May 5, 2026 • 32 mins
Las Vegas Aces guard and defending WNBA champion Jewell Loyd joins Sarah to talk about why returning to the Aces was an easy choice, trying to run it back with A’ja Wilson and company, taking her first offseason vacation, and why she sees Project B as more than a basketball league. Plus, take a seat, one big beautiful Cloud in the Sky, and two of our favorite worlds collide.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where Azy Fudd
got her Welcome to the W moment before the season
even started. Yeah, I feel more confused.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I thought you could be physical in the W and
anytime you touch someone it's a foul.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
So I'm not really sure whether to be physical, whether.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
To you know, Nike, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
So I'm still figuring that out. Yeah, we're all still
figuring that out. It's Tuesday, May bit than on today's show,
defending WNBA champ and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewel Lloyd
joins us to talk about her first off season vacation,
how even the pros have to go back to the basics,
trying to run it back with Asia Wilson and company,
and how she sees Project B as more than just
(00:38):
a basketball league. Plus, take a seat, one big beautiful
cloud in the sky and two of our favorite worlds collide.
It's all coming up right after this Welcome back slices.
Here's what you need to know today. Let's start with
(01:00):
the PWHL playoffs continue tonight with Game two of the
semi final series between the Minnesota Frost and the Montreal Victoire.
The Victoire will be looking for their first win of
the series after the Frost took Game number one over
the weekend, and the Frost will be without forward Brita
curl Slemi for Game two. The league announced on Monday
that crol Slemi has been suspended for one game and
fined two hundred and fifty dollars following two separate incidents
(01:22):
that took place during Game one on Saturday. In a
press release on Monday, the league said the one game
suspension is a result of an illegal check to the
head on opponent Caitlin Willoughby in the second period. Meanwhile,
the fine is due to curl Slemi grabbing and pulling
the facial protector of Montreal's Abbey Rock also during the
second period on Saturday. Losing curl Selemi could prove a
(01:43):
challenge for the Frost tonight as they look to extend
their lead. Puck drop is at seven pm Eastern. More
Hockey the Athletic is reporting that the PWHL has big
expansion plans ahead of next season. Per story from Hailey Salvian,
the executive director of the p WHLPA, wrote in an
e mail to members on Sunday, quote, we have been
told the league intends to move forward with a four
(02:04):
team expansion end quote. Yes, four more teams in twenty
twenty six, twenty seven, but the PWHL said in a
statement to the Athletic quote, nothing is finalized at this
time end quote. According to Salvian's story, in the event
of that four team expansion, the league will not have
a traditional expansion draft. Instead, the expansion process would include
multiple signing windows, which in theory, would give players more
(02:27):
autonomy through the process. There would be five phases in total,
with the first phase giving each team the chance to
protect three players from the expansion process. That first phase
is tentatively set to start on May twenty eighth. We'll
link to the Athletics article in the show notes so
you can read through the proposed process, and of course,
we'll keep you posted when the league makes any official
announcements on teams and cities to the WNBA teams wrapped
(02:49):
up preseason contests on Sunday. Recent UCLA grad and national
champ Lauren Betts led the Washington Mystics with seventeen points
in their eighty three seventy to win over the Atlanta
Dream The New York Liberty beat the Connecticut Sun seventy
nine sixty seven, but some bad news. Liberty guard Sabrina
and Escu left the game in the third quarter due
to an ankle injury. She had an MRI on Monday,
(03:10):
and according to the New York Post Matteline Kenny, the
imaging showed Yonescu had avoided significant injury, but she'll still
miss at least two weeks that includes the first four
Liberty games. We'll keep you posted on how that injury progresses,
and of course we're sending our best to Sabrina. Later
on Sunday, the Dallas Wings, who've had arguably the most
impressive preseason in the league, beat the defending champ Las
(03:30):
Vegas Aces one oh one eighty four. Asia James led
the Wings with eighteen and rookie guard Azy Fudd and
forward Atlanta Smith added twelve points apiece. Juell Lloyd put
up nine points and six rebounds for the Aces in
that one. We'll hear how she thinks the preseason is gone,
and we'll get her expectations for the regular season later
in the show. More w and some news that has
us Chicago Sky fans cheer and loud and cheer and proud.
(03:53):
On Monday, the athletic Zanni Costable was the first to
report that the Chicago Sky have signed Natasha Cloud to
a one year deal worth five hundred and fifty five
thousand dollars. The news comes after Cloud was left unsigned
during the initial free agency period, and while I'm bumm
for Cloud that she was in limbo worried about her future,
for me personally, it was absolutely worth the wait. I'm
(04:15):
so pumped. Also shout out to Blue Sky user fully Automated,
who pointed out that cloud in the Sky is a
great headline and marketing tool. We love it. Of course,
while we're happy for Cloud, we're also bummed for the
players that are going to get cut between now and
Thursday's roster deadline, including the cuts that made way for
Clouds signing. Ahead of Costable's report, on Tuesday, the Sky
(04:36):
announced that they'd waved three players, including Hayley van Lyth,
the former TCU star who was selected number eleven overall
last year. Also this week, the Connecticut Sun waived several players,
including recent Texas scrad Kylo Oldacre, and the Seattle Storm
waved duke standout Tyana Mayer. Later this week, We're going
to dive deep into each team with our annual WNBA previews,
(04:58):
so by the time tip off comes around on Friday,
you'll be all set to impress your friends with steak stats, stars,
and stories for each of the w's fifteen teams. Let's
go to the pool where US star Gretchen Walsh has
done it again. The twenty three year old broke her
own world record in the one hundred meter butterfly on Saturday,
getting to the wall in fifty four point thirty three
seconds at the Fort Lauderdale Open. This is the same
(05:19):
venue where she broke the world record in the event
last year, so it's turned into quite the lucky pool
for Walsh. Since June of twenty twenty four, she has
swon the thirteen fastest times in history in the one
hundred meter fly and has broken the world record four times.
This latest time is extra impressive, though she's now more
than a second faster than the next fastest swimmer. That's
(05:39):
the largest gap in any women's or men's one hundred
meter event. To Golf world number one, Nelly Coorda has
topped the leaderboard again, dominating the field with a four
shot victory in the Rivie e Maaya Open on Sunday.
The win, her third of the season, comes just one
week after her decisive victory at the Chevron Championship, which
was the LPGA's first major of the year. Coorda is
(05:59):
now the youngest American to reach eighteen LPGA Tour wins
since Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez did it at the
age of twenty three in nineteen eighty. Finally, some fun
news from the intersection of sports and fashion. Last night,
a number of athletes posed on the famous steps leading
into the met Gala. Tennis legend Venus Williams made her
Gala co chair debut alongside Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, and a
(06:21):
Win Tour you know Casual plus WNBA champion Asia Wilson,
ballerina Misty Copeland and Paralympian Amy Mullins were all part
of the host committee. Now we're recording this before we
see all the fits, but we just know all those
ladies Slade and if sports and fashion are intersecting, you
can bet Angel Reese is going to get involved. Reebok
has announced the release of a new colorway Angel Reese
(06:42):
won Gala Green, inspired by Reese's mint green look at
the twenty twenty four met Gala. Also in fashion news,
Alyssa lou has been named Louis Vatan's newest brand ambassador.
The twenty year old figure skating champ joins the French
fashion House after recently sitting front row at its Fall
twenty twenty six show during Paris Fashion Week. Loosepoke with
El magazine about the new gig, saying, in part quote,
(07:03):
I see fashion like I see my art and figure
skating as a form of self expression. I don't think
of the two worlds as separate. I love to exercise
self expression in everything I do. There is nothing to
balance as long as I'm just being myself end quote.
One more thing, slices. We want to send our congratulations
to friend of the show and star of the Women's
(07:23):
Lacrosse League Charlotte North for proposing to her girlfriend Ryan
Smith over the weekend, wishing the happy couple nothing but
the best on their engagement. We're going to take a break.
