January 22, 2025 • 29 mins
This week Khristina is coming to you from sunny Miami for the launch of Unrivaled. Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston joins the show to discuss the differences between the WNBA and Unrivaled, her pitch to free agents thinking about taking their talents to Indiana, and her former college coach Dawn Staley’s new contract. Later Khristina breaks down some of her landing spot predictions for some of the biggest upcoming WNBA free agents.
Want more women’s basketball scoop? Follow the show on Instagram @ICYMIwithKW and X @ICYMIwithKW and for more on Khristina follow her on Instagram @khristinawilliams
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CREDITS
Executive Producers:
Nikki Ettore
Jessie Katz
Tyler Klang
Jonathan Strickland
Producer:
Mike Coscarelli
Producer & Editor:
Tari Harrison
Host:
Khristina Williams
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. Welcome to another edition of the Case You
Missed It with Christina Williams here on iHeartRadio, and I've
been in Miami for the whole week, and you guys
(00:23):
know how Unrivaled kicked off this week. So I'm super
excited about today's guest. She's a five time gold medalist
and twenty twenty three, she was raped number one overall
by the Indiana Fever, wrapped up the Rookie of the Year.
She's a two time WNBA All Star, and let's not
forget about her winning a national championship in South Carolina
(00:44):
in twenty twenty three as well. Please welcome to the show,
Aliah Boston, Alia. Thank you for being.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Here, of course, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
All right, So Unrivled kicked off this week and it's
been so much buzz around the league. I want to
know what's your initial thoughts about Unrivaled after just going
through the games in the first week.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, it's super exciting. It's definitely a different feel than
being in the league, and so I think I love
that the most because you still get to play basketball,
but it's not the same five on five, But I'm
enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Team Final is absolutely killing it. You guys are undefeated
in week one. What's been working for this team?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I think it's that we just play together. We like
to push pace, we like to play fast, get the
ball in the pain. But we also have snipers all
around the perimeter, and I think you were able to
see that every single game because they've just taking their
shots and knocking them down.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
What was the initial thing that made you want to
say yes to the invitation to play at Unrivals?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Just the opportunity when you think about it, have being
able to have that ownership, especially as being the first
group to be a part of this. I think that
was definitely so enticing because I think when you look
at Unrival right now, where it's at, the viewership, the
brand deals that they have, the partners that they have,
it's only going to grow. It is only going to grow.
The talent is going to continue to roll in. It's
going to be such an exciting lead that everyone's going
(02:04):
to be tuned into and everyone's going to want to
be a part.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Of so I had a chance to visit the facilities
this week and I saw all of the different things
that on Rival had to offer its players. In your opinion,
I know that the players union and the WNBA on
the middle of CBA discussions. Do you think that, you know,
Unrivaled is really laying out the blueprint for what could
come and the WNBA in the next round of the
(02:27):
CBA discussions.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, I think on Rival is doing a great job
of just showing what it is to continue to have
every single player cover on every single team per se.
I know for the league though, it's it's definitely a
lot more teams than Unrivaled and we're not just in
one space like we are here in Miami, and so
I definitely understand the differences between them, but I think
(02:49):
that they're showing what it's like to once again take
care of every single athlete on every single team. So
I'm super excited. But I do think the league is
doing a great job. I think, especially for me, I'm
only two years in and I know that people before
have had different experiences than I have, but I think
as time progresses, it's it's definitely gonna improve.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Your draft class is really one of the first draft
classes to enter the WNBA to actually benefit from NIL.
When we look at the momentum that women's sports is
carrying over, how much do you think that factors into,
you know, continuing the momentum and the growth of women's sports.
I think the factors a lot. I think being able
to have NIL and experience that and take that over
(03:29):
to league, I think it just puts more eyes on
women's athletes, but in a different way. It's not just
on the court, but you see them in ads, you
see them in commercials and people are like, oh, hey,
I like her, that was a nice commercial. I remember
seeing her there. Let me watch her how she plays
on the court. And then they follow the Phantom College
into league and so on. So, Alita, I visited Saint
Thomas a couple months ago, and when the car took
(03:50):
us out of the airport, I saw a massive billboard
of view that close out of the airport and I
was like, oh, okay, so talk about your roof. You're
from Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands. Talk about how much you
carry with that your culture with you through your career
and through your life.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah. So I grew up Sat Thomas moved when I
was twelve, but I think St. Thomas has definitely been
a big piece. Like my family still lives there, my parents,
my grandparents, everyone still live there when my sister and
I were growing up in the States, and I mean
it's just been an important piece every time I go home,
being able to see my family, being able to see
people that tell me they download the ESPN app where
(04:28):
they got the WNBA League Pass so that they can
continue to watch. And that's definitely been an important piece.
And I carried everywhere with me.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
One of the things I realized when I was visiting, actually,
like everyone knows each other on the Islands.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yes, it's like very small. Everyone knows each other. There's
always someone that that can do something for you because
everyone knows each other.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
When you think about like where you came from and
just the success you've had in women's basketball, do you
think about possibly like going back to, you know, help
to grow girls and athletes where you're from.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I think that's what I've been doing with my camps,
Like I've been trying to make sure that young girls
know that they can continue to dream big and they
can continue to accomplish things. Because I grew up right here,
but for me and my sister was different, Like my
parents would send us away to the States for camps
and then we'd come back home. And so for me,
it was like, I'm trying to bring that where they
(05:20):
don't have to feel like they have to move away
or they have to go to camps in the States,
where they can have the camp brought to them with
high level coaches that push them, that make sure they know,
like this what it takes to get to that next level.
And so that's what I hope to do. I've been
doing it for a couple of years now, so I'm
excited for it.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I as love that you're pouring into the next generation
of young girls and athletes everywhere. So looking at the
Indiana Fever in the off season, they appointed a new
head coach and Stephanie White. What was that transition like
for you and have you been in touch with Steph.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yes, I've been in touch with Steph and the whole staff.
It's been pretty exciting. I'm super excited to have them
join us set the Fever. I think we have such
a special group and I think they're the coaching staff
and stuff can really elevate us and take us to
the next level of where we're hoping to be. We've
definitely had a lot of meetings, a lot of conversations.
