously they were out without Satu and that's not a
great law great, that's a horrible loss for them. I
(02:02):
just the ref complaining and particularly Game four, I didn't
feel was entirely I'm sorry. I saw that there were issues.
Obviously there's always issues, but I'm curious what you thought
about the comments made by the Mercury regarding the because
you actually played.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
To address that. I think unfortunately, the dialogue surrounding the
physicality and the refing in this series kind of overtook everything.
I think it was a distraction. I think that players
and coaches got caught up in it. I think that
the Aces used it to their benefit. Asia Wilson shot
(02:46):
in nineteen free throws in Game four, and the Mercury
shot nineteen total as a team, So I think that
the Aces used the dialogue that was going on to
their advantage, and I think that the Mercury kind of
got caught up in it, even though Kullia Copper in
her postgame presser was like, that's not why we lost
(03:08):
the game. We lost the game because we turned the
ball over too much, not because of the refs, but
which is exactly what I thought. I was in Phoenix, guys.
I used my free will and utilized it and I
just went. So I was at the game. How was
the environment? It was fun? Like it was the arena
was packed. I mean there was some like empty seats scattered,
but like the whole bowl was full top to bottom.
(03:32):
I will say, like being down three to zero, Like
the morale overall was a little like you could tell
that it was kind of like Satu's out, you know,
the CBA, Kathy. There's just a lot going on, and
you could just tell that the Mercury fans they were
really trying to help help the Mercury win that game,
and they even made it. I mean they cut it
(03:54):
down to a two possession game late in the fourth quarter,
so like the game was absolutely winnable for the Mercury,
but the the Aces were just playing on a different
level than Phoenix coach. Mercury coach got ejected during the
game for screaming at the refs, which I was high up.
I was like in a suite, but I saw him
(04:17):
yelling and then I was the double text came really
fast and it was kind of odd that I'm like,
everybody's yelling at you, and you're going to eject the
ref like. So it's just feel like another series was
ruined with re officiating, with technical fouls, with injuries. But
that's not taking anything away from the Aces. I just
felt like the Mercury, they had a great run to
(04:40):
the finals, Like, I don't think there should be anything
that they should be disappointed about, considering a lot of
people didn't even think that they were going to get
to the finals. They didn't think they were going to
beat the Links in the semi finals. So I think
they can hang their hat on that. But I feel
like their X factor was Sammy Whitcomb, and I feel
like she got hurt in game one. I think she
was playing on it with an injured knee or leg.
(05:02):
Whatever happened. She shot three for three for eighteen from
three in the four games and not saying not Sammy's
fault at all. Like I'm not putting the blame on anybody,
but as far as the person that I was looking
at to get them over that hump to beat Vegas,
I was definitely looking at Sammy considering the big shots
that she had hit. During the semi finals. We finally
(05:24):
saw Klinie Brown get some minutes. I feel like they
could have used her more this entire season and throughout
the playoffs, but I think she came in and you know,
you're kind of just do like we need help, and
I think coach went into his bench and he utilized
what he had, and I think she did her the
best that she could. I mean, Asia Wilson was playing
(05:45):
at an unbelievable level at that point in time, so
you know, you throw in a player that hasn't played
in like two three weeks, and you're like, okay, let's
go stop the best player in the world right now.
Have fun. And I think Kilianie did her best, and
I think she she could tribute every way that she could,
but it was like okay at that point. I just
don't think that the Mercury just had the the energy
(06:10):
to beat them. They're very young, very inexperienced, like as
experience as like the top three four players are as
far as playoffs and finals. The rest of the team,
like super young rookies, never been to the finals before.
So it was like a glaring difference of what the
energy the Aces had versus the energy that the Mercury had.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Now, I will say one thing, Lexi, Lexie, because here's
the one thing that I feel like it's being left out.
If you actually watched the game, which if you're watching
our show you probably did not just this game, if
you actually watch the finals, I feel like one thing
that's getting misconstrued is it's not like Phoenix never had
(06:54):
a chance. Like they had a chance.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
They had a chance in Game three, they had in
Game four and in game one. In a game one,
chances are better.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Yeah, yes, it's not like it's not like they just
got swept and they got killed every single game. My
thing that frustrated me watching was I felt like, when
you get to the end of a game, okay, so
you cut the lead to what six in the fourth quarter,
you have an opportunity. Kaleia Copper is playing lights out
thirty points insane. I remember when they were going into
(07:28):
the locker room at one point, and she did her
little interview with Holly and she was like, officiating is
so bad. The officiating so bad.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
She was pissed.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
She's playing incredible, right, there's like ninety seconds left of
the game, y'are down eight, you foul out and you
get a tech. But that momentum, you're you're only down eight,
like you still have a chance. You still have a
chance to extend the finals, Like you have a chance
to not get swept on your home court like that.
(07:58):
It just the officiating thing is got so out of
hand to me to where that can't happen.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Y'all have a chance.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
That's why everybody's like, oh Vegas Dynasty, Like yeah, yes, yes,
oh that's true.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
And we're about to give them their flowers in a minute.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
But I wanted to start with Phoenix because I'm like,
it's not like if you're actually watching, Phoenix didn't have
a chance and a shot multiple times even without Saw too.
They had a shot at the end of that game
with seconds left, but it was just they were getting
so wrapped up in oh the refs and this and that,
and that was the whole conversation of the game. And
then you get to the end and they're like, well,
we turn the ball over too much, and it's like,
(08:31):
but the whole energy throughout the game is everybody yelling
at the refs, everybody complaining to the refs. And that
also is on which is why I believe the Mercury
fans stayed to Boo Kathy. That's also on the leadership,
because if the refs weren't so bad and we invest
in more and refs, then the final story wouldn't be
the official like two head coaches getting getting booted out
(08:52):
the game and huge, huge, huge circumstances because of arguing
with refs.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This can't keep happening, bruh.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
So that that's just shot.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
No, I mean yeah, I mean I think it was
just like I said, their lack of experience ultimately led
to a lack of poise down the stretch. And that's
what happens when you play a team like Vegas full
of guys. I don't think you so let me, I'm
to go. I know we're on Phoenix right now. So
Phoenix they have on their roster they have two three champions.
(09:22):
They have Sammy Whitcomb, Kalia Copper and Dowana Bonner. Okay,
these are WNBA champions, and Colonie Copper was the finals
MVP right, and she was also a finals MVP correct.
On Vegas, you have Kirsten Bell, three time w BAA Champion,
Asia Wilson, three times w BA champion, Chelsea Great, four
(09:43):
time w BA champion, Jackie Yung, three time w BA champion,
Kia Stokes, three time WNBA champion, or four time Dana Evans,
two time w BA champion, Duel Lloyd three time WB Like, guys,
this team was like, I don't care what anybody had
to say about how they started the pieces. When you
look at the resume of this entire roster, top to bottom,
(10:06):
you have winners on this team, and that that shit matters.
And I don't care what nobody's stats say, what nobody's
career stats say, how many points they've scored, whatever. If
you got a if you have a ring in a
professional sport, like you're stamped, You're you're on a different level.
I don't care. Like if you don't score a ton
(10:27):
of points, if you are able to win a championship,
win a championship, multiple teams at that, I mean, it's
amazing to win the championships in one place. But if
you're able to go to different teams and seamlessly fit
in and help a team win a championship in any capacity,
you are on a different level as far as an athlete.
In my well, that's.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Why nobody was crying when Asia was like, be embarrassed.