When we come back, I talk finals domination. With three
time WNBA champion Jewel Lloyd joining us now, she's a
(07:47):
guard for the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, a three
time WNBA champion twenty twenty three WNBA scoring leader, twenty
fifteen WNBA Rooky at the year, six time All Star
and a two time Olympic gold medal winner. A star
at Niles West High School just outside Chicago, she went
out to hoop at Notre Dame, leading the Irish to
back to back NCAA title game appearances. The number one
overall pick for the Seattle Storm, she helped them to
(08:09):
two WNBA championships before being traded to the Aces last season,
where she won a third title. She's got two l's
in her first name and one L in her last name,
which is three more l's than she's ever taken in
a WNBA finals game ten and O baby, it's the gold.
Mama jewel, Lloyd, Hi jewels that sair.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
How are you so good to see you?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I do imagine that almost half of your life is
spent saying jewel with two l's, Lloyd with one L.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
One hundred percent. Yes it happens often.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah, yeah, Sarah with in h Spain like the country.
So I'm with you. I want to start with our
mutual connection because years ago, like twelve fifteen years ago,
I randomly met one of your old coaches Rich in
the bleachers of a Cubs game, and he was telling
me all about this player he worked with that was
going to be so great at Notre Dame. And I'm
(08:57):
wondering if you've been back around this area much lately,
and have you seen him or any of your other
old coaches lately.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yeah, I know, definitely me and mister Reisman. I so
call him reason it is hard for me to call
him Rich.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Yeah, we meet up every single time I'm back home,
so I usually go back home often. That's kind of
where I spent all my off season and my family
and friends are there. So we talked about, you know,
growing up and starting basketball. But yeah, we I talked
to him all the time. He still texted me for
every single game. Sees the day is his quote. So
it's definitely still connected.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I love that it makes me feel connected to you
because of course I'm keeping an eye on the best players.
But like ever since that day, I'm like, okay, jewle Lloyd,
I'm gonna look for this, and I'm always like, oh,
she's killing it, like oh she's leaving early. Oh she's
crushing it, and you know, so it's it's been really
fun I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of folks
at that first Aces Sky game here in town. Huh yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Always, you know, they definitely come out a support.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Like you said, now's west and not too far from there,
so everyone from high school and people I played against, coaches, families,
so it was like that they all come out and support.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
It's nice. It's really nice. I can't believe we're already
just a couple of days away from the start of
the season. How is the off season for you?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You know, the off season was really good.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
This is probably the first off season that I really
took a real vacation.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I was really everywhere and just really enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Had time to just reflaged on everything, and you know,
once I was able to kind of, you know, understand that,
I went back to work. So it was nice to
be back home with my fans and family and kind
of retune and get ready. But yeah, I mean, season
is it's like a bonds real quick.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, where'd you go on vacation? If I can be nosy?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I was in Italy for a couple of weeks. I
was there. I was in the Virgin Islands for a
couple of weeks as well.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I kind of traveled all over, but I needed some
you know, R and R definitely from the season and
just from me the last couple of seasons of basketball
in life, and so I've been able to take a
moment for myself was really much needed.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah, that's great. So you're in these different places, you're
getting your rest, you're getting ready for the season, but
I assume keeping an eye on the CBA negotiations. So
how did you follow along and how closely were you
keeping up with the nitty gritty or were you just like,
I'll figure it out when it gets done.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
I would say, kind of.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
We're having meetings pretty often, you know, our team reps
were texting the group chats and make sure everyone's seeing
updated what's going on. A lot of people's honestly just
waiting to hear back, so you kind of you know,
at that point you have nothing to do but just wait.
But once things kind of start got rolling at the
top of the year, everyone's pretty active. So it's kind
(11:22):
a different situation to be in because you're preparing, but
you don't really noticearily what you're preparing for.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
But as a base we always got to make sure
our bodies are good.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
So you know, the habits of that was kind of
the same, but it's still kind of like, so do
I go really.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Hard right now? Do I, like, you know, ramp up?
But you know, luckily we all kind of stay connected
and got it done.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
What stands out to you about the deal that got
done maybe beyond the obvious, which is the massive, massive
increase in pay.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, you know, I think that's what everyone's focusing on,
right is the increase in pay. But you know, I
think a lot of it's the insurance stuff, make sure
pleasure are taken care of and treated the right way,
and also just accountability from you know, the ownership part
as well. You shouldn't have all the combinations to allow
us to be the best officer we can be.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I think that's really important, And I don't think.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
People really know all the thing that, you know, beyond
just the salary, what we're trying to fight for and
make it the standard for every single team to be
there and show best professionals.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Often on the court, you mentioned not knowing what you're
getting ready for. I imagine in some cases and there were
some players we saw sort of saying from the beginning
of the off season, I know where I want to
go back to. I'm planning on returning to my team,
but there was also a ton of movements. So for you,
had you communicated to the Aces like I'd like to
be back and you kind of knew that you were
going to re sign or was there some uncertainty as
(12:35):
the off season and the official kind of signing period arrived.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I always like the key options open, right, I never
want to just you know, show off any door.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
But at the same time, I felt a different kind
of connection here in Vegas, but also realizing, you know
what we able to do, and when you win and
you have a chance to kind of running back, you
kind of want to keep that same core and I
think that was the mindset of the players here as
well as the organization. But it's hard to walk away
from Becky and Asia, right, I mean they're the best
too in the game.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
It's like, yeah, why would I you know, like why
would you lead that?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
But pretty good setup?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Yeah, I think so too, right, Like this makes sense,
but also just felt like it's just where I need
to be, where I'm at in my career too.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
So it kind of just worked out what.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Do you think about living in Vegas outside of the
basketball side.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You know, it's definitely different.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You know, I was in obviously coming from Chicago than
Levin in Seattle for ten years and being here, it's
three different total vibes for sure. Some still kind of
feeling my way out and you know, the weather it's
definitely different, you know, fifteen one ten is a different
kind of you know, sis on your back and you're
get in your car a little bit. But honestly, it's
been pretty nice. You know, I'm finding my spots here
(13:41):
and there, and you know, I think when people think
of Vegas, the only think about the Strip, but there's
way more to do outside of Vegas and just like downtown.
So I'm trying to figure out more spots now so
that I feel a little more comfortable here.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah. I mean as a team, are you mostly when
you do something together on the strip or do you
find those places on the outskirts? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I definitely on our way around Vegas in general.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
You know, there's a little foodsplus that you go to,
but you know, all the high end restaurants are on
the ship, so you know, at least once a week
of going down there, for sure. Beyond this, maybe me
play after games, food things like that, But personally I
like to.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Be a little bit more low key.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So sometimes all the chaos gets too overwhelming for me,
so I like to kind of venture out a little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah, it's a lot. I've been there kind of recently,
and I was like, first of all, I can't believe
in my twenties, I would just get tired at the
end of the night and take my shoes off and
walk back from whatever club barefoot in whatever the hell
is on the ground, just like, can't believe I didn't
get tetanus every time. And then now as an older person,
I'm just like, man, I gotta get so much five
hour energy in me to stay up the level that
(14:43):
this place requires, even with all the oxygen pumped in.
So living there, you'd have to really meet out how
often you wanted to make it to the strip and
try to keep up.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Definitely.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You know, for the basketball side of things, when you
joined Vegas, you joined a stacked team that had already
won a couple titles. So was it a struggle at
first for you to figure out what your place and
your role would be.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Honestly, the biggest struggle was like not giving laws in
the facility. To be honest, I was like where I
felt like, you know, a rookie, I had no idea
what anything was. You know, I was getting laws, calling
people the wrong names, and trying to get familiar with
that was like really have the battle the basketball was
honestly pretty a smooth transition, you know, I had to
realize just like where I was, who I'm playing with.