We've been able to watch film together, talk about what
(06:14):
we hope for me, what we hope for the Fever,
been able to work out with Keith. So it's been
all way great. It's been very community this offseason, so
going well.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Thinking about your time here at MIIBLE, A lot of
players say they're using this time here to work on
their game, to add things to their bag so that
when they go back to their teams respected teams in
the season that they could just be better. What are
some things that you're looking forward to working on here
at Unlivolves.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
I think just once again continue to get great finishing
around the rim, making sure that I have my touch
around the basket, because I feel like that's always been
my bread and butter, so just continue to make sure
that that stays up to par. And then expanding my game.
Just being confident taking the shots, taking my jumpers, even
if they don't go in initially, but understanding that, hey,
you are taking these so you're confident, especially when you
go back with the Fever. That no matter what was
(07:00):
you're put in, you've already experienced that.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
And going back to that investment part, I mean, unrivaled
just really set in the tone. But the Adeada Fever
announced the seventy eight million dollars do practice facility, set
to open in twenty twenty seven. In your opinion, as
one of the star phases of the team, what does
that mean to just have a team that's willing to
invest in its players.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That's super exciting. I said before that having our own
practice court, I thought was super important that we had that,
especially with me coming in two years ago, and now
they're building this whole facility. I mean, it's definitely a
blessing our owners. Super thankful to them for investing. I
think they see the potential and they know exactly what
we have on this squad and what we deserve. And
I think it just goes to show that, you know,
(07:41):
you continue to invest in the teams, to continue to
invest in the players, and the results will come.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
All right, I'm going to take a quick break and
when we get back more from this conversation with Ellie Boston.
WBA free agency kicks off this week and a lot
(08:09):
of players in our livel College joke that this is
a time where chemisty you can build chemistry with players
and kind of pitch your teams or you know, trying
to get players to come to your team. If you
were a GM, what would you pitch to free agents
about playing at the Beaver.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I feel like the first thing I'd pitch is that
you guys don't like to play against us, so you
might as well come play with us. Period.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I love that. I absolutely love that. And also this
past week, I mean, obviously there was a lot of
serious news coming out from your teammate, Caitlin Park with
the whole situation, with the Smocker situation. As an athlete,
how have you been able to take precaution when it
comes to your safety and just thinking about like leveling
up that security to protect yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, that was super, super scary. So I'm glad that
she is safe and that they were able to catch
him and honestly just take the precautions that they have
to do with that. I think just as an athlete,
you always want to make sure that you are watching
your surroundings. I think that's always important, but especially with
social media nowadays, people just try to find their way
and try to continue to speak and obviously that can
(09:13):
get to a different level like it did with Kaitlin.
But I think thinking about the Indiana Fever and thinking
about the people that they have surrounding us, even here
at on Rivaled, like they have taken the precautions. They've
made sure that everyone is saved, everyone is covered, and
if you have any problems, like you're able to reach out.
But as athletes, I mean it's hard. You want to
do your everyday thing, you want to live your everyday life,
but you also have to make sure that you're just
(09:34):
keeping an eye on what you're doing, but also not
be afraid to say, hey, I don't really like this,
someone kind of said something weird to me, and just
being able to tell those that you trust.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
General manager Amber Cox is a friend to this show.
She was recently on this show and she has talked
about being excited for the future and building a team
around yourself and Kitlyn Clark looking at the future, what
it cites you the most about you know this duo
and you know taking that team.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
To the next level. Super excited. I feel like there's
no ceiling when it comes to us and the fever franchise.
I think being able to look at what Kaylen, the
addition of Kaylan was for us this year, I think
you just saw how it just continued to elevate us.
So when you think about us, when you think about
us as a duo, I mean, I feel like we
really figured out and got our foot on the same
(10:20):
path the second half of the season, Like we were
really able to figure it out together. And now that
we have and we understand each other's play, where we
like to be what we like, I mean, I think
it's just gonna be hard because when you look at
Kaitlyn when she has the ball in her hands, she
sees the floor so well and she knows whether that's
passing it to me or whether that's passing up the
floor and just making sure that we finish those shots.
I mean, she makes great decisions when the ball's in
(10:40):
her hands, and so I feel like there's no ceiling
for that.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
In twenty twenty three, you won a national championship under
head coach Don Staley, and big news this week he's
now the highest paid coach in women's basketball. So what
was it like, you know, under that time being coached
by Don Staley and any thoughts on like her getting
the highest paid contract.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
First and foremost, it is so deserving for coach Daily,
I think no one else deserves to have that type
of recognition because she is just so amazing. I feel
like I've said it so many times that Costaile was
like a second mom to me. Got on campus and
I was seventeen, and from that moment on, Costale just
took me under her wing. So when we do captains,
the way you do it is you go up there,
(11:23):
you say why you want to be a captain, and
then they put you through a ringer of questions and
then it goes like that. I remember my freshman season,
I didn't go for captain because I'm like, I need
to figure I need to figure this out. We had
great captains, Tying Kiki amazing, and my next year cos
Daly was like, don't be afraid to use your voice.
You can be a leader on this team. And her
telling me that at such a young age. I remember
(11:46):
I called my mom after and my dad. I was like,
I don't know. I'm like, she's talking about being a
captain and not being afraid to use my voice, and
I was like, oh my gosh, I was like, I
don't know. I was like, I'm just trying to figure
stuff out. But at the same time, it goes to
show the confidence that she instills in you from such
a young age, like she is not waiting for senior
year or junior year and be like, hey, I think
(12:06):
you do this. If you want to do it, She's like, listen,
I know you have the voice. I know you have
the confidence. You just have to be able to step
into that role and embrace it.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
When I think about don Staley's legacy and how she
prepares you all for the WNBA, and not only that,
just the suctress of the players from South Carolina and
the WNBA, yourself, Asia Wilson, and the list goes on.
What does that say about the South Carolina program?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
What doesn't it say? I feel like it just says
that Coach Daley develops you. And I think it's crazy,
like when you think about it, like you don't have
to worry about like freshman year coming in, like my
goal was definitely to go to the WNBA. But you
can just see the development over time in everyone's game
that comes through the South Carolina program, and that's the
most exciting thing For me, it just shows that once
(12:51):
she takes her time and she develops you to where
you need to be, and you always feel confident and
ready when you get to the league, like it doesn't
feel like there's a major adjustment where it's like, oh
my gosh, I don't know if I'm ready for this,
Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm going to play.
It's like when you play under Coach Day, she develops
you to the point where when you get to lead,
even if you don't start, you're gonna be like, listen,
I'm ready for this. I know I'm made for the
moment because Coach Daily has already helped me with.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
That side of basketball. You're starting to establish yourself and
the media as a broadcaster, as an analyst, as an anchor.