That's why nobody's crying because they're champions.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah, they know what that's like exactly. So, I mean,
I think that being in Phoenix, it was fun. It
was a great environment. There were a lot of Vegas
fans in there.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
I will say that, Like I saw the pink wigs there.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Wait, when we were at we were at a hotel
after the game, and this woman walks in in a
Asia Wilson jersey, a championship banner from two years ago,
and a pink pink wig like this older white woman.
That's a great Halloween costume. Like, I love yeah with
(11:30):
a pink wig. Like she literally was telling us how
she was like waiting after the game, and she was like,
you know, I'm just always used to being in First
of all, back to the fandom, y'all fans, We love y'all,
but like y'all need to relax sometimes. Like she was
talking about how she was trying to fight the security people,
how they was trying to like like arrest her for
(11:52):
like soliciting or something, because she was like, I was
just trying to get to my girls. She says. She
tried to jump over to get all the court to
get to the other side. I'm my girl. This is
not First of all, you don't know any of them,
so why are you trying to get on the court.
Second of all, this is not Vegas, this is Phoenix,
So yes, ms Mama's you could have probably got arrested
(12:13):
for acting up. But you know, how are you saw him?
But she was with her husband or something and he
was just sitting there just like yep. And I was like,
where were you at, sir? And he was like I
was just letting her do her thing. You know, I
just got can't control it, like but she was so excited.
So congratulations to the Aces. I have some cute numbers.
(12:36):
Do you guys want to hear somewhere? Numbers?
Speaker 3 (12:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Me is okay? So with Vegas in their foreigner sweep,
Asia Wilson was named Finals MVP, averaging twenty nine to
nine and four assists right absolutely deserves finals MVP. But
I'm going to be Devil's advocate right now and throw
in that Jackie. If Jackie had a game, a better
(13:00):
game than she had in Game four, I think that
she could have made a case for finals MVP. I
think so. She averaged twenty five and six, so obviously
those numbers are not Age's numbers, but the impact that
Jackie Young continues to have on this team's success. I
just I love that she is able to just exist
(13:22):
in hoop and be herself and she still does get flowers,
but I do think like she deserves more flowers. But
her teammate happens to be the best player in the
world right now. So it is what it is. But
I didn't want I did want to throw that in
there that you know Jackie. Definitely, it wasn't like a
runaway finals MVP in my opinion, I think Asia played
out of her mind, but I think she didn't have
(13:44):
the most efficient finals and she shot a ton of
free throws, but again that was her playing into the officiating.
But if Jackie with someone was like, oh, what a
Jackie can win finals VP, I'll be like, not mad
at that. Not mad at that.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
I got four words for you, Kyrie Irving, Lebron James.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Those are four works now two names. That's how it
works when you play. When you play, you yeah, that's
what you.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Sign up for. But also that's why you get the
opportunity to do things like Jackie has been doing throughout
the finals, because you're playing with somebody else that's such
a target as well.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
That you can kind of you know, but not saying she.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Doesn't deserve all the flowers. I mean that's the number
one pick, like yeah, but I mean one A, one B.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's how I think, and I really hope that in
this next era of w NBA that Asia and Jackie
stay together because I as a competitor they're paying in
the ass to play against. But as a spectator, I
love watching those two play together. I love seeing their
(14:53):
growth together with the Aces and then the addition of
Chelsea Gree I think just took both their games to
a new level. So shout out to Jackie and Asia
and Chelsea Gray as well, like I think another unsung
hero of the Aces. But it really depends on like
what pocket you're in, like you have Like there are
people who like love love love Jackie, and love love
(15:14):
love Chelsea, and love love Asia, and they have people
who just love the Aces in general. So I think that,
you know, when you go down the line of this roster, like,
it's absolutely incredible. Their bench outscored Phoenix's bench twenty five
points per game to phoenix Is eighteen points per game.
Phoenix did outscore their bench in Game three in a
(15:36):
game I think that the Mercury should have won. That
was the buzzer, the game winner over dB and at
but game one, Vegas Is bench forty one points, Game
two sixteen, Game three and four twenty two points leading
the way. Dana Evans, Jewe Lloyd, Megan Govtiston came in
and gave super solid minutes. So, you know, really happy
(15:59):
for her. But I think another person that gets who
got a lot of shit this season was Jewel Lloyd,
and I was going to bring that out for her
to come back this season. You know, I think that
this this championship is different for her. It's special for her.
You know, I don't have no tea to spill guys, sorry,
(16:20):
but like I was in I was in the aftermath
of the Seattle situation, and you know, I was there
when the our bene said something crazy to her or
anything like, I've been there for all of it. I
don't got no tea to spell. But I know the
environment that she I was just saying, I know the
environment that she left in, the environment that she's in now,
and for her to win a championship despite a lot
(16:43):
of people talking crazy about her all season long, I
know that this this one is special to her. Did
you see her Instagram post?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I wanted to weigh in about this because no, I
didn't see her post, but I did. I did want
to wayh in in the sense that after I finished
the game. I love when people win championship, especially people
that I like and support. You know, teams I hate
when they want a championship. When the chief's one of
a Super Bowl, I'll.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Be turning that off.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
But when teams I love and I have a story,
when the championship, I always stick around for the whole,
the whole ceremony. I want to see the post games.
I want to see every little thing right. And I
was so glad they pay into this because I was
waiting to see this when she Jewel, when she was
over over by the bench and she was crying and
(17:32):
Becky was giving her a hug, and Becky was telling
her in her ear which I would have took that
mic off. They got everything back, everything, Becky was saying.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Everybody here. They were showing out on the TV. But
as a fan, I loved it.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
She was saying to Jewel, you are exactly where you
need to be. You are such a hard work. She
was basically saying, all the stuff that's I've been out
in the media about you and all the stuff people
were saying about you is not true, Like you really are.
You are so deserving of this moment. And as somebody
who like who covered that situation in Seattle and kind
of what happened and he said she said that this,
(18:04):
that and the third of all of it.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
She did get a lot of a lot of.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Flack coming out of that, and it kind of seemed
like to some she was dodging smoke. And then to
some oh, you're in Vegas now and you're not playing
and now you're coming off the bench, and it was
just a lot, I'm sure for her, but to come
out of all that at Champion regardless. I don't know
what happened in Seattle. I don't really care, because all
that really matters is where she's going now. And like
you said, winning a ring puts you in a different tier,
(18:29):
and in order to do that, she kind of had
to check her ego at the door, and that says
a lot about her as a person.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
So I loved that moment. Yeah, me too. I loved
it too. And I just love when I see players
who and I talk I talk about all the time.
And I know sometimes people are like, like, sy, you
you talk about your four situations all the time? Da,
da da, Well, because I've had so many, like it's
literally been the majority of my career. So when I
see other players dealing with hard situations or tough environments
(18:57):
and they're able to make a change for themselves or
they get put in a better environment and they just
like blossom and they find so much success, I'm just like,
it's so like the environment that you're in, the people
you're around, the coaching staff that you have, Like it's
all so important. Guys, I don't think you understand there's
more to being a professional athlete than it just what
you do inside the ninety four feet Like that is
(19:19):
the easy part. Playing basketball is the easy part, it's
we all know how to do it. We've been doing
it since we've been kids. The hard part about being
a professional athlete is everything else. Like, you're interacting with
a lot of other factors that you have no control over.
So when players do get the opportunity to control their narrative,
to control their situations, and they take advantage of that,
(19:41):
I always applaud it. Yes, sometimes it does put other players,
probably in an unfavorable situation, but it'd be like that sometimes, right,
So to see you know, a player like Dana, a
player like Jewel. You know, even people were taught. I
mean you saw They've been posted all the old tweets
and everything that people were saying about them all season long,
(20:01):
which I love, I love you know, I love a
good receipt. Melissa going from her situation. Yeah, like this
team like and this is a like y'all don't know them.
