Khristina is fresh off a historic Final Four weekend in Tampa, and this week, she’s joined by sports writer, podcast producer, and Women’s Hoop Show host Jordan Robinson for a jam-packed episode that covers everything from championship breakdowns to game-changing headlines in women’s basketball. Jordan shares her personal journey in the game, how she became a storyteller for women’s sports, and details her upcoming book that explores the rich (and often overlooked) history of women’s basketball—from the 1800s to today. The two dive into the legacy of the WBL, the lack of proper archives in women’s sports, and why preserving these stories is essential.
They also break down UConn’s dominant championship win, how South Carolina fell short, and what’s next for both programs. Plus, they react to Olivia Miles' surprise transfer to TCU, Elena Delle Donne’s retirement, the Hall of Fame class of 2024, and the last-minute addition of Candace Parker’s jersey retirement game to national TV. Plus, with the WNBA Draft just days away, Khristina and Jordan discuss top prospects, team needs, international sleepers, and why players should prioritize fit and opportunity over flash.
CREDITS
Executive Producers:
Nikki Ettore
Jessie Katz
Tyler Klang
Jonathan Strickland
Producers:
Mike Coscarelli
Buffy Gorrilla
Producer & Editor:
Tari Harrison
Host:
Khristina Williams
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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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. Hey guys, welcome to In Case you missed
It with Pristina Williams and I am back in New
York City after a fun field Beacon in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
There was a.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Lot that happened in Tampa for action packed games, lots
of events. One of my favorite things about being in
Tampa was, you know, it felt like a reunion between
me and all of my friends in basketball media. But
also it felt like a full circle moment because the
last time that I was in Tampa was in twenty
nineteen when Notre Dame lost to Baylor in the championship game,
(00:45):
and that was also my first final for so to
see how much has changed in the last six and
a half years, I think that it just hit me
that women's sports is growing and evolving and that we
are doing the right work here. But yeah, it was
a super exciting weekend. One of my favorite events that
I attended had to be on Saturday. That was when
(01:06):
all of the events pretty much happened, but I was
able to attend a dinner hosted by Asia Wilson. She
announced a new partnership with Chase. Shout out to our
friends at Deep Blue, who you know, invited us to dinner,
but it was just a chill, private dinner. The steak
was really good, but I enjoyed hearing Asia talk about
(01:27):
all of the things that she was working on. Sid
Colson moderated the conversation, But one of my favorite parts
about that conversation was Sid just loving on Asia and
letting her know that she's a legend. But also she
hinted that this season, you guys better watch out for
her because she's ready to dominate and she's ready to
get back to winning. And so I'm excited to see
Asian Wilson just be herself this season and just turn
(01:50):
a new page. But that was my favorite thing about
the Final Four. I also was able to attend the
Together party, and if you know, you know that is
one of the most pop in parties at Final four,
and I ran into Diana Tarazzi and was able to
you know, congratulate her on her retirements and just you know,
(02:11):
chill hang out with friends. It was very hot in there.
I'm I'm like, it was so hot that it felt
like a house party. It gave me house party vibes.
But it was good. It was a good time all around.
I mean, obviously on Sunday I got to sit up
close and personal at the Final four championship game. I
sat right behind the South Carolina bench, so I was
able to see and hear a little bit of everything.
(02:33):
But no, it was a good time, a good game.