Where did that passion come from to be able to
be in front of the camera.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Honestly, I feel like I've always been someone that likes
to be in front of the camera, whether that's like
broadcasting or anything. I'm always like trying to sneak my
way in somewhere. But when I was in college, I
was trying to figure out what I wanted to do,
and I remember at first, I wanted to be a lawyer,
and I was like, I'm going to be a lawyer.
I feel like that's the typical thing everyone always says,
like I want to do. But then they were like, yeah,
you have to go to law school and I was
(13:45):
like no, thank you. And I was like it's okay.
I'll be a therapist because I feel like a lot
of people come to me and I talk to a
lot of people. And then I was like, oh, you
have to go back to school for that. Again, I
was like, I actually don't think this is my career path.
And so I was talking abot a you coach, and
he was like, why don't you just go into broadcasting.
He was like, you love to talk, you might as
(14:06):
well just talk all the time about basketball. And I
was like, honestly, you're right because they always tell you like,
have a second plan when the ball stops bouncing, and
I feel like I always want to be connected to sports,
especially basketball in that way. And I was like okay.
So I remember I did have my majors communications and
I was like, I'm going to get into broadcasting. And
then once I got to the league, I talked to
my agents about it and They were like, we're not
(14:27):
gonna wait until the ball stops bouncing for you getting
to this broadcasting. We're gonna kick it off right after
your season's over. And that's why I was blessed to
be able to work with NBC for my first year
and then even worked with ESPN for the National Championship
games in the final four, and so now we're back
at it again this year, and so I mean, it's
just super exciting, so blessing. I think just God has
put the right people in my path to be able
to say, like, hey, if my coach had never really
(14:49):
thought about telling me I talk too much, I'm like,
you know, maybe I would not have been I would
not have gotten too broadcasting right away. And so it's
definitely definitely just a blessing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Obviously, because you play sp things differently and you're able
to use that as an advantage when you are on air.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I do I think just the way I think about basketball,
Like I think about basketball all the time, Like I
watched so many games. I remember I was talking to
someone and they were like, Wow, you really love basketball.
Like you just watch games. You just turn games on
and you're just sitting there watching I'm like, well, that's
how one I learned as a player because I'm able
to see different stuff, And honestly, when I look at
other people play, I'm like, oh, I need that. Ooh,
that'd be nice to learn. And then it's like now
(15:28):
when I get to analyzing, I'm like, hey, this is
what I think they need to see and this is
what they should be doing, and it kind of just
flows and it just comes freely when I watch.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
I know you're an Adidas athlete in Kannas Parker or
someone I think of when I think of, like how
she just transitioned so smoothly into having a media career.
Has she given you any advice on, you know, just
how to navigate through that kind of world she has?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
But I think she also tells me like she wants
me to be able to experience that, and if I
ever need anything or if I ever want to talk
about I think she's absolutely there but allowing me to
find my own way. And I'm saying like, here, this
is what comes with it, this is the highest kind
of lows, this is how it goes down. But I mean,
she's always there for me no matter what.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Aleah heading into year three, of your WNBA career. What
do you want fans to know? What can we expect
from you?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You know, I always think about this question. Everyone always,
you know, talks about your game and talks about like
what they want to expect for themselves. But I feel
like I just want them to expect that I'm going
to come in every single night and give it my all,
because obviously I'm working on my game, I'm working on
expanding my game, I'm continuing to work on my consistency,
making sure I'm efficient around the basket especially, But I
(16:41):
feel like I always put so much pressure on myself,
and I feel like a lot of the pressure is
to make sure that the outside people feel that I
am working hard, and for me, it's like I need
to make sure that I'm doing this, I'm coming and
working hard for myself and that I'm not putting too
much pressure on myself to oppress the outside world because
I know the work I'm put in, I know the
work that my team is and I putting in, how
(17:03):
we push each other, and so every night I come out,
I need to just come out working hard, making sure
that I'm giving in my all and not with the
expectations of anything that's to impress other people.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
If that makes sense, that makes complete sense. Just tuning
out the noise of the crowd and just locking in
and focusing. I think it's scary hours I locked in, Abeah.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you all, what you accomplished,
not only in Unrival this season, but also with the
Indiana Fever. Thank you so much for joining us this
(17:33):
week on In Case you missed It with Christina Williams.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Pray.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Take another quick pause, and when we get back, we're
going to dive into the startup free agency and we're
going to get into the things that I love. This week,
welcome back to In Case you missed It with Christina Williams.
(18:00):
And I just want to thank Eliah Boston once again
for coming through to the show. This week will be
all about for her her season at Arrivals and of
course with the Indiana Fever now moving right along. As
you guys know, free agency has officially kicked off in
the WNBA, and if you're a basketball fan, you know
this is the time where things start to get a
(18:22):
little interesting. Players are going to be moving, teams will
shake things up, and you know, we got to talk
about it, so let's dive right in. All right, So,
as you guys know, in the first half of the month,
teams began to extend qualifying offers and core qualifying offers
to players, while some players didn't receive qualifying offers and
(18:44):
are now hitting the open market. Kennedy, Carter, Queen egg Bow, Olivia, Popa, Charisma, Osbourne,
and Leeming are all available to sign with news teams.
This opens up a lot of possibilities, and you can
bet that teams will be looking to make a splash,
so we'll keep our eyes close on these players. Now
here's where it gets a little bit interesting. As of
(19:06):
this week, twenty twenty seven's draft picks can officially be traded.
That means that teams now have more assets to work
with than they did previously. We've seen big trades go
down during last season. One thing I think about most
notably was obviously Marina getting traded to Connecticut and how
that benefited the Connecticut Sun Mayosha Hines Allen's getting traded
(19:30):
to the Minnesota Links in that team reaching the finals.