(15:23):
But also I had a lot of joy in finding
that restructure of my career in my life and the
things that we needed to win. And so as much
as it was different from everyone that has seen me
play and what you know, I'm used to doing, I
had probably the most fun in my whole career when
I made this transition.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
And so when you're playing with elly level.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Players, like it's not about you know, the big things,
about the little things and when you're willing to do
And my whole common goal was to win and how.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Do we do that?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
And so when you're mature in a veteran leader, you
understand what it takes to win. And so it's like
it doesn't matter whether I'm scoring twenty points or four points,
but if I got a rebound and steal, and that
adds to one in that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yeah, you know, midway through the season, team was sitting
at five hundred. It looked a little bit rough. But
right after a couple wins, you suggested to Becky Haamon
that you might actually help the team more coming off
the bench. You still played starter minutes, but you'd come
in six or seven minutes into the game. Why do
you think you were more successful that way? Was it
more physical or mental?
Speaker 3 (16:20):
No, I just think that's what we needed.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I trust the work that every person on this team
puts in, So seeing how they'd known it for so long,
it's like I trust that I know they know how
to play with each other. So I trusted KB coming
in and I was like, oh, you've been with them
for four or five years.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You know you know how to come down to play.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Kirsten Valley yup exactly, and so I was like, I
don't need to start like I'm confident in my abilities,
I know the seam needs. I need someone else in
the second unit to really kind of hone that in.
So to me, it just made sense, and so trust me,
that was something that Becky was trying to fight for
like two weeks prior, she was like, absolutely not, We're
not doing this, and like every time probably she was
like close the door. But that was like just try it,
(16:57):
like if it works, great, If it doesn't, then you
just go back. And so knowing that we just had
that bond as teammates and also this trust that beck
he hadn't need to make that decision, you know, it
really helped us.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
And I think it just allowed everyone to kind of
play free.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We didn't have to worry about trying to make sure
everyone felt good, which is like, this is what worked,
and I'm glad it did.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yeah, I mean sixteen straight wins to finish the season
and then you go into another title. So I guess
it was a good idea. I guess it worked out.
Do you think you'll come off the bench to start
this season as well?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
You know, we ever really talked about it, but I'm
definitely told Becky like, I like where I'm at.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
You know, I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody anymore.
I like, I just want to win. I want to
have this Jewey I would have.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
This kid like curiosity and this flow, and so that's
kind of where I see my my.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Vibe right now.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You know that's not saying that I can go out
there and dominate, you know, coming off the bench or whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
I know my ability to really well.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
But I just like where I'm att You're trying to
get six Women of the Year. I get it. I
get it. You're like, I'm not getting MVP with Asia here,
so I'm gonna just come off the bench, play thirty
one minutes and get the sixth woman. That's smart, smart,
you know.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
You got you gotta just stas here and that I'm
a business woman, you know, under same stategy statistics.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
A little bit very smart. You mentioned you spent a
whole decade in Seattle, which is a really long time
before you requested a trade. You alleged some harassment and
bullying from the Storm staff. Now that you've spent time
in Seattle, in Vegas, overseas with unrivaled, have you kind
of learned about what makes a good franchise and what
makes a good experience for you?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah? You know, I think I You know.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
When you've experienced so many different types of business, you
know you really understand how to how things work.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
You know, I've been everywhere in anywhere.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I've learned from a lot of different people I've seen,
I studied from a lot of people, And the biggest
thing that kind of have taken away even from our
last year championship, is this, you have to stand people need.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
People and the value of people.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
You know, and everyone has the same experiences life, whatever
it is, but I think they were all human. So
if you understand that, then you understand how to bring
people's greatness out. And it may not mad your greatness
is where you need to be right then, but maybe
in six months they match that. And so I've noticed
that not just in basketball, but in business too.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
If you treat someone like a five, they may give
you a four or five or three. If you treat
them like a ten.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
They may give you eleven or twelve, right, And so
knowing that and it's seeing how Becky does it too,
and seeing how you know I've learned from Kobe, I've
learned from so many different people. That matters because they
don't really know what their greatness is, so you bring
it out. And so having that culture and send that
culture and that foundation early on, that really says a
tone for how you want to build your organization. From
the ground up, and so when you really painted to
(19:34):
those details, I think that makes a really big difference.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I feel like in general, with coaches, with bosses,
with any sort of leaders, the best way to get
something out of people is for them to not want
to disappoint you, as opposed to not want to anger you.
It's just a different feeling to feel like, Oh, you
believe in me so much, I don't want to disappoint
how much you believe in me, as opposed to oh,
I don't want to piss you off, which is very
It's a very different relationship. And you know, we hear
(19:57):
a lot about Becky Hammond as a leader, but I
think I'm really fascinated by Asia Wilson as a leader
coming off her fourth MVP season. She's not even thirty
years old. She is a superstar across every single space
from the met gala to the shoe game to the court.
And yet the way teammates talk about her and the
way she interacts with her teammates, like, I'm feeling like
(20:18):
emotional to just thinking about the moments where you see
the clips of her getting so emotional talking about what
she pulls from everyone else and what they give to her,
And I wonder if you could talk about her leadership
style and how she stands out even compared to other
amazing players.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Like I said, I've been really fortunate to play and
learn from a lot of greats and being able to
see Asia in this kind of life. You've been friend
for a while, but to see her be a leader
like this is something I've never really experienced before. It's
really hard to carry the weight and the pressure of
breaking the norm, the stereotypes, and carrying a generation and
(20:57):
also carrying a league, but then also being so humble
and so eager to serve other people and still be
so dominant in your own way. It's really really hard
to do that, and she's found a way to do that,
and I think the best way she's been able to
do this because her family. But she keeps the main
thing the main thing. But the way she leads this
is so different. She doesn't try to do it by
(21:18):
the book. She tries to connect with each person, how
they learn, how they understand information, which is also takes
time because you're major engage with in every person.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But then she loves herself to be herself like she
doesn't try to be perfect. She says it all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
You know, I mess up too, but there's just a
different way she doesn't. I think it's just her core
values and how she was raised and what she believes in,
and she does not falter from that from no matter
if she's at the magala or if she's at practice
or whatever it is, she remains who she is and
you can respect that. And that's the leader that you
want to learn from because you know that it's real
every single time.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yeah. I don't know where the humility comes from, because
she should not be humble in any way, but it's working.
It makes her even hungrier and better, even though yeah,
I don't know what she has to be humble about.
You know, when you have so many players who have
won a title or multiple titles, how do you get
the team to come back this season just as hungry,
just as focused on winning again.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
It's like once you have.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
That feeling, you know once or twice, you kind of
want to keep doing it again. Right, you understand, there's
just different challenges and I think this team we love
a good challenge and the mindset of Chelsea and Jack
in our core we liked the problem solve and we're
so curious on how can we do it again and differently.
Every time you win a championship, we were with a
different team, a different journey, things happened throughout the year.
(22:33):
But when you just are constantly trying to just get
better every game, every possession, every practice is different, it
doesn't seem redundant, it seem boring.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
You're just so like, Okay, I have so much more.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
To learn, and so as we're trying to win another championship,
we're also learning so much about ourselves every single time.
And we've noticed that even from the start of this
training camp is so different from last year's training camp.
And then obviously, like you know, our moves are different,
and people who weren't in training camp this year now
and this is a whole different thing. But I think
our curiosity to just constantly transform ourselves as players in
(23:05):
as people allow us to be so hungry for championships.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Yeah, I mean, one big difference was Becky did not
wear her blazer hoodie for the team picture. And I'm
a little worried, honestly, like I think that that's tempting fate.
I'm not superstitious, but I'm a little stitious, and I
feel like the Blazer hoodie was her thing. So we'll
see if that. We'll see if that matters.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
It's still in rotation.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Don't worry, okay, I mean I have no doubt. There's
no chance she got rid of all of them. That's
like the whole closet.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Last year started out kind of rough and ended with
yet another title, which is sort of a double edged
sword because on the one hand, your team will never
feel out of it. You will always be like, we
know we can turn this around. On the other hand,
if you wait too long to lock in, it might
not be enough time to turn things around. There might
not be enough urgency. So how do you find a
balance there between taking a lot of confidence and being
(23:51):
able to turn things last year and then not settling
for a bad start again this year.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Yeah, I mean, I guess the easy answer is like
we have Asian Wolson, right, But at the same time,
it's like, no, like it's the whole team effort, you know.