I know I know them. This is a petty ass
group of people right here. So they've been sitting on
all of the tweets, all of the naysaying, all of
the negative things that were said about them since shit,
(20:24):
this is may not they played a champions ad in
the third quarter. I saw that. I saw that on threads.
I was like, I look at each other, like the scripts, guys,
the scripts. I mean before the game, I was like, Kathy,
do something. We can't have a sweep in the first
time we've had seven games, but I should she tried.
(20:48):
I think. I don't know. But one point nine million
views Game one, one point two million views, Game two,
one point three million views Game three, highest since two thousand, guys,
two thousand in two thousand. Oh my god, guys, I
(21:10):
was born in ninety four. Yeah, okay, well, in the
year of Mariah was born. One point five to four
million people were watching the NBA Finals. That's what it is.
It's amazing. It's not ya, that's amazing. So this has
been the most viewed finals in twenty five years pretty much.
(21:32):
So everything that y'all had to say about that, nobody
want to watch the w NBA, No one watches women's sports,
blah blah blah blah blah. You're wrong. You are very wrong.
And I'm very excited for the future. Speaking of the future,
(21:56):
I heard my name multiple times throughout the final. Was
on the telecast for a fun fact that they left
there every ten minutes. It seemed like that and Brown,
Me and Colani Brown are the only two veteran signed
for next season. Why that was just said repeatedly, over
(22:17):
and over and over again was beyond me because I
was like, Okay, you see y'all said it one time.
They've literally said it like every single game.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I'm not gonna lie, though, Lexi, that is insane. Like
when they put it that way, I was like, wait,
that is.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Y'all know that meme of Leonardo DiCaprio w And He's
like yes. I was literally I was literally watched I
think it was game one or two, and I was like,
and I just heard.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Lexi Brown and I was like what and winning Amy
meme where she's like yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
I was like, why is my name coming up during
the finals? But that's why. But if y'all would love
an explanation, I explained a little bit on Threads. I
cannot speak for Kilanie. I don't know why Kilani is
sign until next year. I have no idea why she
made that decision. Maybe she had her own reasons like
I did. I was given my extension literally right after
(23:10):
I was diagnosed with crow disease from different front office
people that were there the last two years. So we
had like the sparks were like in like just this
weird mick, like we didn't know what was going on upstairs.
But one of the people that worked really closely to
me since I'd been in LA, it was like her
(23:33):
lit it was like her parting gift to me was
we're going to give you the extension because you're dealing
with this and we want you here and dah da da,
And obviously I wanted to be in LA. I was
one hundred percent aware of the opting out. Guys. I
didn't do this without thinking about the opt out. I
didn't do this without understanding that I probably am going
(23:55):
to miss out on some money for a year. But
for me, I had a priority ties being able to
focus on getting healthy and not having to worry about
making a team the next two seasons. So also, I
need health insurance. I need it bad. So I will
(24:15):
say like when I was sick, there were moments where
I was just kind of like, I don't know if
I'm going to be able to play again. I don't
know if I'm going to get better, And part of
me was really conflicted because I was like, I'm going
to sign this contract, and what if I'm not able
to play, Like now, like I'm just going to be
taking money from the organization, and like that's just that's
(24:35):
not how you should think because like they don't they
don't think about us in that capacity like at all.
We're just all very disposable. But even before I signed it,
I was like, what if I don't get better, and
like I just you know, show up and just take
the money that I earned. I earned those two years
of an extension. So for me, it was even there
(24:58):
was even a moment where I was just like, I
don't know if I want to sign this because I'm
going to feel bad if I'm not able to play.
And then my parents were like, girl, you don't sign that.
You need health insurance first and foremost, and I was like, yeah,
that is true. But even signing the extension, that just
made me even more determined to get better and to
get healthy because I wanted to show that I had
earned these these two years of a protected contract. And now,
(25:22):
in hindsight, I'm so happy I signed the two year deal,
especially because I wasn't able to be healthy last season
and then this season I didn't play at all, So
thank God, I have next year, you know, because I
don't know what would have happened after having a season
like I just had as far as signing with the
(25:43):
new team. So for me, that's why I signed the
two year deal knowing that the CBA was about to expire.
It expires October thirty first, Today is October thirteenth. But
the last CBA we had they extended it like two months.
So just because we don't get it signed by October
thirty first, doesn't mean like the lockout is happening and
dah da da da, like we can get an extension
(26:03):
and still continue. We didn't sign our last CBA till
January twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
I did have an interview with Miss Natasha Cloud last week.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I have a post show a little saw some of them.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Yeah, I haven't posted on my page the ones I
really want to post yet, but I will you give
you guys a little sneak peek that A couple of
things that she said that I thought were interesting are
Number One, she feels.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Like there is going to be a lockout. I don't
know how you.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Feel about that, Lexi, but she basically said yeah, yeah.
I asked her directly and Then the second thing that
she said that gag me was I asked her about
all the Kathy stuff, and she was saying that basically,
she has a personal feeling about it because she was
told that she couldn't be on postseason marketing because of
(26:55):
her stance on public issues and like that, she like,
isn't the kind of player that could be marketing the
day NBA by Kathy. So I will put post in
that clip later, but little exclusive for y'all. I know
it's gonna happen, but it really put in perspective for
me that everybody really does have a very personal situation
(27:15):
going on with the CBA. She told me her biggest
thing wasn't wasn't even salaries, but stuff like leadership. And
she also told me, which I'm curious your perspective on,
because she I brought you up a few times throughout
the conversation, and she was saying, it's really hard to
get a hold of leadership about anything like, oh, like
(27:36):
I'm trying to get these texts riscinded or this situation
or that situation with this ref and this that the
third and the other that it's hard to get hold
of somebody.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
She said that was her biggest thing. It's having like
for me, I mean, and for me, y'all know, I
don't I don't get texts and stuff like that, so
like I don't know nothing about that. But I will say,
like almost every time I've needed something in the front office,
Like Bonnie is someone that works in the league off
and I have a really good personal relationship with her,
but like, yeah, sometimes she is hard to get a
(28:04):
hold of and they're kind of like all over the
place with communication. So I will agree with her on that.
But yeah, like in these meetings, like different people bring
up such different things like salary first and foremost, Like
that is how you show your employees or your athletes
what they're worth to you to the business, is how
(28:27):
much they pay you for your work. That's like the
most obvious thing, this revenue sharing thing. The fact that
they are just not willing to even budge a little
bit on it is so bizarre to me. And the
fact that they just will not be so transparent about anything.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Like if you can say, y'all redlined it, she said no,
y'all redlined it, and they gave y'all back the exact
same offer.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, and it's like it gets to a point where
you're like, Okay, you're saying no, but why show us
where we're losing the money? Show us if you change this,
where are we going to lose the like, where is
it going to get lost at? Where are we going
to have to change things? And they won't. So that's
why everyone's like, what do y'all want, Like, y'all want
(29:12):
us to just accept this with like just blindly accepting this.
And I just saw some video that someone made and
they like do graphs of like different things in spot.
I love that page. Yeah, and it's so cute and
I love it and it's so easy to understand. And
he did a whole graph about the media rights deal
(29:33):
and how every how everything is going up, and he said,
like the NBA salaries and salary caps are going to
go up like forty percent or something, and then there's us.
It's not it's not going to go up at all
because we don't move with the business. So people are like,
y'all don't even turn a profit. Well, no, it's not
even about that. At this point, we're about to get
(29:55):
infused with a massive amount of money because of the
media deal. He said that even if everything stays the
exact same. Because of the media deal, the salaries are
going to increase. They don't have to know, they don't
have to make they don't have to make or lose
any more money differently than last season or the season before.