Did not expect South Carolina to get blown out, but
congrats to Yukon. All right, Jah, I'm super excited about
this week's show and our guest this week, so joining
us this week, and it's a pretty long list. She's
a sports writer, a podcast producer, a TV host, and
(02:55):
overall storyteller. And she's writing a new book as well,
so if you want a lookout for that, the one
and only Jordan Robinson. Jordan, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Thank you for having me, and thank you for listening
off all my jobs. That's just a lot of ten
ninety nine this tax season, so that just made me
cringe you listen all those off, but thank you, thank
you for having me listen.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I feel you, girl on that one. So let's get
into Taifa. I know we both just got back from
the Final four. Did the championship weekend exceed your expectations?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I think it exceeded my expectations in the sense that one,
I didn't know that I was going until Monday of
last week.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So it was like a scramble.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
But I always love to go because it is a
reunion of everyone in women's basketball, So it always exceeds
my expectations there to be able to see everybody in
their elements doing what they love, doing their thing. So
in that case, yes, the basketball. On one hand, I
was a little sad at the scores and the blowouts,
(04:05):
but I loved how Yukon was able to pull it out,
and I think the stars were able to be stars.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
So in that case, yes.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Assume we're going to get into all of the basketball
a little bit later. Before we do that, let's dive
into who you are. Talk about your personal journey and
how you became a sports host, a producer, all of
the things. Where does your story start with women's basketball?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, that's my favorite question because I love this sport
so much, and it started because my older brother played basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
We had a hoop in our front yard and he
was always out there playing and I wanted to be
like my older brother in any way possible, so I
would follow him around like his annoying shadow. And basketball
was a part of that. So I started playing when
I was five years old. I was on a co
ed team. We were the Lakers. We had T shirts,
(05:03):
not even jerseys, that's how young we were. And I
remember there was this boy on my team and he
was such a ballhog, and I remember going into the
huddle and being like, you have to pass me the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Like I know, I'm a girl, but I'm good. Trust me.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So that's where just this advocacy for girls and sports
probably started with myself. But growing up in Sacramento, I
was a huge Monarchs fan and one of my teammates
growing up. Her birthday was always Opening weekend and we
would go to a Monarchs game every year.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
For her birthday. And I have a T.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Shirpinacherial jersey that is still signed from when I was nine.
And that's where my love for the WNBA and women's
basketball really started. I would practice my signature. I was like,
I'm going to the WNBA. You can't tell me anything.
I'm autographing paper towels around the house and then Christina.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I'm only five to five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I stopped growing, so those dreams really stopped for me,
but the love for the game has stayed the same.
Went to school, studied journalism, played basketball in college, and
I fell in love with the storytelling aspect of sports.
And so I may not be playing at the professional
level now, but I still get to talk about it
(06:16):
and report about it. And I just want to make
sure that everyone knows these stories of these women's basketball
players in any media, podcasting, TV, writing.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I want to be able to tell them in any
way I can said.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
I absolutely love that, and we have a simpler story
and early advocacy for girls in sports. I mean, I
remember being in middle school and advocating for girls team
because I didn't want to be a cheerleader, and that's
that's where I started in my love for the game
as well. But you're writing a new book and it
isn't published just yet, but talk about the book and
(06:51):
what was that process like for you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Man.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I cannot wait for you all to see this book.
It is about the history of women's backs basketball. I'm
co authoring it with Imma Bachelari. It's through Hashett Books,
their imprint Black Dog and Lovenhal and it's going to
be a coffee table book for women's hoops fans. We
go from the eighteen hundreds to twenty twenty four, and
(07:16):
we cover it all as much as we can. I mean,
through this whole process, it was very obvious how each
essay that we wrote could be its own book, Like
every story, every incredible woman who has paved the way
in their own right, could have their own story, their
own documentary about their journey. So we tried to just
(07:39):
give an overview, and we want this to kind of
be a bible, if you say, of women's hoops, and
a starting point for you to just jump off and
be able to learn so much.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
But you know, the first essay in the first chapter
I wrote was on Or Washington and the Tribune girls
from the nineteen twenties and Philadelpha and how they started
and they were kind of the superstars of their heyday, traveling.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Around going to HBCUs and playing against other black women
and they're getting their start in basketball.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So I learned so much, and I.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Have all of this knowledge of names and numbers and
years in my mind right now.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I feel like this is my peak self.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
But it has been a journey and Emma Bachelorrea is
so incredible. She writes a great great essays in this
book as well. But we're expecting early twenty twenty six.