I think it's our mindset of understanding what we could
be common, allowing each other to really just dive into
the work, and we're really loving the work and everything
that we want to do is gonna require different level
of excellence, and you know, when the target's on your back,
(24:16):
it's just different. You're gonna get everyone's best shut all
the time, and we understand them. We have you know,
vegas on your chest.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
This is a different expectation and so sometimes people don't
know how to carry that.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
And I think we didn't really talk about that early on,
which allows us to feel something different early. And so
as like I said, this training camp feels different because
now we know off what we're capable of. But it's
like we could do that earlier, Like let's not just
wait to know we get beet up and punched and
stretched out every body and everything to start kind of
get going. And sometimes when you're you know, my dad
always said when you're really because sometimes you have the ability
(24:46):
to turn on and off the switch. You know, it's like,
let's let's start with the lights on. You know, I
think it's better. It's easy to see when the lights
are on, but it's then when it's dark.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I love that. You know, you also probably benefit because
training camp and preseason are always so fast in the
W but it felt a special fast this year with
so many free agents finding their way to new teams,
whereas you had a lot of consistency on the roster
from last season to this season. I imagine that makes
you feel probably pretty good about being able to start well.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
It says training camp, but I promise you we were
in practice. We were in full problem practice.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
We were beggy, came in locked and loaded, and so
our attention to just understanding what we need to do
just get better.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
And we started with the basics of like literally.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Botching out rebound passing and catching, and like we went
back to the basics, and I think that's you know,
sometimes this aproach you kind of get locked in those areas.
But our ability to have a core group from our
last year team coming in, we were able to kind
of speed up the things that we you know, DINMTLI
has a chance to really lacking on, you know, last season,
and so our terminology and everything, it is this easier
to understand now, and no one's kind of like looking
(25:46):
at the cheap sheeting more. We're kind of like, oh,
we know what this is. We feel more comfortable as
a whole hoole unit this year.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Last year, Biber was the go to for pregame or
we changed it up or are you sticking with the beabs?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
No, I can't change it up. It hasn't changed, you know,
in years. I'm not going to change it up now.
And uh yeah, definitely not. After going to Coachella and
seeing him live again.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
So okay, you were at Beepchella.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I was, I was. I could have missed that.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Did you love it or were you kind of like
what's happening here with the YouTube clips?
Speaker 2 (26:13):
No?
Speaker 3 (26:13):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
It's simple, It's about the music and allows him to
be his best version of himself.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
So I had it for him, and uh, he's doing
really good things.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Which weekend were you there? Did you get to see
the Billie Eilish Lonely Girl or the Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, I was the other second weekend? Amazing, so perfect time.
So it's a ramp up to camp. You know, I
was getting wrapped.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I needed that extra energy to give me going here Coachella.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Hallelujah. You're ready to go? Okay? So after playing an
unrival last year, you signed on with Project B this fall.
So what drew you to that league and making that switch?
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I love new things that makes sense in my brain,
and that Project B makes sense. I also love the
business part of it. I'm a big entrepreneur. That's like
a bill passion of mine. So if I look at
Project Be at his own seat, that's just a basketball league.
I see it as a global PM that's really going
to change a lot of things moving forward and how
we see sports and how we see women in sport, honestly,
(27:08):
and so seeing that aspect. Obviously the basketball is the
caveat right, Like that's like I know that, But I
love the business aspect of it. That's what really drew
me to it, and the ownership and being able to
do something that's just different. If anyone kind of knows me,
I've never really done things totally by the book. I've
always kind of been like, you know, I kind of
like to do here and there, and this just made sense.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
So I'm excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
I'm excited to get things rolling and I think everyone's
gonna really enjoy what we're about to put together.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
We know a handful of players who've signed up. We
know two of the city stops, Tokyo, Japan and Valencia, Spain.
Any other details you could share about the first season
or are you getting them when we're getting them?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
I you know, I'm gonna let them surprise you guys,
but my job is to make sure that you guys
know that it's been It's not just a random thing.
This has been in the works for for quite some time.
And to do it the right way, it takes about
the details, and we have not missed on any details.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
For the players, for the fans, for the investors.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
We've done everything the right way by the book, and
we're excited to get this in going.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I know, in addition to hooping and going on vacation,
you also played pickleball to kind of decompress and relax.
So how'd you get into that? Yeah? I love.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
One day I came back from working out and I
was trying to get on the court and uh, at
Lifetime they took you know, one court out and made
it a pickball court, and so my friend's like, well,
let's just go warm up there. I'm my way to
get on the court. We ended up losing to like
two older ladies, and I was like, Okay, this is
not this is not it like no offense.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
You guys were like this is this can't be what
it is. So then we started playing all the time.
I done. It takes into it. Then I started playing
a couple of tournaments.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
And then that led to you know, a partnership of Yola,
and uh then that's led it to me being.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Part of the ownership of Miami Pickball Club. But I
love it.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
It's a great workout, great atmosphere. I met some amazing
people playing the game. But also just I like the
mental effect of it. You have no time to kind
of sort in your feelings. You got to get back
back up and you know, get back in the game.
But it's something in my family we all play now
and all our friends.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So it is a great sport.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
That's really fun. I love that because that's exactly how
it would be. I would be like, I'm sorry, I'm
a world champion athlete and I just lost to these
like average old people like okay now and put my
head down and figure out how to dominate this as well.
Did it take you out to learn the scoring? It
has weird scoring, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
That plays is the hardest part. It is, honestly, the scoring.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
It took me like literally probably like a month to
really like I'm confident enough to say it out loud
with confidence and not just whisper it and like, maybe
double check around to make sure I didn't mess anything up.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
But once I got it, I was a gopura good.
So besides that, it's a great sport.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
That's how I feel about bowling. I'm like, I didn't
come here to do math, Like this better be a
computerized system because I'm not good at that, like carry
the spare and then if I'm not good at that part. Well,
it was so great to talk to you, so excited
for the start of the season and to see you.
And I'm hoping to make that Aces Sky game here
the first one, so maybe I'll see you there all
to figure out where my allegiance lies, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Thank God, I'll bring Rich. I'll bring Rich.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
There we go. Then you have to decide they're all good, good,
good good. Well, it's awesome to chat with you.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Thanks Jewel, Thank you so much, Sarah.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Thanks again to Jewel for taking the time. And don't
forget you can now watch full length good Game interviews
on the Iheartwomen's Sports YouTube channel, so go on over
there and subscribe. We have to take another break when
we return. No Kings accept this one. Welcome back slices.
(30:36):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
get in the game every day too, So here's our
good game play of the day. Send in your votes
for which US city you think is the epicenter of
women's sports. Several slices agents for their cities in this
case have already sent in a few, but we need
some more to make this a full on bracket, so
consider your slice work assigned. We always love to hear
(30:57):
from you, so hit us up on email good game
at Wondermedia Network Dot or leave us a voicemail at
eight seven two two four fifty seventy, and don't forget
to subscribe, rate and review. It's so easy and it
really helps the show. Watch being King on the Court
and a Queen in the classroom. Rating five out of
five stars for proving it's never too late to finish
(31:18):
what you started. Review. Last week, I went to the
Chicago premiere of The New thirty for thirty give Me
the Ball about friend of the show, the legendary Billy
Jean King. The film is fantastic, with unbelievable archival footage
and an honesty and vulnerability from BJK about everything, her abortion,
getting outed by an estranged girlfriend, grappling with her sexuality
(31:41):
and of course, her lifelong fight for equality. During a
panel after the doc, BJK mentioned that she's finally getting
her college degree at the end of this month, sixty
years after she dropped out of cal State University to
pursue pro tennis full time. She re enrolled last year
and she'll be graduating with a degree in history at
the ripol age of eighty one, never not showing us
(32:03):
the way. Congrats b JK, and when it's announced, we'll
let you know when and where you can watch that documentary.
Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Jewel, Good games, Charlotte and Ryan.
You the fact you have to remember three numbers in
pickleball scoring. We just want to play good game with
(32:28):
Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are
Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive producers are Christina Everett,
Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are
Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer. Production
(32:51):
assistant from Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where Azy Fudd
got her Welcome to the W moment before the season
even started. Yeah, I feel more confused.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I thought you could be physical in the W and
anytime you touch someone it's a foul.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
So I'm not really sure whether to be physical, whether.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
To you know, Nike, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
So I'm still figuring that out. Yeah, we're all still
figuring that out. It's Tuesday, May bit than on today's show,
defending WNBA champ and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewel Lloyd
joins us to talk about her first off season vacation,
how even the pros have to go back to the basics,
trying to run it back with Asia Wilson and company,
and how she sees Project B as more than just
(00:38):
a basketball league. Plus, take a seat, one big beautiful
cloud in the sky and two of our favorite worlds collide.
It's all coming up right after this Welcome back slices.
Here's what you need to know today. Let's start with
(01:00):
the PWHL playoffs continue tonight with Game two of the
semi final series between the Minnesota Frost and the Montreal Victoire.
The Victoire will be looking for their first win of
the series after the Frost took Game number one over
the weekend, and the Frost will be without forward Brita
curl Slemi for Game two. The league announced on Monday
that crol Slemi has been suspended for one game and
fined two hundred and fifty dollars following two separate incidents
(01:22):
that took place during Game one on Saturday. In a
press release on Monday, the league said the one game
suspension is a result of an illegal check to the
head on opponent Caitlin Willoughby in the second period. Meanwhile,
the fine is due to curl Slemi grabbing and pulling
the facial protector of Montreal's Abbey Rock also during the
second period on Saturday. Losing curl Selemi could prove a
(01:43):
challenge for the Frost tonight as they look to extend
their lead. Puck drop is at seven pm Eastern. More
Hockey the Athletic is reporting that the PWHL has big
expansion plans ahead of next season. Per story from Hailey Salvian,
the executive director of the p WHLPA, wrote in an
e mail to members on Sunday, quote, we have been
told the league intends to move forward with a four
(02:04):
team expansion end quote. Yes, four more teams in twenty
twenty six, twenty seven, but the PWHL said in a
statement to the Athletic quote, nothing is finalized at this
time end quote. According to Salvian's story, in the event
of that four team expansion, the league will not have
a traditional expansion draft. Instead, the expansion process would include
multiple signing windows, which in theory, would give players more
(02:27):
autonomy through the process. There would be five phases in total,
with the first phase giving each team the chance to
protect three players from the expansion process. That first phase
is tentatively set to start on May twenty eighth. We'll
link to the Athletics article in the show notes so
you can read through the proposed process, and of course,
we'll keep you posted when the league makes any official
announcements on teams and cities to the WNBA teams wrapped
(02:49):
up preseason contests on Sunday. Recent UCLA grad and national
champ Lauren Betts led the Washington Mystics with seventeen points
in their eighty three seventy to win over the Atlanta
Dream The New York Liberty beat the Connecticut Sun seventy
nine sixty seven, but some bad news. Liberty guard Sabrina
and Escu left the game in the third quarter due
to an ankle injury. She had an MRI on Monday,
(03:10):
and according to the New York Post Matteline Kenny, the
imaging showed Yonescu had avoided significant injury, but she'll still
miss at least two weeks that includes the first four
Liberty games. We'll keep you posted on how that injury progresses,
and of course we're sending our best to Sabrina. Later
on Sunday, the Dallas Wings, who've had arguably the most
impressive preseason in the league, beat the defending champ Las
(03:30):
Vegas Aces one oh one eighty four. Asia James led
the Wings with eighteen and rookie guard Azy Fudd and
forward Atlanta Smith added twelve points apiece. Juell Lloyd put
up nine points and six rebounds for the Aces in
that one. We'll hear how she thinks the preseason is gone,
and we'll get her expectations for the regular season later
in the show. More w and some news that has
us Chicago Sky fans cheer and loud and cheer and proud.
(03:53):
On Monday, the athletic Zanni Costable was the first to
report that the Chicago Sky have signed Natasha Cloud to
a one year deal worth five hundred and fifty five
thousand dollars. The news comes after Cloud was left unsigned
during the initial free agency period, and while I'm bumm
for Cloud that she was in limbo worried about her future,
for me personally, it was absolutely worth the wait. I'm
(04:15):
so pumped. Also shout out to Blue Sky user fully Automated,
who pointed out that cloud in the Sky is a
great headline and marketing tool. We love it. Of course,
while we're happy for Cloud, we're also bummed for the
players that are going to get cut between now and
Thursday's roster deadline, including the cuts that made way for
Clouds signing. Ahead of Costable's report, on Tuesday, the Sky
(04:36):
announced that they'd waved three players, including Hayley van Lyth,
the former TCU star who was selected number eleven overall
last year. Also this week, the Connecticut Sun waived several players,
including recent Texas scrad Kylo Oldacre, and the Seattle Storm
waved duke standout Tyana Mayer. Later this week, We're going
to dive deep into each team with our annual WNBA previews,
(04:58):
so by the time tip off comes around on Friday,
you'll be all set to impress your friends with steak stats, stars,
and stories for each of the w's fifteen teams. Let's
go to the pool where US star Gretchen Walsh has
done it again. The twenty three year old broke her
own world record in the one hundred meter butterfly on Saturday,
getting to the wall in fifty four point thirty three
seconds at the Fort Lauderdale Open. This is the same
(05:19):
venue where she broke the world record in the event
last year, so it's turned into quite the lucky pool
for Walsh. Since June of twenty twenty four, she has
swon the thirteen fastest times in history in the one
hundred meter fly and has broken the world record four times.
This latest time is extra impressive, though she's now more
than a second faster than the next fastest swimmer. That's
(05:39):
the largest gap in any women's or men's one hundred
meter event. To Golf world number one, Nelly Coorda has
topped the leaderboard again, dominating the field with a four
shot victory in the Rivie e Maaya Open on Sunday.
The win, her third of the season, comes just one
week after her decisive victory at the Chevron Championship, which
was the LPGA's first major of the year. Coorda is
(05:59):
now the youngest American to reach eighteen LPGA Tour wins
since Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez did it at the
age of twenty three in nineteen eighty. Finally, some fun
news from the intersection of sports and fashion. Last night,
a number of athletes posed on the famous steps leading
into the met Gala. Tennis legend Venus Williams made her
Gala co chair debut alongside Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, and a
(06:21):
Win Tour you know Casual plus WNBA champion Asia Wilson,
ballerina Misty Copeland and Paralympian Amy Mullins were all part
of the host committee. Now we're recording this before we
see all the fits, but we just know all those
ladies Slade and if sports and fashion are intersecting, you
can bet Angel Reese is going to get involved. Reebok
has announced the release of a new colorway Angel Reese
(06:42):
won Gala Green, inspired by Reese's mint green look at
the twenty twenty four met Gala. Also in fashion news,
Alyssa lou has been named Louis Vatan's newest brand ambassador.
The twenty year old figure skating champ joins the French
fashion House after recently sitting front row at its Fall
twenty twenty six show during Paris Fashion Week. Loosepoke with
El magazine about the new gig, saying, in part quote,
(07:03):
I see fashion like I see my art and figure
skating as a form of self expression. I don't think
of the two worlds as separate. I love to exercise
self expression in everything I do. There is nothing to
balance as long as I'm just being myself end quote.
One more thing, slices. We want to send our congratulations
to friend of the show and star of the Women's
(07:23):
Lacrosse League Charlotte North for proposing to her girlfriend Ryan
Smith over the weekend, wishing the happy couple nothing but
the best on their engagement. We're going to take a break.