So I see that teams are now taking trades more
serious and thinking about different ways they can use those
assets to make their teams better and deeper to contend
for championships. So going back to this year's free agency,
don't be surprised if we start to see some moves
come through before players actually start to sign their deals
(19:53):
on February one. Teams are always trying to shape things
up and build for the future, so I think that
we can expect a lot of action over the next week. Now,
let's move on and talk about one name in particular,
And honestly, I think that this is a free agent
that kind of went under the radar in early buzz
and chat's about big name free agents, and so Britney Grinder,
(20:16):
and this was a huge one, y'all. Brittany Grinder, after
spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury since they
drafted her number one over on twenty thirteen, has decided
to test free agency for the first time in her career. Now,
Phoenix fans, I know that you are probably holding your
breath right now, but honestly, this opens the door for
(20:38):
some real shakeups in the league. Will she stay in
Phoenix or could she be looking for a new home,
a new challenge elsewhere And speaking of Phoenix, this could
also signal what we've all been kind of feeling. Could
Diana Tarazzi be getting ready to retire Now, there was
a report that came out of Phoenix that said that
(20:58):
that is the expectation that Diana to Rozzie will be retiring,
and so maybe that is the motivation for Brittany grinted
to want to start else Goo, to start fresh with
a new squad. But we'll see. I mean, it's reported
that she's open to have in those discussions. But you know,
Phoenix kind of hinted at the end of the season
that if this is it, that whole campaign dedicating the
(21:21):
practice course to Diana to Rozzie. But if this is
it for DT, I think that she's given the game everything.
She's won at every level, She's done everything that she's
needed to do, and so I'm here for the new
era for the Phoenix Mercury. So if Brina leaves, we
might be witnessing the end of an era in Phoenix,
and it's going to be fascinating to see what happens next.
(21:44):
So yeah, there's a lot of uncertainty now, and I
guess that's what makes this time of the year so
exciting because pre agency is just getting started and over
the next few days there could be some huge changes
that we see. Now in addition to those stories, the
obviously you know that teams had started to extend core
qualifying offers to their players and some of the names
(22:08):
that we should be looking out for is Jewel Lloyd.
Annie Constable had previously reported that Lloyd had requested a
trade out of Seattle, and we know that Seattle had
coreed Gabby Williams, who was an unrestricted free agent, and
so Jewel can be looking for her next home now.
I think that she would be a great fit on
(22:30):
the Chicago sky that is where she is from. She
is from Chicago. I would love to see Jewel go
back home and be that veteran point guard presence for
the young players like Angel Reaes and Camilla Cardoso. So
we'll keep our eyes on Jewel Lloyd. Now. What also
gets interesting with the core qualifying offers is that Alyssa
Thomas was coreed by the Connecticut son Now throughout the
(22:53):
off season and towards the end of the WNBA season,
Thomas has repeatedly and publicly stated that the priority should
be getting assets to Connecticut. In terms of practice facilities,
we've seen other teams like the Dallas Wings, the Indiana Fever,
the Golden State Battleries make that a priority, the Chicago
(23:14):
Sky and breaking ground on new practice facilities. Another thing
that is interesting is Kelsey Plumb in her future. Will
she stay in Las Vegas or will she go elsewhere?
And again, teams have the upper hands in this situation
because these players are cored and so you know they're
going to get something back. So too softly has made
(23:34):
it clear she does not want to play for the
Dallas Wanks next season. And so there's going to be
a lot of trades happening throughout the week, and so
we're going to be paying attention to all of that
and more for free agency. All right, So now it's
time for the things that I love this week, and
(23:55):
so here's the things that I love this week. Obviously,
I'm down here in Miami for and the weather absolutely sucked.
So the weather is something that I did not like
this week. But what I did love is to be
able to be out here and see all of women's
basketball fans come together for our rival, to be in
(24:15):
a space where people love women's sports. I kind of
missed that feeling after the w NBA season, so to
see people being community to come out here to make
plans and trips to see our rival was jope. I
had a chance to visit the practice facilities and just
get a first hand look at the investment and how
(24:36):
the players are just taken initiative for themselves to make
things better. I think from top to bottom, the entertainment
factor was huge. I was entertained at every game that
I went to this week. I think that they were
very intentional about every aspect of that game and using
some of the top talent on broadcast and lean announcers
(25:00):
things like that, which made it really really fun. We
had a chance to speed to play in a stewart
this week at shoot around at media availability, and here's
what you had to say about unrivaled and all for
the best of the best of the players.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
We want to play, but we want to make sure
that everyone has the opportunity to get better and whether
it's you want to get better on the court or
you want to focus on some things in the weight room,
Like the staff is top notch, like the best of
the best, and it's cool for players to come in
when especially those that don't have a routine and I
don't have like a set schedule to kind of create
(25:41):
that and see the others that do have it.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
And then also I had a chance to catch up
with Sabrina and y'll Nescu just about how she's adjusting
to rival. She's playing for a Phantom BC and they're
weak one, they're down go to like they are not
playing well as a team. And so I had a
chance to talk sad about just this process of adjusting
(26:06):
to a different style of play and how she's been
able to approach that. And here's what she had to
say about that.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Obviously, I wasn't really sure what to expect, just from
like a completely different format game. Not having the preseason
games was a little tough because I just didn't know
what to expect.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
But I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
It was really fun, super fast paced. Obviously, the floor
is just open, like you can take whatever you want.
It's a lot different, at least just for me, from
the WU season, Like you can't get double teamed, you
can't get trapped, there's no hedges, like you're just kind
of coming down the floor and able to get kind
of manipulate the defense however you want if you take
care of the ball and get the right shots. And
so I'm kind of happy to kind of get that
(26:49):
first game out of the way and now understand kind
of how this game is played every season.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Every off season, you have one thing that you work on.
What is something that you're working on here a rival
that you want to get better at.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think I'll really be able
to get to it until probably next month as I
like get back into playing, just with kind of the
fact that I'm like getting my legs back under me,
you know, after having surgery. But I would say continuing
to just get really good in the in the mid range. Obviously,
I've kind of perfected the floater that's done, got that
(27:23):
one check. Now it's just kind of understanding that I
kind of get into that mid range and can really
elevate over a lot of the players that guard me,
and that's usually my best shot as well. And so
for me, it's gonna be continuing to you know, create
good separation going downhill to the paint, but also understanding
there's so many counters that I can get out of
that and wanting to get my mid range back to
(27:43):
what it was like it used to be in college.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I really love that she was able to talk about
what she wants to work on because I usually get
to talk to somebody at the start of every training camp,
and so to be able to be in the thick
of what her office and looks like. We know that
Subrina's never played in her off season, so to see
her to make adjustments. She did say that clip that
you just heard that she's working on her mid range games.