So I was at the final four. I was like, Okay,
next year, this time, I will have a physical book
in hand and I'll be able to throw them at
people and say by it because you need it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And I think that this is something that is necessary,
especially as the momentum for women's sports continues to grow.
I mean, in Tampa, I attended a dinner for Asia
Wilson and Sid Colston was moderating discussion, but she came
over to our table and we started to have a
conversation about the lack of archives and women's basketball and
and lost history it and I brought up how Elena
(09:10):
Deldhon retired last week or now so retirement. People were
under my post like was she any good? And I'm like, wait,
oh my god, it's a recent player we're talking about,
and there are people who are asking was Alena Deladhon
any good? But it goes back to just the storytelling
and not having that history accessible, And so I applaud
(09:30):
you for taking the time out of your schedule to
make something like that happen. And I'm excited for your
book to come out. What was one of the most
interesting stories that you learned in the researching process of
the book?
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Oh man, You know, I love what you said about
archives too, because we are getting photos. The photos are incredible,
and we were able to grab personal archives from players
who are still alive and still here, and they were
able to share their photos and we went to libraries
and to get these photos. So one of my favorite
(10:06):
chapters was the seventies. You know, that was such a
special time in women's sports, but specifically women's basketball in general.
And I got to talk to the ladies from the WBL.
I have the basketball here behind me because Liz Galloway
mcquitter she sent me one and Molly Bolin and those
(10:27):
ladies were such pioneers and they didn't ask to be,
They didn't know that they were going to be. But
the first professional women's basketball league before the WNBA was
the WBL, and it only lasted a handful of years.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
It wasn't this great success.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But the women who really started it and were asked
to be a part of it, their stories and the
team names, the California Dreams, the Chicago Hustle, the Columbus
Minx where they're on their fly and mink coats that
were sponsored and given to them, like incredible, incredible stuff
(11:06):
that you have to see to believe. I think that's
a lot of it too, having the photos, having the stories,
having them say, you know, we didn't show up to
the game because we were missed two paychecks, Like we
boycotted at the start of the game, like we weren't
getting paid. We had to carpool with each other, we
were sharing rooms, but we just wanted to play basketball
(11:29):
and that's all that mattered.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
So some things have changed, but some things haven't changed.
And this desire to play at the highest level and
be able to share your love for the sport regardless
of the circumstances.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
You see that over and over again throughout history. So
that was my favorite part and one of my favorite chapters.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
I'm so excited for twenty twenty six. I absolutely cannot wait.
And I think that in order to appreciate how far
we've come, like now, the women's Final four had over
eight million viewers peak over eight million, we have to
appreciate where everything started. So I'm looking forward to that.
All right, let's dive into this week's headlines. So you
talked about, you know, some of those games over the
(12:12):
weekend being absolute blowouts. South Carolina lost in a championship
game to Yukon. How surprised were you for that result?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Now?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
For me, I had South Carolina winning it all, but
I think that on Friday I kind of changed my
mind in terms of who I thought would win because
of the beatdown that Yukon put on UCLA, which was
the number one overall seed. But what was your thoughts
about that game?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
That game in particular?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I also had South Carolina on my bracket winning it all,
And I wish you could have a bracket pre tournament
and then you could be able to erase some of
your answers once the games started going. Because once I
saw Yukon from the start from game one of this
NCAA tournament, I said, oh, okay, this is different. Page
(13:02):
is on a mission. And then her teammates around her
want this for her so bad that they are doing
everything that they can to make this dream happen, to
make it happen so that she can win a championship
her senior year.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
That's a different level of energy that x's and o's
game plans.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You kind of throw all of that out the window
when it is a pure desire to win. And that's
what you saw on Sunday page.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Beeckers in Yukon looked I don't even know how to
describe it, near perfection.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Really.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
They looked sharp, they looked discipline. They were going after
fifty to fifty balls, they were boxing out every possession,
they knew the scout. It was a flawless execution.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And when you are going up against a team like
South Carolina, you kind of need that, and that's exactly
what they did. And then on top of that, they
couldn't miss. So there's that as well. South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
To me, something that I never thought I had to
do throughout this tournament was questioned effort and question their
ability to get it. They have slow starts, we know.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
That, but getting over that hump and being able to
turn it on. It just never got turned on. And
we talk about don Staley. I'm never gonna bet against her,
but she can't go out on the court and play
for her team.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
She can't suit up, she can't put on a jersey.