But because of the media deal, everything's gonna get boosted.
(30:16):
And then for us, it's all going to stay the same.
And that's been the most frustrating part for me. And
then something else that I I mean, I've always just
been locked in about like health insurance and taking care
of retired players and things like that. But we are
still like very much at the tip of the iceberg
when it comes to CBA negotiations, guys, and uh, it's
(30:38):
gonna be a fight. It's gonna be a battle. They
told us that from our first meeting that we're in
for a crazy battle.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
So the fans are tintoes behind y'all. Because when I say,
I mean, you were there. But how about was that booing?
It was back on my TV, so.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Though we had actually left so we could beat the traffic.
But I heard about it. I heard about the booze.
But that's not surprising. They boo everybody, oh bo out
of silver, they bow what's his name in the NFL
like every Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
I was my jaw was on the floor. I hadn't
seen that like that. I mean people were, I mean
people were sticking their hands up. They tried to grab
out the TV Asian with her tambourine like this.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Yes, Like it's like uncomfortable because she is still a
person of power that you do need to respect in
some unders. But fans, y'all, they don't care. But again,
people are just like, who should be the next commissioner
and stop stop throwing out names about people y'all love,
and like, stop doing it. They don't The commissioner works
(31:47):
for the owners. So again, if y'all want to have
some real beef, have some beef with somebody's owners. Like
Mark Davis said it best. He was like, he hasn't
been tapped about anything really, but he wants to get
a deal done. Mark Davis was one of the first
owners to really put his money where his mouth is
when it comes to the aces. So if he's kind
(32:09):
of like, we're getting a deal done, I mean that
should make everybody feel good. But the fact that he's
kind of just speaking singularly is a little concerning, because
that means that there's owners elsewhere that are not trying to.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
That's another thing I would like for them to put
up because there is a part of me that feels
like bad for Kathy. I talked to Tosh in detail
about Kathy, and so I get the feeling about Kathy,
and I don't think I can't speak to whether she's a.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Good person, bad person, this, that, or the third.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I don't agree with what she's doing lately at all,
but a part of me feels for her because, like
you said, she works for the owners and so in
a sense, you remember how everybody was billiing Nico Harrison
when Luca got traded. It's like though a lot of
decisions with sports teams come from us.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I think Nico did that himself.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
No, it comes from upstairs, and somebody's always got to
be the escapegover, the face of it, and unfortunately Kathy
is that, and it just it sucks to see because
she's a woman and she climbed up in business, and
it just sucks to see that. I would like for
the owners to put up. Look, if you own a
WNBA team, this is your shot.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Buck up.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Let me know why you don't want.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
To pay your players.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I'd rather you just say Hi, I'm so and so
and I own the Connecticut son xyz. I mean that
was bad example, because yeah, but you get what I'm saying,
Like I own the New York Liberty and I don't
want to pay the players period.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I would rather that. But y'all letting this lady she
up there, she is taking she's she is and for her,
I mean, yeah, like I agree with you, Like there
is a small small part of me that feels bad
for it because she is still a person, She's a
human being. She has a family, Like I can't imagine
like how her kids are feeling and her her family's feeling.
(33:47):
They probably feel horrible. But again, like this comes with
the territory unfortunately, But stop throwing out names guys of
people that are beloved in the women's basketball community, because
they will become the commission and you will quickly realize
that it does not matter. Like like I saw that,
(34:09):
I said, are you guys insane? I knew, I knew,
Like let her coat letter GM like, but yeah, like
they want they want they're like make neck of the commissioner. No, No,
I mean I don't know if that would be a
bad or good thing, but it's like, at the end
of the day, the commissioner works for the owners, so
(34:31):
we're never going to see completely eye of eye, but
they're some gotta give we have. I mean, the expansion
draft is set for December, so hopefully we can get
a deal done by then, or else everything's going to
get pushed back and we two more teams, more games.
I'm just really concerned for like the planning of the
season moving forward. Should we have a lockout and figure
(34:53):
it out later, or you know, the season has to
get short in and it's just like all this momentum
is just going to get completely annihilated or it's going
to push the league into another stat I was gonna say,
I don't think that that's the case.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
I don't think that the moment I will be Listen,
all publicity is good publicity, y'all, y'all is gonna be
in everybody's mouth good, bad or different, ugly whatever, And
until y'all decide you're getting on that court, ain't no wbs.
So they're going That's why I don't understand about all this.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I'm like, y'all get me y'all can't. Y'all can't go
out and play for us like at the end of
the day, and other businesses, the bosses can probably do
the work that they need their employees to do. Not
in this case, y'all can't go lace them up and
go shoot threes and rebound and tunnel fit. Y'all can't
do all of that. No, And could you imagine.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Could you imagine all those people that she named that
are should be grateful blah blah blah, Caitlyn Clark, Angelis, pagebackers,
Agel Wilson.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
If they're all like yeah, nah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
What them Fever fans will be at that office with
pitchforks and quit playing with the.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Quick.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Taylor will be up in the chiefs and the She's
chilling killing when Taylor's wived, and everybody will still be
talking about y'all. Y'all are going to become irrelevant if
you lock out.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I think the opposite, I mean, and I think that
the best thing about it all is, you know, in
twenty twenty, when we didn't get to an agreement in
time and had to extend like it was really Neka
had the greatest thing in an interview. She did. It
was like it was a start of something. We as
players believed in the products, and we believed in the
(36:33):
momentum that was going to happen. We didn't know when
it was going to happen, but we knew it was
going to happen. And now it's here, and now we
signed that deal in good faith that when this growth happened,
we would be rewarded for it. And now they're not.
They're not They're not doing what they said that they
would do. But we didn't have unrivaled in twenty twenty.
(36:53):
We didn't have athletes unlimited in twenty twenty, so that
changes everything as well. You have more here. I will say, though,
there are a lot of girls that already overseas playing, Like,
don't y'all think that every all the w players are
here in the States, Like players are still very much
going to play overseas and play in your league and
(37:15):
stuff like that, because a lot of them, like do
enjoy playing and then you have this then have this
body and energy forever, so you might as well take
advantage of it. So there's a lot of basketball that
y'all can be watching in the wintertime. In the spring,
college is coming up on Rival is about to start
(37:36):
after the New year. AU starts in February, so there's
gonna be lots of basketball women's basketball for y'all to watch,
and we will be here for y'all every week at
full Circle Podcast. We love y'all and we will see
y'all next week. Hi, thanks for listening to Full Circle.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
We'll be back next week with more basketball for the girls,
by the girls.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Do you want to hear from you?
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell us
what you want us to talk about. Full Circle is
hosted by Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer
is Jesse Katz. Our supervising producer is Grace Fused. Our
producer is Zoe Danklab. Listen to Full Circle on America's
number one podcast network iHeart, open your free iHeart app
and search full Circle with Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose
(38:23):
and start listening
Full Circle is an iheartwoman's sports production and partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
What's good, y'all, Welcome back to another week at Full
Circle with Imry Rose and Lexi Brown. Lexi clock in.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
How you doing. The season is over, guys, I feel
Ryan was the Saddays and I did a wow. Thank God.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
That's because I am an innocent bias inating. I didn't
have to go to practice or playing games, or deal
with drama or negotiate cbas.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I'm like godly. This season has felt like it went
the first like seventy five percent of it went by
really quick. But I feel like this tail end of
the season and playoffs like dragged on, at least for me.