When we come back, I talk finals domination. With three
time WNBA champion Jewel Lloyd joining us now, she's a
(07:47):
guard for the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, a three
time WNBA champion twenty twenty three WNBA scoring leader, twenty
fifteen WNBA Rooky at the year, six time All Star
and a two time Olympic gold medal winner. A star
at Niles West High School just outside Chicago, she went
out to hoop at Notre Dame, leading the Irish to
back to back NCAA title game appearances. The number one
overall pick for the Seattle Storm, she helped them to
(08:09):
two WNBA championships before being traded to the Aces last season,
where she won a third title. She's got two l's
in her first name and one L in her last name,
which is three more l's than she's ever taken in
a WNBA finals game ten and O baby, it's the gold.
Mama jewel, Lloyd, Hi jewels that sair.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
How are you so good to see you?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I do imagine that almost half of your life is
spent saying jewel with two l's, Lloyd with one L.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
One hundred percent. Yes it happens often.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah, yeah, Sarah with in h Spain like the country.
So I'm with you. I want to start with our
mutual connection because years ago, like twelve fifteen years ago,
I randomly met one of your old coaches Rich in
the bleachers of a Cubs game, and he was telling
me all about this player he worked with that was
going to be so great at Notre Dame. And I'm
(08:57):
wondering if you've been back around this area much lately,
and have you seen him or any of your other
old coaches lately.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yeah, I know, definitely me and mister Reisman. I so
call him reason it is hard for me to call
him Rich.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Yeah, we meet up every single time I'm back home,
so I usually go back home often. That's kind of
where I spent all my off season and my family
and friends are there. So we talked about, you know,
growing up and starting basketball. But yeah, we I talked
to him all the time. He still texted me for
every single game. Sees the day is his quote. So
it's definitely still connected.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I love that it makes me feel connected to you
because of course I'm keeping an eye on the best players.
But like ever since that day, I'm like, okay, jewle Lloyd,
I'm gonna look for this, and I'm always like, oh,
she's killing it, like oh she's leaving early. Oh she's
crushing it, and you know, so it's it's been really
fun I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of folks
at that first Aces Sky game here in town. Huh yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Always, you know, they definitely come out a support.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Like you said, now's west and not too far from there,
so everyone from high school and people I played against, coaches, families,
so it was like that they all come out and support.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
It's nice. It's really nice. I can't believe we're already
just a couple of days away from the start of
the season. How is the off season for you?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You know, the off season was really good.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
This is probably the first off season that I really
took a real vacation.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I was really everywhere and just really enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Had time to just reflaged on everything, and you know,
once I was able to kind of, you know, understand that,
I went back to work. So it was nice to
be back home with my fans and family and kind
of retune and get ready. But yeah, I mean, season
is it's like a bonds real quick.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, where'd you go on vacation? If I can be nosy?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I was in Italy for a couple of weeks. I
was there. I was in the Virgin Islands for a
couple of weeks as well.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I kind of traveled all over, but I needed some
you know, R and R definitely from the season and
just from me the last couple of seasons of basketball
in life, and so I've been able to take a
moment for myself was really much needed.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah, that's great. So you're in these different places, you're
getting your rest, you're getting ready for the season, but
I assume keeping an eye on the CBA negotiations. So
how did you follow along and how closely were you
keeping up with the nitty gritty or were you just like,
I'll figure it out when it gets done.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
I would say, kind of.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
We're having meetings pretty often, you know, our team reps
were texting the group chats and make sure everyone's seeing
updated what's going on. A lot of people's honestly just
waiting to hear back, so you kind of you know,
at that point you have nothing to do but just wait.
But once things kind of start got rolling at the
top of the year, everyone's pretty active. So it's kind
(11:22):
a different situation to be in because you're preparing, but
you don't really noticearily what you're preparing for.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
But as a base we always got to make sure
our bodies are good.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
So you know, the habits of that was kind of
the same, but it's still kind of like, so do
I go really.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Hard right now? Do I, like, you know, ramp up?
But you know, luckily we all kind of stay connected
and got it done.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
What stands out to you about the deal that got
done maybe beyond the obvious, which is the massive, massive
increase in pay.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, you know, I think that's what everyone's focusing on,
right is the increase in pay. But you know, I
think a lot of it's the insurance stuff, make sure
pleasure are taken care of and treated the right way,
and also just accountability from you know, the ownership part
as well. You shouldn't have all the combinations to allow
us to be the best officer we can be.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I think that's really important, And I don't think.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
People really know all the thing that, you know, beyond
just the salary, what we're trying to fight for and
make it the standard for every single team to be
there and show best professionals.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Often on the court, you mentioned not knowing what you're
getting ready for. I imagine in some cases and there were
some players we saw sort of saying from the beginning
of the off season, I know where I want to
go back to. I'm planning on returning to my team,
but there was also a ton of movements. So for you,
had you communicated to the Aces like I'd like to
be back and you kind of knew that you were
going to re sign or was there some uncertainty as
(12:35):
the off season and the official kind of signing period arrived.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I always like the key options open, right, I never
want to just you know, show off any door.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
But at the same time, I felt a different kind
of connection here in Vegas, but also realizing, you know
what we able to do, and when you win and
you have a chance to kind of running back, you
kind of want to keep that same core and I
think that was the mindset of the players here as
well as the organization. But it's hard to walk away
from Becky and Asia, right, I mean they're the best
too in the game.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
It's like, yeah, why would I you know, like why
would you lead that?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
But pretty good setup?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Yeah, I think so too, right, Like this makes sense,
but also just felt like it's just where I need
to be, where I'm at in my career too.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
So it kind of just worked out what.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Do you think about living in Vegas outside of the
basketball side.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You know, it's definitely different.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You know, I was in obviously coming from Chicago than
Levin in Seattle for ten years and being here, it's
three different total vibes for sure. Some still kind of
feeling my way out and you know, the weather it's
definitely different, you know, fifteen one ten is a different
kind of you know, sis on your back and you're
get in your car a little bit. But honestly, it's
been pretty nice. You know, I'm finding my spots here
(13:41):
and there, and you know, I think when people think
of Vegas, the only think about the Strip, but there's
way more to do outside of Vegas and just like downtown.
So I'm trying to figure out more spots now so
that I feel a little more comfortable here.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah. I mean as a team, are you mostly when
you do something together on the strip or do you
find those places on the outskirts? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I definitely on our way around Vegas in general.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
You know, there's a little foodsplus that you go to,
but you know, all the high end restaurants are on
the ship, so you know, at least once a week
of going down there, for sure. Beyond this, maybe me
play after games, food things like that, But personally I
like to.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Be a little bit more low key.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So sometimes all the chaos gets too overwhelming for me,
so I like to kind of venture out a little bit.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah, it's a lot. I've been there kind of recently,
and I was like, first of all, I can't believe
in my twenties, I would just get tired at the
end of the night and take my shoes off and
walk back from whatever club barefoot in whatever the hell
is on the ground, just like, can't believe I didn't
get tetanus every time. And then now as an older person,
I'm just like, man, I gotta get so much five
hour energy in me to stay up the level that
(14:43):
this place requires, even with all the oxygen pumped in.
So living there, you'd have to really meet out how
often you wanted to make it to the strip and
try to keep up.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Definitely.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You know, for the basketball side of things, when you
joined Vegas, you joined a stacked team that had already
won a couple titles. So was it a struggle at
first for you to figure out what your place and
your role would be.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Honestly, the biggest struggle was like not giving laws in
the facility. To be honest, I was like where I
felt like, you know, a rookie, I had no idea
what anything was. You know, I was getting laws, calling
people the wrong names, and trying to get familiar with
that was like really have the battle the basketball was
honestly pretty a smooth transition, you know, I had to
realize just like where I was, who I'm playing with.