(28:10):
So watch out for Subrinda in twenty twenty five. We
saw what she had in her bag during the twenty
four season with adding the floater. So I'm excited to
see the next level unlocked for sab and that was
my trip in Miami for Unrivaled. I'm looking forward to
see how the rest of the season goes. All right,
(28:30):
that's gonna be it for today. Make sure you stay
tuned to this show for updates as everything unfold. You know,
all the right here, keeping you in the loop. I'll
catch you next time in case you missed it. With
Christina Williams is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and entertainment. You can find us
(28:52):
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts.
In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. Welcome to another edition of the Case You
Missed It with Christina Williams here on iHeartRadio, and I've
been in Miami for the whole week, and you guys
(00:23):
know how Unrivaled kicked off this week. So I'm super
excited about today's guest. She's a five time gold medalist
and twenty twenty three, she was raped number one overall
by the Indiana Fever, wrapped up the Rookie of the Year.
She's a two time WNBA All Star, and let's not
forget about her winning a national championship in South Carolina
(00:44):
in twenty twenty three as well. Please welcome to the show,
Aliah Boston, Alia. Thank you for being.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Here, of course, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
All right, So Unrivled kicked off this week and it's
been so much buzz around the league. I want to
know what's your initial thoughts about Unrivaled after just going
through the games in the first week.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, it's super exciting. It's definitely a different feel than
being in the league, and so I think I love
that the most because you still get to play basketball,
but it's not the same five on five, But I'm
enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Team Final is absolutely killing it. You guys are undefeated
in week one. What's been working for this team?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I think it's that we just play together. We like
to push pace, we like to play fast, get the
ball in the pain. But we also have snipers all
around the perimeter, and I think you were able to
see that every single game because they've just taking their
shots and knocking them down.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
What was the initial thing that made you want to
say yes to the invitation to play at Unrivals?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Just the opportunity when you think about it, have being
able to have that ownership, especially as being the first
group to be a part of this. I think that
was definitely so enticing because I think when you look
at Unrival right now, where it's at, the viewership, the
brand deals that they have, the partners that they have,
it's only going to grow. It is only going to grow.
The talent is going to continue to roll in. It's
going to be such an exciting lead that everyone's going
(02:04):
to be tuned into and everyone's going to want to
be a part.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Of so I had a chance to visit the facilities
this week and I saw all of the different things
that on Rival had to offer its players. In your opinion,
I know that the players union and the WNBA on
the middle of CBA discussions. Do you think that, you know,
Unrivaled is really laying out the blueprint for what could
come and the WNBA in the next round of the
(02:27):
CBA discussions.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, I think on Rival is doing a great job
of just showing what it is to continue to have
every single player cover on every single team per se.
I know for the league though, it's it's definitely a
lot more teams than Unrivaled and we're not just in
one space like we are here in Miami, and so
I definitely understand the differences between them, but I think
(02:49):
that they're showing what it's like to once again take
care of every single athlete on every single team. So
I'm super excited. But I do think the league is
doing a great job. I think, especially for me, I'm
only two years in and I know that people before
have had different experiences than I have, but I think
as time progresses, it's it's definitely gonna improve.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Your draft class is really one of the first draft
classes to enter the WNBA to actually benefit from NIL.
When we look at the momentum that women's sports is
carrying over, how much do you think that factors into,
you know, continuing the momentum and the growth of women's sports.
I think the factors a lot. I think being able
to have NIL and experience that and take that over
(03:29):
to league, I think it just puts more eyes on
women's athletes, but in a different way. It's not just
on the court, but you see them in ads, you
see them in commercials and people are like, oh, hey,
I like her, that was a nice commercial. I remember
seeing her there. Let me watch her how she plays
on the court. And then they follow the Phantom College
into league and so on. So, Alita, I visited Saint
Thomas a couple months ago, and when the car took
(03:50):
us out of the airport, I saw a massive billboard
of view that close out of the airport and I
was like, oh, okay, so talk about your roof. You're
from Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands. Talk about how much you
carry with that your culture with you through your career
and through your life.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah. So I grew up Sat Thomas moved when I
was twelve, but I think St. Thomas has definitely been
a big piece. Like my family still lives there, my parents,
my grandparents, everyone still live there when my sister and
I were growing up in the States, and I mean
it's just been an important piece every time I go home,
being able to see my family, being able to see
people that tell me they download the ESPN app where
(04:28):
they got the WNBA League Pass so that they can
continue to watch. And that's definitely been an important piece.
And I carried everywhere with me.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
One of the things I realized when I was visiting, actually,
like everyone knows each other on the Islands.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yes, it's like very small. Everyone knows each other. There's
always someone that that can do something for you because
everyone knows each other.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
When you think about like where you came from and
just the success you've had in women's basketball, do you
think about possibly like going back to, you know, help
to grow girls and athletes where you're from.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I think that's what I've been doing with my camps,
Like I've been trying to make sure that young girls
know that they can continue to dream big and they
can continue to accomplish things. Because I grew up right here,
but for me and my sister was different, Like my
parents would send us away to the States for camps
and then we'd come back home. And so for me,
it was like, I'm trying to bring that where they
(05:20):
don't have to feel like they have to move away
or they have to go to camps in the States,
where they can have the camp brought to them with
high level coaches that push them, that make sure they know,
like this what it takes to get to that next level.
And so that's what I hope to do. I've been
doing it for a couple of years now, so I'm
excited for it.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I as love that you're pouring into the next generation
of young girls and athletes everywhere. So looking at the
Indiana Fever in the off season, they appointed a new
head coach and Stephanie White. What was that transition like
for you and have you been in touch with Steph.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yes, I've been in touch with Steph and the whole staff.
It's been pretty exciting. I'm super excited to have them
join us set the Fever. I think we have such
a special group and I think they're the coaching staff
and stuff can really elevate us and take us to
the next level of where we're hoping to be. We've
definitely had a lot of meetings, a lot of conversations.
We've been able to watch film together, talk about what
(06:14):
we hope for me, what we hope for the Fever,
been able to work out with Keith. So it's been
all way great. It's been very community this offseason, so
going well.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Thinking about your time here at MIIBLE, A lot of
players say they're using this time here to work on
their game, to add things to their bag so that
when they go back to their teams respected teams in
the season that they could just be better. What are
some things that you're looking forward to working on here
at Unlivolves.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
I think just once again continue to get great finishing
around the rim, making sure that I have my touch
around the basket, because I feel like that's always been
my bread and butter, so just continue to make sure
that that stays up to par. And then expanding my game.