But I was highly entertained. I had a great time
despite how my season went. Personally, I've had a great
(01:03):
time covering the league and staying engaged and tapping it
with y'all. So, first and foremost right of applause with
the Las Vegas Aces w VAS.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Yeah, congratulations Vegas Aces winning their third championship in the
last four seasons, which is unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
There's so much to get into. Where do we even
want to start, Mariah with this? I want to start, Let's.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
I maybe this isn't the best place to start, but
I do want to talk a little bit about Phoenix
because and basically their final series, and I wanted to
know your opinion because I'm watching the game right and
obviously they were out without Satu and that's not a
great law great, that's a horrible loss for them. I
(02:02):
just the ref complaining and particularly Game four, I didn't
feel was entirely I'm sorry. I saw that there were issues.
Obviously there's always issues, but I'm curious what you thought
about the comments made by the Mercury regarding the because
you actually played.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
To address that. I think unfortunately, the dialogue surrounding the
physicality and the refing in this series kind of overtook everything.
I think it was a distraction. I think that players
and coaches got caught up in it. I think that
the Aces used it to their benefit. Asia Wilson shot
(02:46):
in nineteen free throws in Game four, and the Mercury
shot nineteen total as a team, So I think that
the Aces used the dialogue that was going on to
their advantage, and I think that the Mercury kind of
got caught up in it, even though Kullia Copper in
her postgame presser was like, that's not why we lost
(03:08):
the game. We lost the game because we turned the
ball over too much, not because of the refs, but
which is exactly what I thought. I was in Phoenix, guys.
I used my free will and utilized it and I
just went. So I was at the game. How was
the environment? It was fun? Like it was the arena
was packed. I mean there was some like empty seats scattered,
but like the whole bowl was full top to bottom.
(03:32):
I will say, like being down three to zero, Like
the morale overall was a little like you could tell
that it was kind of like Satu's out, you know,
the CBA, Kathy. There's just a lot going on, and
you could just tell that the Mercury fans they were
really trying to help help the Mercury win that game,
and they even made it. I mean they cut it
(03:54):
down to a two possession game late in the fourth quarter,
so like the game was absolutely winnable for the Mercury,
but the the Aces were just playing on a different
level than Phoenix coach. Mercury coach got ejected during the
game for screaming at the refs, which I was high up.
I was like in a suite, but I saw him
(04:17):
yelling and then I was the double text came really
fast and it was kind of odd that I'm like,
everybody's yelling at you, and you're going to eject the
ref like. So it's just feel like another series was
ruined with re officiating, with technical fouls, with injuries. But
that's not taking anything away from the Aces. I just
felt like the Mercury, they had a great run to
(04:40):
the finals, Like, I don't think there should be anything
that they should be disappointed about, considering a lot of
people didn't even think that they were going to get
to the finals. They didn't think they were going to
beat the Links in the semi finals. So I think
they can hang their hat on that. But I feel
like their X factor was Sammy Whitcomb, and I feel
like she got hurt in game one. I think she
was playing on it with an injured knee or leg.
(05:02):
Whatever happened. She shot three for three for eighteen from
three in the four games and not saying not Sammy's
fault at all. Like I'm not putting the blame on anybody,
but as far as the person that I was looking
at to get them over that hump to beat Vegas,
I was definitely looking at Sammy considering the big shots
that she had hit. During the semi finals. We finally
(05:24):
saw Klinie Brown get some minutes. I feel like they
could have used her more this entire season and throughout
the playoffs, but I think she came in and you know,
you're kind of just do like we need help, and
I think coach went into his bench and he utilized
what he had, and I think she did her the
best that she could. I mean, Asia Wilson was playing
(05:45):
at an unbelievable level at that point in time, so
you know, you throw in a player that hasn't played
in like two three weeks, and you're like, okay, let's
go stop the best player in the world right now.
Have fun. And I think Kilianie did her best, and
I think she she could tribute every way that she could,
but it was like okay at that point. I just
don't think that the Mercury just had the the energy
(06:10):
to beat them. They're very young, very inexperienced, like as
experience as like the top three four players are as
far as playoffs and finals. The rest of the team,
like super young rookies, never been to the finals before.
So it was like a glaring difference of what the
energy the Aces had versus the energy that the Mercury had.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Now, I will say one thing, Lexi, Lexie, because here's
the one thing that I feel like it's being left out.
If you actually watched the game, which if you're watching
our show you probably did not just this game, if
you actually watch the finals, I feel like one thing
that's getting misconstrued is it's not like Phoenix never had
(06:54):
a chance. Like they had a chance.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
They had a chance in Game three, they had in
Game four and in game one. In a game one,
chances are better.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Yeah, yes, it's not like it's not like they just
got swept and they got killed every single game. My
thing that frustrated me watching was I felt like, when
you get to the end of a game, okay, so
you cut the lead to what six in the fourth quarter,
you have an opportunity. Kaleia Copper is playing lights out
thirty points insane. I remember when they were going into
(07:28):
the locker room at one point, and she did her
little interview with Holly and she was like, officiating is
so bad. The officiating so bad.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
She was pissed.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
She's playing incredible, right, there's like ninety seconds left of
the game, y'are down eight, you foul out and you
get a tech. But that momentum, you're you're only down eight,
like you still have a chance. You still have a
chance to extend the finals, Like you have a chance
to not get swept on your home court like that.
(07:58):
It just the officiating thing is got so out of
hand to me to where that can't happen.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Y'all have a chance.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
That's why everybody's like, oh Vegas Dynasty, Like yeah, yes, yes,
oh that's true.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
And we're about to give them their flowers in a minute.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
But I wanted to start with Phoenix because I'm like,
it's not like if you're actually watching, Phoenix didn't have
a chance and a shot multiple times even without Saw too.
They had a shot at the end of that game
with seconds left, but it was just they were getting
so wrapped up in oh the refs and this and that,
and that was the whole conversation of the game. And
then you get to the end and they're like, well,
we turn the ball over too much, and it's like,
(08:31):
but the whole energy throughout the game is everybody yelling
at the refs, everybody complaining to the refs. And that
also is on which is why I believe the Mercury
fans stayed to Boo Kathy. That's also on the leadership,
because if the refs weren't so bad and we invest
in more and refs, then the final story wouldn't be
the official like two head coaches getting getting booted out
(08:52):
the game and huge, huge, huge circumstances because of arguing
with refs.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This can't keep happening, bruh.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
So that that's just shot.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
No, I mean yeah, I mean I think it was
just like I said, their lack of experience ultimately led
to a lack of poise down the stretch. And that's
what happens when you play a team like Vegas full
of guys. I don't think you so let me, I'm
to go. I know we're on Phoenix right now. So
Phoenix they have on their roster they have two three champions.
(09:22):
They have Sammy Whitcomb, Kalia Copper and Dowana Bonner. Okay,
these are WNBA champions, and Colonie Copper was the finals
MVP right, and she was also a finals MVP correct.
On Vegas, you have Kirsten Bell, three time w BAA Champion,
Asia Wilson, three times w BA champion, Chelsea Great, four
(09:43):
time w BA champion, Jackie Yung, three time w BA champion,
Kia Stokes, three time WNBA champion, or four time Dana Evans,
two time w BA champion, Duel Lloyd three time WB Like, guys,
this team was like, I don't care what anybody had
to say about how they started the pieces. When you
look at the resume of this entire roster, top to bottom,
(10:06):
you have winners on this team, and that that shit matters.
And I don't care what nobody's stats say, what nobody's
career stats say, how many points they've scored, whatever. If
you got a if you have a ring in a
professional sport, like you're stamped, You're you're on a different level.