(15:23):
But also I had a lot of joy in finding
that restructure of my career in my life and the
things that we needed to win. And so as much
as it was different from everyone that has seen me
play and what you know, I'm used to doing, I
had probably the most fun in my whole career when
I made this transition.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
And so when you're playing with elly level.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Players, like it's not about you know, the big things,
about the little things and when you're willing to do
And my whole common goal was to win and how.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Do we do that?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
And so when you're mature in a veteran leader, you
understand what it takes to win. And so it's like
it doesn't matter whether I'm scoring twenty points or four points,
but if I got a rebound and steal, and that
adds to one in that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yeah, you know, midway through the season, team was sitting
at five hundred. It looked a little bit rough. But
right after a couple wins, you suggested to Becky Haamon
that you might actually help the team more coming off
the bench. You still played starter minutes, but you'd come
in six or seven minutes into the game. Why do
you think you were more successful that way? Was it
more physical or mental?
Speaker 3 (16:20):
No, I just think that's what we needed.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I trust the work that every person on this team
puts in, So seeing how they'd known it for so long,
it's like I trust that I know they know how
to play with each other. So I trusted KB coming
in and I was like, oh, you've been with them
for four or five years.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You know you know how to come down to play.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Kirsten Valley yup exactly, and so I was like, I
don't need to start like I'm confident in my abilities,
I know the seam needs. I need someone else in
the second unit to really kind of hone that in.
So to me, it just made sense, and so trust me,
that was something that Becky was trying to fight for
like two weeks prior, she was like, absolutely not, We're
not doing this, and like every time probably she was
like close the door. But that was like just try it,
(16:57):
like if it works, great, If it doesn't, then you
just go back. And so knowing that we just had
that bond as teammates and also this trust that beck
he hadn't need to make that decision, you know, it
really helped us.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
And I think it just allowed everyone to kind of
play free.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We didn't have to worry about trying to make sure
everyone felt good, which is like, this is what worked,
and I'm glad it did.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yeah, I mean sixteen straight wins to finish the season
and then you go into another title. So I guess
it was a good idea. I guess it worked out.
Do you think you'll come off the bench to start
this season as well?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
You know, we ever really talked about it, but I'm
definitely told Becky like, I like where I'm at.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
You know, I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody anymore.
I like, I just want to win. I want to
have this Jewey I would have.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
This kid like curiosity and this flow, and so that's
kind of where I see my my.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Vibe right now.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You know that's not saying that I can go out
there and dominate, you know, coming off the bench or whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
I know my ability to really well.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
But I just like where I'm att You're trying to
get six Women of the Year. I get it. I
get it. You're like, I'm not getting MVP with Asia here,
so I'm gonna just come off the bench, play thirty
one minutes and get the sixth woman. That's smart, smart,
you know.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
You got you gotta just stas here and that I'm
a business woman, you know, under same stategy statistics.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
A little bit very smart. You mentioned you spent a
whole decade in Seattle, which is a really long time
before you requested a trade. You alleged some harassment and
bullying from the Storm staff. Now that you've spent time
in Seattle, in Vegas, overseas with unrivaled, have you kind
of learned about what makes a good franchise and what
makes a good experience for you?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah? You know, I think I You know.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
When you've experienced so many different types of business, you
know you really understand how to how things work.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
You know, I've been everywhere in anywhere.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I've learned from a lot of different people I've seen,
I studied from a lot of people, And the biggest
thing that kind of have taken away even from our
last year championship, is this, you have to stand people need.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
People and the value of people.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
You know, and everyone has the same experiences life, whatever
it is, but I think they were all human. So
if you understand that, then you understand how to bring
people's greatness out. And it may not mad your greatness
is where you need to be right then, but maybe
in six months they match that. And so I've noticed
that not just in basketball, but in business too.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
If you treat someone like a five, they may give
you a four or five or three. If you treat
them like a ten.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
They may give you eleven or twelve, right, And so
knowing that and it's seeing how Becky does it too,
and seeing how you know I've learned from Kobe, I've
learned from so many different people. That matters because they
don't really know what their greatness is, so you bring
it out. And so having that culture and send that
culture and that foundation early on, that really says a
tone for how you want to build your organization. From
the ground up, and so when you really painted to
(19:34):
those details, I think that makes a really big difference.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I feel like in general, with coaches, with bosses,
with any sort of leaders, the best way to get
something out of people is for them to not want
to disappoint you, as opposed to not want to anger you.
It's just a different feeling to feel like, Oh, you
believe in me so much, I don't want to disappoint
how much you believe in me, as opposed to oh,
I don't want to piss you off, which is very
It's a very different relationship. And you know, we hear
(19:57):
a lot about Becky Hammond as a leader, but I
think I'm really fascinated by Asia Wilson as a leader
coming off her fourth MVP season. She's not even thirty
years old. She is a superstar across every single space
from the met gala to the shoe game to the court.
And yet the way teammates talk about her and the
way she interacts with her teammates, like, I'm feeling like
(20:18):
emotional to just thinking about the moments where you see
the clips of her getting so emotional talking about what
she pulls from everyone else and what they give to her,
And I wonder if you could talk about her leadership
style and how she stands out even compared to other
amazing players.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Like I said, I've been really fortunate to play and
learn from a lot of greats and being able to
see Asia in this kind of life. You've been friend
for a while, but to see her be a leader
like this is something I've never really experienced before. It's
really hard to carry the weight and the pressure of
breaking the norm, the stereotypes, and carrying a generation and
(20:57):
also carrying a league, but then also being so humble
and so eager to serve other people and still be
so dominant in your own way. It's really really hard
to do that, and she's found a way to do that,
and I think the best way she's been able to
do this because her family. But she keeps the main
thing the main thing. But the way she leads this
is so different. She doesn't try to do it by
(21:18):
the book. She tries to connect with each person, how
they learn, how they understand information, which is also takes
time because you're major engage with in every person.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But then she loves herself to be herself like she
doesn't try to be perfect. She says it all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
You know, I mess up too, but there's just a
different way she doesn't. I think it's just her core
values and how she was raised and what she believes in,
and she does not falter from that from no matter
if she's at the magala or if she's at practice
or whatever it is, she remains who she is and
you can respect that. And that's the leader that you
want to learn from because you know that it's real
every single time.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yeah. I don't know where the humility comes from, because
she should not be humble in any way, but it's working.
It makes her even hungrier and better, even though yeah,
I don't know what she has to be humble about.
You know, when you have so many players who have
won a title or multiple titles, how do you get
the team to come back this season just as hungry,
just as focused on winning again.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
It's like once you have.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
That feeling, you know once or twice, you kind of
want to keep doing it again. Right, you understand, there's
just different challenges and I think this team we love
a good challenge and the mindset of Chelsea and Jack
in our core we liked the problem solve and we're
so curious on how can we do it again and differently.
Every time you win a championship, we were with a
different team, a different journey, things happened throughout the year.
(22:33):
But when you just are constantly trying to just get
better every game, every possession, every practice is different, it
doesn't seem redundant, it seem boring.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
You're just so like, Okay, I have so much more.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
To learn, and so as we're trying to win another championship,
we're also learning so much about ourselves every single time.
And we've noticed that even from the start of this
training camp is so different from last year's training camp.
And then obviously, like you know, our moves are different,
and people who weren't in training camp this year now
and this is a whole different thing. But I think
our curiosity to just constantly transform ourselves as players in
(23:05):
as people allow us to be so hungry for championships.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Yeah, I mean, one big difference was Becky did not
wear her blazer hoodie for the team picture. And I'm
a little worried, honestly, like I think that that's tempting fate.
I'm not superstitious, but I'm a little stitious, and I
feel like the Blazer hoodie was her thing. So we'll
see if that. We'll see if that matters.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
It's still in rotation.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Don't worry, okay, I mean I have no doubt. There's
no chance she got rid of all of them. That's
like the whole closet.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Last year started out kind of rough and ended with
yet another title, which is sort of a double edged
sword because on the one hand, your team will never
feel out of it. You will always be like, we
know we can turn this around. On the other hand,
if you wait too long to lock in, it might
not be enough time to turn things around. There might
not be enough urgency. So how do you find a
balance there between taking a lot of confidence and being
(23:51):
able to turn things last year and then not settling
for a bad start again this year.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Yeah, I mean, I guess the easy answer is like
we have Asian Wolson, right, But at the same time,
it's like, no, like it's the whole team effort, you know.