Just being confident taking the shots, taking my jumpers, even
if they don't go in initially, but understanding that, hey,
you are taking these so you're confident, especially when you
go back with the Fever. That no matter what was
(07:00):
you're put in, you've already experienced that.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
And going back to that investment part, I mean, unrivaled
just really set in the tone. But the Adeada Fever
announced the seventy eight million dollars do practice facility, set
to open in twenty twenty seven. In your opinion, as
one of the star phases of the team, what does
that mean to just have a team that's willing to
invest in its players.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That's super exciting. I said before that having our own
practice court, I thought was super important that we had that,
especially with me coming in two years ago, and now
they're building this whole facility. I mean, it's definitely a
blessing our owners. Super thankful to them for investing. I
think they see the potential and they know exactly what
we have on this squad and what we deserve. And
I think it just goes to show that, you know,
(07:41):
you continue to invest in the teams, to continue to
invest in the players, and the results will come.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
All right, I'm going to take a quick break and
when we get back more from this conversation with Ellie Boston.
WBA free agency kicks off this week and a lot
(08:09):
of players in our livel College joke that this is
a time where chemisty you can build chemistry with players
and kind of pitch your teams or you know, trying
to get players to come to your team. If you
were a GM, what would you pitch to free agents
about playing at the Beaver.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I feel like the first thing I'd pitch is that
you guys don't like to play against us, so you
might as well come play with us. Period.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I love that. I absolutely love that. And also this
past week, I mean, obviously there was a lot of
serious news coming out from your teammate, Caitlin Park with
the whole situation, with the Smocker situation. As an athlete,
how have you been able to take precaution when it
comes to your safety and just thinking about like leveling
up that security to protect yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, that was super, super scary. So I'm glad that
she is safe and that they were able to catch
him and honestly just take the precautions that they have
to do with that. I think just as an athlete,
you always want to make sure that you are watching
your surroundings. I think that's always important, but especially with
social media nowadays, people just try to find their way
and try to continue to speak and obviously that can
(09:13):
get to a different level like it did with Kaitlin.
But I think thinking about the Indiana Fever and thinking
about the people that they have surrounding us, even here
at on Rivaled, like they have taken the precautions. They've
made sure that everyone is saved, everyone is covered, and
if you have any problems, like you're able to reach out.
But as athletes, I mean it's hard. You want to
do your everyday thing, you want to live your everyday life,
but you also have to make sure that you're just
(09:34):
keeping an eye on what you're doing, but also not
be afraid to say, hey, I don't really like this,
someone kind of said something weird to me, and just
being able to tell those that you trust.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
General manager Amber Cox is a friend to this show.
She was recently on this show and she has talked
about being excited for the future and building a team
around yourself and Kitlyn Clark looking at the future, what
it cites you the most about you know this duo
and you know taking that team.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
To the next level. Super excited. I feel like there's
no ceiling when it comes to us and the fever franchise.
I think being able to look at what Kaylen, the
addition of Kaylan was for us this year, I think
you just saw how it just continued to elevate us.
So when you think about us, when you think about
us as a duo, I mean, I feel like we
really figured out and got our foot on the same
(10:20):
path the second half of the season, Like we were
really able to figure it out together. And now that
we have and we understand each other's play, where we
like to be what we like, I mean, I think
it's just gonna be hard because when you look at
Kaitlyn when she has the ball in her hands, she
sees the floor so well and she knows whether that's
passing it to me or whether that's passing up the
floor and just making sure that we finish those shots.
I mean, she makes great decisions when the ball's in
(10:40):
her hands, and so I feel like there's no ceiling
for that.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
In twenty twenty three, you won a national championship under
head coach Don Staley, and big news this week he's
now the highest paid coach in women's basketball. So what
was it like, you know, under that time being coached
by Don Staley and any thoughts on like her getting
the highest paid contract.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
First and foremost, it is so deserving for coach Daily,
I think no one else deserves to have that type
of recognition because she is just so amazing. I feel
like I've said it so many times that Costaile was
like a second mom to me. Got on campus and
I was seventeen, and from that moment on, Costale just
took me under her wing. So when we do captains,
the way you do it is you go up there,
(11:23):
you say why you want to be a captain, and
then they put you through a ringer of questions and
then it goes like that. I remember my freshman season,
I didn't go for captain because I'm like, I need
to figure I need to figure this out. We had
great captains, Tying Kiki amazing, and my next year cos
Daly was like, don't be afraid to use your voice.
You can be a leader on this team. And her
telling me that at such a young age. I remember
(11:46):
I called my mom after and my dad. I was like,
I don't know. I'm like, she's talking about being a
captain and not being afraid to use my voice, and
I was like, oh my gosh, I was like, I
don't know. I was like, I'm just trying to figure
stuff out. But at the same time, it goes to
show the confidence that she instills in you from such
a young age, like she is not waiting for senior
year or junior year and be like, hey, I think
(12:06):
you do this. If you want to do it, She's like, listen,
I know you have the voice. I know you have
the confidence. You just have to be able to step
into that role and embrace it.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
When I think about don Staley's legacy and how she
prepares you all for the WNBA, and not only that,
just the suctress of the players from South Carolina and
the WNBA, yourself, Asia Wilson, and the list goes on.
What does that say about the South Carolina program?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
What doesn't it say? I feel like it just says
that Coach Daley develops you. And I think it's crazy,
like when you think about it, like you don't have
to worry about like freshman year coming in, like my
goal was definitely to go to the WNBA. But you
can just see the development over time in everyone's game
that comes through the South Carolina program, and that's the
most exciting thing For me, it just shows that once
(12:51):
she takes her time and she develops you to where
you need to be, and you always feel confident and
ready when you get to the league, like it doesn't
feel like there's a major adjustment where it's like, oh
my gosh, I don't know if I'm ready for this,
Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm going to play.
It's like when you play under Coach Day, she develops
you to the point where when you get to lead,
even if you don't start, you're gonna be like, listen,
I'm ready for this. I know I'm made for the
moment because Coach Daily has already helped me with.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
That side of basketball. You're starting to establish yourself and
the media as a broadcaster, as an analyst, as an anchor.
Where did that passion come from to be able to
be in front of the camera.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Honestly, I feel like I've always been someone that likes
to be in front of the camera, whether that's like
broadcasting or anything. I'm always like trying to sneak my
way in somewhere. But when I was in college, I
was trying to figure out what I wanted to do,
and I remember at first, I wanted to be a lawyer,
and I was like, I'm going to be a lawyer.