I don't care. Like if you don't score a ton
(10:27):
of points, if you are able to win a championship,
win a championship, multiple teams at that, I mean, it's
amazing to win the championships in one place. But if
you're able to go to different teams and seamlessly fit
in and help a team win a championship in any capacity,
you are on a different level as far as an athlete.
In my well, that's.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Why nobody was crying when Asia was like, be embarrassed.
That's why nobody's crying because they're champions.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah, they know what that's like exactly. So, I mean,
I think that being in Phoenix, it was fun. It
was a great environment. There were a lot of Vegas
fans in there.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
I will say that, Like I saw the pink wigs there.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Wait, when we were at we were at a hotel
after the game, and this woman walks in in a
Asia Wilson jersey, a championship banner from two years ago,
and a pink pink wig like this older white woman.
That's a great Halloween costume. Like, I love yeah with
(11:30):
a pink wig. Like she literally was telling us how
she was like waiting after the game, and she was like,
you know, I'm just always used to being in First
of all, back to the fandom, y'all fans, We love y'all,
but like y'all need to relax sometimes. Like she was
talking about how she was trying to fight the security people,
how they was trying to like like arrest her for
(11:52):
like soliciting or something, because she was like, I was
just trying to get to my girls. She says. She
tried to jump over to get all the court to
get to the other side. I'm my girl. This is
not First of all, you don't know any of them,
so why are you trying to get on the court.
Second of all, this is not Vegas, this is Phoenix,
So yes, ms Mama's you could have probably got arrested
(12:13):
for acting up. But you know, how are you saw him?
But she was with her husband or something and he
was just sitting there just like yep. And I was like,
where were you at, sir? And he was like I
was just letting her do her thing. You know, I
just got can't control it, like but she was so excited.
So congratulations to the Aces. I have some cute numbers.
(12:36):
Do you guys want to hear somewhere? Numbers?
Speaker 3 (12:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Me is okay? So with Vegas in their foreigner sweep,
Asia Wilson was named Finals MVP, averaging twenty nine to
nine and four assists right absolutely deserves finals MVP. But
I'm going to be Devil's advocate right now and throw
in that Jackie. If Jackie had a game, a better
(13:00):
game than she had in Game four, I think that
she could have made a case for finals MVP. I
think so. She averaged twenty five and six, so obviously
those numbers are not Age's numbers, but the impact that
Jackie Young continues to have on this team's success. I
just I love that she is able to just exist
(13:22):
in hoop and be herself and she still does get flowers,
but I do think like she deserves more flowers. But
her teammate happens to be the best player in the
world right now. So it is what it is. But
I didn't want I did want to throw that in
there that you know Jackie. Definitely, it wasn't like a
runaway finals MVP in my opinion, I think Asia played
out of her mind, but I think she didn't have
(13:44):
the most efficient finals and she shot a ton of
free throws, but again that was her playing into the officiating.
But if Jackie with someone was like, oh, what a
Jackie can win finals VP, I'll be like, not mad
at that. Not mad at that.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
I got four words for you, Kyrie Irving, Lebron James.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Those are four works now two names. That's how it
works when you play. When you play, you yeah, that's
what you.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Sign up for. But also that's why you get the
opportunity to do things like Jackie has been doing throughout
the finals, because you're playing with somebody else that's such
a target as well.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
That you can kind of you know, but not saying she.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Doesn't deserve all the flowers. I mean that's the number
one pick, like yeah, but I mean one A, one B.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
That's how I think, and I really hope that in
this next era of w NBA that Asia and Jackie
stay together because I as a competitor they're paying in
the ass to play against. But as a spectator, I
love watching those two play together. I love seeing their
(14:53):
growth together with the Aces and then the addition of
Chelsea Gree I think just took both their games to
a new level. So shout out to Jackie and Asia
and Chelsea Gray as well, like I think another unsung
hero of the Aces. But it really depends on like
what pocket you're in, like you have Like there are
people who like love love love Jackie, and love love
(15:14):
love Chelsea, and love love Asia, and they have people
who just love the Aces in general. So I think that,
you know, when you go down the line of this roster, like,
it's absolutely incredible. Their bench outscored Phoenix's bench twenty five
points per game to phoenix Is eighteen points per game.
Phoenix did outscore their bench in Game three in a
(15:36):
game I think that the Mercury should have won. That
was the buzzer, the game winner over dB and at
but game one, Vegas Is bench forty one points, Game
two sixteen, Game three and four twenty two points leading
the way. Dana Evans, Jewe Lloyd, Megan Govtiston came in
and gave super solid minutes. So, you know, really happy
(15:59):
for her. But I think another person that gets who
got a lot of shit this season was Jewel Lloyd,
and I was going to bring that out for her
to come back this season. You know, I think that
this this championship is different for her. It's special for her.
You know, I don't have no tea to spill guys, sorry,
(16:20):
but like I was in I was in the aftermath
of the Seattle situation, and you know, I was there
when the our bene said something crazy to her or
anything like, I've been there for all of it. I
don't got no tea to spell. But I know the
environment that she I was just saying, I know the
environment that she left in, the environment that she's in now,
and for her to win a championship despite a lot
(16:43):
of people talking crazy about her all season long, I
know that this this one is special to her. Did
you see her Instagram post?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I wanted to weigh in about this because no, I
didn't see her post, but I did. I did want
to wayh in in the sense that after I finished
the game. I love when people win championship, especially people
that I like and support. You know, teams I hate
when they want a championship. When the chief's one of
a Super Bowl, I'll.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Be turning that off.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
But when teams I love and I have a story,
when the championship, I always stick around for the whole,
the whole ceremony. I want to see the post games.
I want to see every little thing right. And I
was so glad they pay into this because I was
waiting to see this when she Jewel, when she was
over over by the bench and she was crying and
(17:32):
Becky was giving her a hug, and Becky was telling
her in her ear which I would have took that
mic off. They got everything back, everything, Becky was saying.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Everybody here. They were showing out on the TV. But
as a fan, I loved it.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
She was saying to Jewel, you are exactly where you
need to be. You are such a hard work. She
was basically saying, all the stuff that's I've been out
in the media about you and all the stuff people
were saying about you is not true, Like you really are.
You are so deserving of this moment. And as somebody
who like who covered that situation in Seattle and kind
of what happened and he said she said that this,
(18:04):
that and the third of all of it.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
She did get a lot of a lot of.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Flack coming out of that, and it kind of seemed
like to some she was dodging smoke. And then to
some oh, you're in Vegas now and you're not playing
and now you're coming off the bench, and it was
just a lot, I'm sure for her, but to come
out of all that at Champion regardless. I don't know
what happened in Seattle. I don't really care, because all
that really matters is where she's going now. And like
you said, winning a ring puts you in a different tier,
(18:29):
and in order to do that, she kind of had
to check her ego at the door, and that says
a lot about her as a person.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
So I loved that moment. Yeah, me too. I loved
it too. And I just love when I see players
who and I talk I talk about all the time.
And I know sometimes people are like, like, sy, you
you talk about your four situations all the time? Da,
da da, Well, because I've had so many, like it's
literally been the majority of my career. So when I
see other players dealing with hard situations or tough environments
(18:57):
and they're able to make a change for themselves or
they get put in a better environment and they just
like blossom and they find so much success, I'm just like,
it's so like the environment that you're in, the people
you're around, the coaching staff that you have, Like it's
all so important. Guys, I don't think you understand there's
more to being a professional athlete than it just what
you do inside the ninety four feet Like that is
(19:19):
the easy part. Playing basketball is the easy part, it's
we all know how to do it. We've been doing
it since we've been kids. The hard part about being
a professional athlete is everything else. Like, you're interacting with
a lot of other factors that you have no control over.