I think it's our mindset of understanding what we could
be common, allowing each other to really just dive into
the work, and we're really loving the work and everything
that we want to do is gonna require different level
of excellence, and you know, when the target's on your back,
(24:16):
it's just different. You're gonna get everyone's best shut all
the time, and we understand them. We have you know,
vegas on your chest.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
This is a different expectation and so sometimes people don't
know how to carry that.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
And I think we didn't really talk about that early on,
which allows us to feel something different early. And so
as like I said, this training camp feels different because
now we know off what we're capable of. But it's
like we could do that earlier, Like let's not just
wait to know we get beet up and punched and
stretched out every body and everything to start kind of
get going. And sometimes when you're you know, my dad
always said when you're really because sometimes you have the ability
(24:46):
to turn on and off the switch. You know, it's like,
let's let's start with the lights on. You know, I
think it's better. It's easy to see when the lights
are on, but it's then when it's dark.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I love that. You know, you also probably benefit because
training camp and preseason are always so fast in the
W but it felt a special fast this year with
so many free agents finding their way to new teams,
whereas you had a lot of consistency on the roster
from last season to this season. I imagine that makes
you feel probably pretty good about being able to start well.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
It says training camp, but I promise you we were
in practice. We were in full problem practice.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
We were beggy, came in locked and loaded, and so
our attention to just understanding what we need to do
just get better.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
And we started with the basics of like literally.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Botching out rebound passing and catching, and like we went
back to the basics, and I think that's you know,
sometimes this aproach you kind of get locked in those areas.
But our ability to have a core group from our
last year team coming in, we were able to kind
of speed up the things that we you know, DINMTLI
has a chance to really lacking on, you know, last season,
and so our terminology and everything, it is this easier
to understand now, and no one's kind of like looking
(25:46):
at the cheap sheeting more. We're kind of like, oh,
we know what this is. We feel more comfortable as
a whole hoole unit this year.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Last year, Biber was the go to for pregame or
we changed it up or are you sticking with the beabs?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
No, I can't change it up. It hasn't changed, you know,
in years. I'm not going to change it up now.
And uh yeah, definitely not. After going to Coachella and
seeing him live again.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
So okay, you were at Beepchella.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
I was, I was. I could have missed that.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Did you love it or were you kind of like
what's happening here with the YouTube clips?
Speaker 2 (26:13):
No?
Speaker 3 (26:13):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
It's simple, It's about the music and allows him to
be his best version of himself.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
So I had it for him, and uh, he's doing
really good things.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Which weekend were you there? Did you get to see
the Billie Eilish Lonely Girl or the Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, I was the other second weekend? Amazing, so perfect time.
So it's a ramp up to camp. You know, I
was getting wrapped.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I needed that extra energy to give me going here Coachella.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Hallelujah. You're ready to go? Okay? So after playing an
unrival last year, you signed on with Project B this fall.
So what drew you to that league and making that switch?
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I love new things that makes sense in my brain,
and that Project B makes sense. I also love the
business part of it. I'm a big entrepreneur. That's like
a bill passion of mine. So if I look at
Project Be at his own seat, that's just a basketball league.
I see it as a global PM that's really going
to change a lot of things moving forward and how
we see sports and how we see women in sport, honestly,
(27:08):
and so seeing that aspect. Obviously the basketball is the
caveat right, Like that's like I know that, But I
love the business aspect of it. That's what really drew
me to it, and the ownership and being able to
do something that's just different. If anyone kind of knows me,
I've never really done things totally by the book. I've
always kind of been like, you know, I kind of
like to do here and there, and this just made sense.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
So I'm excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
I'm excited to get things rolling and I think everyone's
gonna really enjoy what we're about to put together.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
We know a handful of players who've signed up. We
know two of the city stops, Tokyo, Japan and Valencia, Spain.
Any other details you could share about the first season
or are you getting them when we're getting them?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
I you know, I'm gonna let them surprise you guys,
but my job is to make sure that you guys
know that it's been It's not just a random thing.
This has been in the works for for quite some time.
And to do it the right way, it takes about
the details, and we have not missed on any details.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
For the players, for the fans, for the investors.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
We've done everything the right way by the book, and
we're excited to get this in going.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
I know, in addition to hooping and going on vacation,
you also played pickleball to kind of decompress and relax.
So how'd you get into that? Yeah? I love.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
One day I came back from working out and I
was trying to get on the court and uh, at
Lifetime they took you know, one court out and made
it a pickball court, and so my friend's like, well,
let's just go warm up there. I'm my way to
get on the court. We ended up losing to like
two older ladies, and I was like, Okay, this is
not this is not it like no offense.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
You guys were like this is this can't be what
it is. So then we started playing all the time.
I done. It takes into it. Then I started playing
a couple of tournaments.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
And then that led to you know, a partnership of Yola,
and uh then that's led it to me being.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Part of the ownership of Miami Pickball Club. But I
love it.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
It's a great workout, great atmosphere. I met some amazing
people playing the game. But also just I like the
mental effect of it. You have no time to kind
of sort in your feelings. You got to get back
back up and you know, get back in the game.
But it's something in my family we all play now
and all our friends.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So it is a great sport.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
That's really fun. I love that because that's exactly how
it would be. I would be like, I'm sorry, I'm
a world champion athlete and I just lost to these
like average old people like okay now and put my
head down and figure out how to dominate this as well.
Did it take you out to learn the scoring? It
has weird scoring, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
That plays is the hardest part. It is, honestly, the scoring.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
It took me like literally probably like a month to
really like I'm confident enough to say it out loud
with confidence and not just whisper it and like, maybe
double check around to make sure I didn't mess anything up.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
But once I got it, I was a gopura good.
So besides that, it's a great sport.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
That's how I feel about bowling. I'm like, I didn't
come here to do math, Like this better be a
computerized system because I'm not good at that, like carry
the spare and then if I'm not good at that part. Well,
it was so great to talk to you, so excited
for the start of the season and to see you.
And I'm hoping to make that Aces Sky game here
the first one, so maybe I'll see you there all
to figure out where my allegiance lies, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Thank God, I'll bring Rich. I'll bring Rich.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
There we go. Then you have to decide they're all good, good,
good good. Well, it's awesome to chat with you.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Thanks Jewel, Thank you so much, Sarah.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Thanks again to Jewel for taking the time. And don't
forget you can now watch full length good Game interviews
on the Iheartwomen's Sports YouTube channel, so go on over
there and subscribe. We have to take another break when
we return. No Kings accept this one. Welcome back slices.
(30:36):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
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(30:57):
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and a Queen in the classroom. Rating five out of
five stars for proving it's never too late to finish
(31:18):
what you started. Review. Last week, I went to the
Chicago premiere of The New thirty for thirty give Me
the Ball about friend of the show, the legendary Billy
Jean King. The film is fantastic, with unbelievable archival footage
and an honesty and vulnerability from BJK about everything, her abortion,
getting outed by an estranged girlfriend, grappling with her sexuality
(31:41):
and of course, her lifelong fight for equality. During a
panel after the doc, BJK mentioned that she's finally getting
her college degree at the end of this month, sixty
years after she dropped out of cal State University to
pursue pro tennis full time. She re enrolled last year
and she'll be graduating with a degree in history at
the ripol age of eighty one, never not showing us
(32:03):
the way. Congrats b JK, and when it's announced, we'll
let you know when and where you can watch that documentary.
Now it's your turn, y'all, rate and review. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Jewel, Good games, Charlotte and Ryan.
You the fact you have to remember three numbers in
pickleball scoring. We just want to play good game with
(32:28):
Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are
Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive producers are Christina Everett,
Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are
Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer. Production
(32:51):
assistant from Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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