I feel like that's the typical thing everyone always says,
like I want to do. But then they were like, yeah,
you have to go to law school and I was
(13:45):
like no, thank you. And I was like it's okay.
I'll be a therapist because I feel like a lot
of people come to me and I talk to a
lot of people. And then I was like, oh, you
have to go back to school for that. Again, I
was like, I actually don't think this is my career path.
And so I was talking abot a you coach, and
he was like, why don't you just go into broadcasting.
He was like, you love to talk, you might as
(14:06):
well just talk all the time about basketball. And I
was like, honestly, you're right because they always tell you like,
have a second plan when the ball stops bouncing, and
I feel like I always want to be connected to sports,
especially basketball in that way. And I was like okay.
So I remember I did have my majors communications and
I was like, I'm going to get into broadcasting. And
then once I got to the league, I talked to
my agents about it and They were like, we're not
(14:27):
gonna wait until the ball stops bouncing for you getting
to this broadcasting. We're gonna kick it off right after
your season's over. And that's why I was blessed to
be able to work with NBC for my first year
and then even worked with ESPN for the National Championship
games in the final four, and so now we're back
at it again this year, and so I mean, it's
just super exciting, so blessing. I think just God has
put the right people in my path to be able
to say, like, hey, if my coach had never really
(14:49):
thought about telling me I talk too much, I'm like,
you know, maybe I would not have been I would
not have gotten too broadcasting right away. And so it's
definitely definitely just a blessing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Obviously, because you play sp things differently and you're able
to use that as an advantage when you are on air.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I do I think just the way I think about basketball,
Like I think about basketball all the time, Like I
watched so many games. I remember I was talking to
someone and they were like, Wow, you really love basketball.
Like you just watch games. You just turn games on
and you're just sitting there watching I'm like, well, that's
how one I learned as a player because I'm able
to see different stuff, And honestly, when I look at
other people play, I'm like, oh, I need that. Ooh,
that'd be nice to learn. And then it's like now
(15:28):
when I get to analyzing, I'm like, hey, this is
what I think they need to see and this is
what they should be doing, and it kind of just
flows and it just comes freely when I watch.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
I know you're an Adidas athlete in Kannas Parker or
someone I think of when I think of, like how
she just transitioned so smoothly into having a media career.
Has she given you any advice on, you know, just
how to navigate through that kind of world she has?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
But I think she also tells me like she wants
me to be able to experience that, and if I
ever need anything or if I ever want to talk
about I think she's absolutely there but allowing me to
find my own way. And I'm saying like, here, this
is what comes with it, this is the highest kind
of lows, this is how it goes down. But I mean,
she's always there for me no matter what.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Aleah heading into year three, of your WNBA career. What
do you want fans to know? What can we expect
from you?
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You know, I always think about this question. Everyone always,
you know, talks about your game and talks about like
what they want to expect for themselves. But I feel
like I just want them to expect that I'm going
to come in every single night and give it my all,
because obviously I'm working on my game, I'm working on
expanding my game, I'm continuing to work on my consistency,
making sure I'm efficient around the basket especially, But I
(16:41):
feel like I always put so much pressure on myself,
and I feel like a lot of the pressure is
to make sure that the outside people feel that I
am working hard, and for me, it's like I need
to make sure that I'm doing this, I'm coming and
working hard for myself and that I'm not putting too
much pressure on myself to oppress the outside world because
I know the work I'm put in, I know the
work that my team is and I putting in, how
(17:03):
we push each other, and so every night I come out,
I need to just come out working hard, making sure
that I'm giving in my all and not with the
expectations of anything that's to impress other people.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
If that makes sense, that makes complete sense. Just tuning
out the noise of the crowd and just locking in
and focusing. I think it's scary hours I locked in, Abeah.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you all, what you accomplished,
not only in Unrival this season, but also with the
Indiana Fever. Thank you so much for joining us this
(17:33):
week on In Case you missed It with Christina Williams.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Pray.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Take another quick pause, and when we get back, we're
going to dive into the startup free agency and we're
going to get into the things that I love. This week,
welcome back to In Case you missed It with Christina Williams.
(18:00):
And I just want to thank Eliah Boston once again
for coming through to the show. This week will be
all about for her her season at Arrivals and of
course with the Indiana Fever now moving right along. As
you guys know, free agency has officially kicked off in
the WNBA, and if you're a basketball fan, you know
this is the time where things start to get a
(18:22):
little interesting. Players are going to be moving, teams will
shake things up, and you know, we got to talk
about it, so let's dive right in. All right, So,
as you guys know, in the first half of the month,
teams began to extend qualifying offers and core qualifying offers
to players, while some players didn't receive qualifying offers and
(18:44):
are now hitting the open market. Kennedy, Carter, Queen egg Bow, Olivia, Popa, Charisma, Osbourne,
and Leeming are all available to sign with news teams.
This opens up a lot of possibilities, and you can
bet that teams will be looking to make a splash,
so we'll keep our eyes close on these players. Now
here's where it gets a little bit interesting. As of
(19:06):
this week, twenty twenty seven's draft picks can officially be traded.
That means that teams now have more assets to work
with than they did previously. We've seen big trades go
down during last season. One thing I think about most
notably was obviously Marina getting traded to Connecticut and how
that benefited the Connecticut Sun Mayosha Hines Allen's getting traded
(19:30):
to the Minnesota Links in that team reaching the finals.
So I see that teams are now taking trades more
serious and thinking about different ways they can use those
assets to make their teams better and deeper to contend
for championships. So going back to this year's free agency,
don't be surprised if we start to see some moves
come through before players actually start to sign their deals
(19:53):
on February one. Teams are always trying to shape things
up and build for the future, so I think that
we can expect a lot of action over the next week. Now,
let's move on and talk about one name in particular,
And honestly, I think that this is a free agent
that kind of went under the radar in early buzz
and chat's about big name free agents, and so Britney Grinder,
(20:16):
and this was a huge one, y'all. Brittany Grinder, after
spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury since they
drafted her number one over on twenty thirteen, has decided
to test free agency for the first time in her career. Now,
Phoenix fans, I know that you are probably holding your
breath right now, but honestly, this opens the door for
(20:38):
some real shakeups in the league. Will she stay in
Phoenix or could she be looking for a new home,
a new challenge elsewhere And speaking of Phoenix, this could
also signal what we've all been kind of feeling. Could
Diana Tarazzi be getting ready to retire Now, there was
a report that came out of Phoenix that said that
(20:58):
that is the expectation that Diana to Rozzie will be retiring,
and so maybe that is the motivation for Brittany grinted
to want to start else Goo, to start fresh with
a new squad. But we'll see. I mean, it's reported
that she's open to have in those discussions. But you know,
Phoenix kind of hinted at the end of the season
that if this is it, that whole campaign dedicating the
(21:21):
practice course to Diana to Rozzie. But if this is
it for DT, I think that she's given the game everything.