So when players do get the opportunity to control their narrative,
to control their situations, and they take advantage of that,
(19:41):
I always applaud it. Yes, sometimes it does put other players,
probably in an unfavorable situation, but it'd be like that sometimes, right,
So to see you know, a player like Dana, a
player like Jewel. You know, even people were taught. I
mean you saw They've been posted all the old tweets
and everything that people were saying about them all season long,
(20:01):
which I love, I love you know, I love a
good receipt. Melissa going from her situation. Yeah, like this
team like and this is a like y'all don't know them.
I know I know them. This is a petty ass
group of people right here. So they've been sitting on
all of the tweets, all of the naysaying, all of
the negative things that were said about them since shit,
(20:24):
this is may not they played a champions ad in
the third quarter. I saw that. I saw that on threads.
I was like, I look at each other, like the scripts, guys,
the scripts. I mean before the game, I was like, Kathy,
do something. We can't have a sweep in the first
time we've had seven games, but I should she tried.
(20:48):
I think. I don't know. But one point nine million
views Game one, one point two million views, Game two,
one point three million views Game three, highest since two thousand, guys,
two thousand in two thousand. Oh my god, guys, I
(21:10):
was born in ninety four. Yeah, okay, well, in the
year of Mariah was born. One point five to four
million people were watching the NBA Finals. That's what it is.
It's amazing. It's not ya, that's amazing. So this has
been the most viewed finals in twenty five years pretty much.
(21:32):
So everything that y'all had to say about that, nobody
want to watch the w NBA, No one watches women's sports,
blah blah blah blah blah. You're wrong. You are very wrong.
And I'm very excited for the future. Speaking of the future,
(21:56):
I heard my name multiple times throughout the final. Was
on the telecast for a fun fact that they left
there every ten minutes. It seemed like that and Brown,
Me and Colani Brown are the only two veteran signed
for next season. Why that was just said repeatedly, over
(22:17):
and over and over again was beyond me because I
was like, Okay, you see y'all said it one time.
They've literally said it like every single game.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I'm not gonna lie, though, Lexi, that is insane. Like
when they put it that way, I was like, wait,
that is.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Y'all know that meme of Leonardo DiCaprio w And He's
like yes. I was literally I was literally watched I
think it was game one or two, and I was like,
and I just heard.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Lexi Brown and I was like what and winning Amy
meme where she's like yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
I was like, why is my name coming up during
the finals? But that's why. But if y'all would love
an explanation, I explained a little bit on Threads. I
cannot speak for Kilanie. I don't know why Kilani is
sign until next year. I have no idea why she
made that decision. Maybe she had her own reasons like
I did. I was given my extension literally right after
(23:10):
I was diagnosed with crow disease from different front office
people that were there the last two years. So we
had like the sparks were like in like just this
weird mick, like we didn't know what was going on upstairs.
But one of the people that worked really closely to
me since I'd been in LA, it was like her
(23:33):
lit it was like her parting gift to me was
we're going to give you the extension because you're dealing
with this and we want you here and dah da da,
And obviously I wanted to be in LA. I was
one hundred percent aware of the opting out. Guys. I
didn't do this without thinking about the opt out. I
didn't do this without understanding that I probably am going
(23:55):
to miss out on some money for a year. But
for me, I had a priority ties being able to
focus on getting healthy and not having to worry about
making a team the next two seasons. So also, I
need health insurance. I need it bad. So I will
(24:15):
say like when I was sick, there were moments where
I was just kind of like, I don't know if
I'm going to be able to play again. I don't
know if I'm going to get better, And part of
me was really conflicted because I was like, I'm going
to sign this contract, and what if I'm not able
to play, Like now, like I'm just going to be
taking money from the organization, and like that's just that's
(24:35):
not how you should think because like they don't they
don't think about us in that capacity like at all.
We're just all very disposable. But even before I signed it,
I was like, what if I don't get better, and
like I just you know, show up and just take
the money that I earned. I earned those two years
of an extension. So for me, it was even there
(24:58):
was even a moment where I was just like, I
don't know if I want to sign this because I'm
going to feel bad if I'm not able to play.
And then my parents were like, girl, you don't sign that.
You need health insurance first and foremost, and I was like, yeah,
that is true. But even signing the extension, that just
made me even more determined to get better and to
get healthy because I wanted to show that I had
earned these these two years of a protected contract. And now,
(25:22):
in hindsight, I'm so happy I signed the two year deal,
especially because I wasn't able to be healthy last season
and then this season I didn't play at all, So
thank God, I have next year, you know, because I
don't know what would have happened after having a season
like I just had as far as signing with the
(25:43):
new team. So for me, that's why I signed the
two year deal knowing that the CBA was about to expire.
It expires October thirty first, Today is October thirteenth. But
the last CBA we had they extended it like two months.
So just because we don't get it signed by October
thirty first, doesn't mean like the lockout is happening and
dah da da da, like we can get an extension
(26:03):
and still continue. We didn't sign our last CBA till
January twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
I did have an interview with Miss Natasha Cloud last week.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I have a post show a little saw some of them.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Yeah, I haven't posted on my page the ones I
really want to post yet, but I will you give
you guys a little sneak peek that A couple of
things that she said that I thought were interesting are
Number One, she feels.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Like there is going to be a lockout. I don't
know how you.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Feel about that, Lexi, but she basically said yeah, yeah.
I asked her directly and Then the second thing that
she said that gag me was I asked her about
all the Kathy stuff, and she was saying that basically,
she has a personal feeling about it because she was
told that she couldn't be on postseason marketing because of
(26:55):
her stance on public issues and like that, she like,
isn't the kind of player that could be marketing the
day NBA by Kathy. So I will put post in
that clip later, but little exclusive for y'all. I know
it's gonna happen, but it really put in perspective for
me that everybody really does have a very personal situation
(27:15):
going on with the CBA. She told me her biggest
thing wasn't wasn't even salaries, but stuff like leadership. And
she also told me, which I'm curious your perspective on,
because she I brought you up a few times throughout
the conversation, and she was saying, it's really hard to
get a hold of leadership about anything like, oh, like
(27:36):
I'm trying to get these texts riscinded or this situation
or that situation with this ref and this that the
third and the other that it's hard to get hold
of somebody.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
She said that was her biggest thing. It's having like
for me, I mean, and for me, y'all know, I
don't I don't get texts and stuff like that, so
like I don't know nothing about that. But I will say,
like almost every time I've needed something in the front office,
Like Bonnie is someone that works in the league off
and I have a really good personal relationship with her,
but like, yeah, sometimes she is hard to get a
(28:04):
hold of and they're kind of like all over the
place with communication. So I will agree with her on that.
But yeah, like in these meetings, like different people bring
up such different things like salary first and foremost, Like
that is how you show your employees or your athletes
what they're worth to you to the business, is how
(28:27):
much they pay you for your work. That's like the
most obvious thing, this revenue sharing thing. The fact that
they are just not willing to even budge a little
bit on it is so bizarre to me. And the
fact that they just will not be so transparent about anything.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Like if you can say, y'all redlined it, she said no,
y'all redlined it, and they gave y'all back the exact
same offer.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, and it's like it gets to a point where
you're like, Okay, you're saying no, but why show us
where we're losing the money? Show us if you change this,
where are we going to lose the like, where is
it going to get lost at? Where are we going
to have to change things? And they won't. So that's
why everyone's like, what do y'all want, Like, y'all want
(29:12):
us to just accept this with like just blindly accepting this.
And I just saw some video that someone made and
they like do graphs of like different things in spot.
I love that page. Yeah, and it's so cute and
I love it and it's so easy to understand. And
he did a whole graph about the media rights deal
(29:33):
and how every how everything is going up, and he said,
like the NBA salaries and salary caps are going to
go up like forty percent or something, and then there's us.
It's not it's not going to go up at all
because we don't move with the business. So people are like,
y'all don't even turn a profit. Well, no, it's not
even about that. At this point, we're about to get
(29:55):
infused with a massive amount of money because of the
media deal. He said that even if everything stays the
exact same. Because of the media deal, the salaries are
going to increase. They don't have to know, they don't
have to make they don't have to make or lose
any more money differently than last season or the season before.
But because of the media deal, everything's gonna get boosted.
(30:16):
And then for us, it's all going to stay the same.
And that's been the most frustrating part for me. And
then something else that I I mean, I've always just
been locked in about like health insurance and taking care
of retired players and things like that. But we are
still like very much at the tip of the iceberg
when it comes to CBA negotiations, guys, and uh, it's
(30:38):
gonna be a fight. It's gonna be a battle. They
told us that from our first meeting that we're in
for a crazy battle.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
So the fans are tintoes behind y'all. Because when I say,
I mean, you were there. But how about was that booing?
It was back on my TV, so.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Though we had actually left so we could beat the traffic.
But I heard about it. I heard about the booze.
But that's not surprising. They boo everybody, oh bo out
of silver, they bow what's his name in the NFL
like every Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
I was my jaw was on the floor. I hadn't
seen that like that. I mean people were, I mean
people were sticking their hands up. They tried to grab
out the TV Asian with her tambourine like this.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Yes, Like it's like uncomfortable because she is still a
person of power that you do need to respect in
some unders. But fans, y'all, they don't care. But again,
people are just like, who should be the next commissioner
and stop stop throwing out names about people y'all love,
and like, stop doing it. They don't The commissioner works
(31:47):
for the owners. So again, if y'all want to have
some real beef, have some beef with somebody's owners. Like
Mark Davis said it best. He was like, he hasn't
been tapped about anything really, but he wants to get
a deal done. Mark Davis was one of the first
owners to really put his money where his mouth is
when it comes to the aces. So if he's kind
(32:09):
of like, we're getting a deal done, I mean that
should make everybody feel good. But the fact that he's
kind of just speaking singularly is a little concerning, because
that means that there's owners elsewhere that are not trying to.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
That's another thing I would like for them to put
up because there is a part of me that feels
like bad for Kathy. I talked to Tosh in detail
about Kathy, and so I get the feeling about Kathy,
and I don't think I can't speak to whether she's a.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Good person, bad person, this, that, or the third.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I don't agree with what she's doing lately at all,
but a part of me feels for her because, like
you said, she works for the owners and so in
a sense, you remember how everybody was billiing Nico Harrison
when Luca got traded. It's like though a lot of
decisions with sports teams come from us.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I think Nico did that himself.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
No, it comes from upstairs, and somebody's always got to
be the escapegover, the face of it, and unfortunately Kathy
is that, and it just it sucks to see because
she's a woman and she climbed up in business, and
it just sucks to see that. I would like for
the owners to put up. Look, if you own a
WNBA team, this is your shot.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Buck up.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Let me know why you don't want.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
To pay your players.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I'd rather you just say Hi, I'm so and so
and I own the Connecticut son xyz. I mean that
was bad example, because yeah, but you get what I'm saying,
Like I own the New York Liberty and I don't
want to pay the players period.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I would rather that. But y'all letting this lady she
up there, she is taking she's she is and for her,
I mean, yeah, like I agree with you, Like there
is a small small part of me that feels bad
for it because she is still a person, She's a
human being. She has a family, Like I can't imagine
like how her kids are feeling and her her family's feeling.
(33:47):
They probably feel horrible. But again, like this comes with
the territory unfortunately, But stop throwing out names guys of
people that are beloved in the women's basketball community, because
they will become the commission and you will quickly realize
that it does not matter. Like like I saw that,
(34:09):
I said, are you guys insane? I knew, I knew,
Like let her coat letter GM like, but yeah, like
they want they want they're like make neck of the commissioner. No, No,
I mean I don't know if that would be a
bad or good thing, but it's like, at the end
of the day, the commissioner works for the owners, so
(34:31):
we're never going to see completely eye of eye, but
they're some gotta give we have. I mean, the expansion
draft is set for December, so hopefully we can get
a deal done by then, or else everything's going to
get pushed back and we two more teams, more games.
I'm just really concerned for like the planning of the
season moving forward. Should we have a lockout and figure
(34:53):
it out later, or you know, the season has to
get short in and it's just like all this momentum
is just going to get completely annihilated or it's going
to push the league into another stat I was gonna say,
I don't think that that's the case.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
I don't think that the moment I will be Listen,
all publicity is good publicity, y'all, y'all is gonna be
in everybody's mouth good, bad or different, ugly whatever, And
until y'all decide you're getting on that court, ain't no wbs.
So they're going That's why I don't understand about all this.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I'm like, y'all get me y'all can't. Y'all can't go
out and play for us like at the end of
the day, and other businesses, the bosses can probably do
the work that they need their employees to do. Not
in this case, y'all can't go lace them up and
go shoot threes and rebound and tunnel fit. Y'all can't
do all of that. No, And could you imagine.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Could you imagine all those people that she named that
are should be grateful blah blah blah, Caitlyn Clark, Angelis, pagebackers,
Agel Wilson.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
If they're all like yeah, nah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
What them Fever fans will be at that office with
pitchforks and quit playing with the.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Quick.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Taylor will be up in the chiefs and the She's
chilling killing when Taylor's wived, and everybody will still be
talking about y'all. Y'all are going to become irrelevant if
you lock out.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I think the opposite, I mean, and I think that
the best thing about it all is, you know, in
twenty twenty, when we didn't get to an agreement in
time and had to extend like it was really Neka
had the greatest thing in an interview. She did. It
was like it was a start of something. We as
players believed in the products, and we believed in the
(36:33):
momentum that was going to happen. We didn't know when
it was going to happen, but we knew it was
going to happen. And now it's here, and now we
signed that deal in good faith that when this growth happened,
we would be rewarded for it. And now they're not.
They're not They're not doing what they said that they
would do. But we didn't have unrivaled in twenty twenty.
(36:53):
We didn't have athletes unlimited in twenty twenty, so that
changes everything as well. You have more here. I will say, though,
there are a lot of girls that already overseas playing, Like,
don't y'all think that every all the w players are
here in the States, Like players are still very much
going to play overseas and play in your league and
(37:15):
stuff like that, because a lot of them, like do
enjoy playing and then you have this then have this
body and energy forever, so you might as well take
advantage of it. So there's a lot of basketball that
y'all can be watching in the wintertime. In the spring,
college is coming up on Rival is about to start
(37:36):
after the New year. AU starts in February, so there's
gonna be lots of basketball women's basketball for y'all to watch,
and we will be here for y'all every week at
full Circle Podcast. We love y'all and we will see
y'all next week. Hi, thanks for listening to Full Circle.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
We'll be back next week with more basketball for the girls,
by the girls.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Do you want to hear from you?
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell us
what you want us to talk about. Full Circle is
hosted by Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer
is Jesse Katz. Our supervising producer is Grace Fused. Our
producer is Zoe Danklab. Listen to Full Circle on America's
number one podcast network iHeart, open your free iHeart app
and search full Circle with Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose
(38:23):
and start listening
Hosts And Creators
Lexie Brown
Mariah Rose
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