She's won at every level, She's done everything that she's
needed to do, and so I'm here for the new
era for the Phoenix Mercury. So if Brina leaves, we
might be witnessing the end of an era in Phoenix,
and it's going to be fascinating to see what happens next.
(21:44):
So yeah, there's a lot of uncertainty now, and I
guess that's what makes this time of the year so
exciting because pre agency is just getting started and over
the next few days there could be some huge changes
that we see. Now in addition to those stories, the
obviously you know that teams had started to extend core
qualifying offers to their players and some of the names
(22:08):
that we should be looking out for is Jewel Lloyd.
Annie Constable had previously reported that Lloyd had requested a
trade out of Seattle, and we know that Seattle had
coreed Gabby Williams, who was an unrestricted free agent, and
so Jewel can be looking for her next home now.
I think that she would be a great fit on
(22:30):
the Chicago sky that is where she is from. She
is from Chicago. I would love to see Jewel go
back home and be that veteran point guard presence for
the young players like Angel Reaes and Camilla Cardoso. So
we'll keep our eyes on Jewel Lloyd. Now. What also
gets interesting with the core qualifying offers is that Alyssa
Thomas was coreed by the Connecticut son Now throughout the
(22:53):
off season and towards the end of the WNBA season,
Thomas has repeatedly and publicly stated that the priority should
be getting assets to Connecticut. In terms of practice facilities,
we've seen other teams like the Dallas Wings, the Indiana Fever,
the Golden State Battleries make that a priority, the Chicago
(23:14):
Sky and breaking ground on new practice facilities. Another thing
that is interesting is Kelsey Plumb in her future. Will
she stay in Las Vegas or will she go elsewhere?
And again, teams have the upper hands in this situation
because these players are cored and so you know they're
going to get something back. So too softly has made
(23:34):
it clear she does not want to play for the
Dallas Wanks next season. And so there's going to be
a lot of trades happening throughout the week, and so
we're going to be paying attention to all of that
and more for free agency. All right, So now it's
time for the things that I love this week, and
(23:55):
so here's the things that I love this week. Obviously,
I'm down here in Miami for and the weather absolutely sucked.
So the weather is something that I did not like
this week. But what I did love is to be
able to be out here and see all of women's
basketball fans come together for our rival, to be in
(24:15):
a space where people love women's sports. I kind of
missed that feeling after the w NBA season, so to
see people being community to come out here to make
plans and trips to see our rival was jope. I
had a chance to visit the practice facilities and just
get a first hand look at the investment and how
(24:36):
the players are just taken initiative for themselves to make
things better. I think from top to bottom, the entertainment
factor was huge. I was entertained at every game that
I went to this week. I think that they were
very intentional about every aspect of that game and using
some of the top talent on broadcast and lean announcers
(25:00):
things like that, which made it really really fun. We
had a chance to speed to play in a stewart
this week at shoot around at media availability, and here's
what you had to say about unrivaled and all for
the best of the best of the players.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
We want to play, but we want to make sure
that everyone has the opportunity to get better and whether
it's you want to get better on the court or
you want to focus on some things in the weight room,
Like the staff is top notch, like the best of
the best, and it's cool for players to come in
when especially those that don't have a routine and I
don't have like a set schedule to kind of create
(25:41):
that and see the others that do have it.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
And then also I had a chance to catch up
with Sabrina and y'll Nescu just about how she's adjusting
to rival. She's playing for a Phantom BC and they're
weak one, they're down go to like they are not
playing well as a team. And so I had a
chance to talk sad about just this process of adjusting
(26:06):
to a different style of play and how she's been
able to approach that. And here's what she had to
say about that.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Obviously, I wasn't really sure what to expect, just from
like a completely different format game. Not having the preseason
games was a little tough because I just didn't know
what to expect.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
But I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
It was really fun, super fast paced. Obviously, the floor
is just open, like you can take whatever you want.
It's a lot different, at least just for me, from
the WU season, Like you can't get double teamed, you
can't get trapped, there's no hedges, like you're just kind
of coming down the floor and able to get kind
of manipulate the defense however you want if you take
care of the ball and get the right shots. And
so I'm kind of happy to kind of get that
(26:49):
first game out of the way and now understand kind
of how this game is played every season.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Every off season, you have one thing that you work on.
What is something that you're working on here a rival
that you want to get better at.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Yeah, I mean, I don't think I'll really be able
to get to it until probably next month as I
like get back into playing, just with kind of the
fact that I'm like getting my legs back under me,
you know, after having surgery. But I would say continuing
to just get really good in the in the mid range. Obviously,
I've kind of perfected the floater that's done, got that
(27:23):
one check. Now it's just kind of understanding that I
kind of get into that mid range and can really
elevate over a lot of the players that guard me,
and that's usually my best shot as well. And so
for me, it's gonna be continuing to you know, create
good separation going downhill to the paint, but also understanding
there's so many counters that I can get out of
that and wanting to get my mid range back to
(27:43):
what it was like it used to be in college.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I really love that she was able to talk about
what she wants to work on because I usually get
to talk to somebody at the start of every training camp,
and so to be able to be in the thick
of what her office and looks like. We know that
Subrina's never played in her off season, so to see
her to make adjustments. She did say that clip that
you just heard that she's working on her mid range games.
(28:10):
So watch out for Subrinda in twenty twenty five. We
saw what she had in her bag during the twenty
four season with adding the floater. So I'm excited to
see the next level unlocked for sab and that was
my trip in Miami for Unrivaled. I'm looking forward to
see how the rest of the season goes. All right,
(28:30):
that's gonna be it for today. Make sure you stay
tuned to this show for updates as everything unfold. You know,
all the right here, keeping you in the loop. I'll
catch you next time in case you missed it. With
Christina Williams is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and entertainment. You can find us
(28:52):
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Host
Khristina Williams
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