At the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
The players are gonna have to want that desire, and
you know, she said it after the game. I hope
they're crying. I hope they're upset, because it's gonna take
a little bit more than the skill the x's and
o's to come back and try to win it again
next year.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yukon, hats off to you. You deserve that. They played
near flawless.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Everybody in the tournament fud around and found out because
as Fudd is a freaking hoper.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I love her game. So yeah, Yukon, congratulations.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Listen. I didn't agree with you more. I think that
on finding that. What I saw was that first game
between Texas and South Carolina in the first quarter, As
you said, they had the slow starts, and against a
team like Yukon, who's so good in transition, who's so disciplined,
it's hard to climb back from that.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
What I will say about Yukon is this is the
first time that this team has been healthy, and we
were able to see the big three and Sarah Strong
as Page Beckers, just how much chemistry they had throughout
the season. I had a chance to talk to a
Z postgame, and she talked about the uncertainty she had
at the start of the season for this Yukon team,
(15:37):
but how they were able to build chemistry throughout the
season and how by the end of the regular season
going into tournament time, you know no one could knock
off their confidence. Sarah Strong mirror that same story of
just trusting her teammates and being confident. She played really,
really mature, like she's only a freshman. But to have
(15:58):
a double double in your friend year in a championship game.
Out to Serio Strong for that game, you talked about
what we're like for the Huskies and where South Carolina
kind of fell short. How do you think the game
Cops can recover from something like this.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I think it's gonna be one I say they're one
piece away.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
They need one more piece. I think they're going to
get into the portal, or even maybe it is an
incoming freshman because don can recruit like no other and
she doesn't need to recruit really that hard because people
want to play for her. They need one more offensive
weapon because what I saw in that game was historically
(16:39):
South Carolina gets a lot of their points off of
their defense, and it's out of picking people off getting transition,
that's what gets their momentum, gets hype. But Yukon was
not making mistakes. They don't make a lot of mistakes.
They weren't turning the ball over. So then it was
a little bit like, oh, we have to really get
a half court set. And Chloe Kitts was really great
(17:02):
and aggressive from the jump of that game, and I
was really proud of her for taking a little MIDI
doing a turnaround fade away that was creating your own
shot rather than just in transition. So I think they
need one more piece. That's like, okay, who is going
to get us a bucket? Malaysia f Wili is typically
that person and she comes off the bench and it felt.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Like it was a lot of pressure for her.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
To come in and be this savior at this time
of the game in a national championship game. She's only
a sophomore and we know how she's explosive and exciting
and this microwave player, but it was like, hey, we
haven't scored in like five minutes. Malaysia save us, and
she wasn't able to do that. She had back to
(17:47):
back turnovers that really changed the trajectory of the rest
of that first half, and then she didn't really play
a lot in the second half. So you need a
couple more people and not have it all on lay
to come in and get a bucket when they need it.
So I'll be looking to see who they sign to
add to this already hungry team that has had a
(18:09):
lot of success up to this point. I don't want
people to think, oh, it was a bust. No, especially
these the seniors at South Carolina. They're two time national champions.
They have been to the Final four over and over,
so they should hold their head high. But I know
what they know what it takes to make it and
to win it. So they're not going to be satisfied
(18:30):
with just making it to the championship game. They want
to come back next year and they want to win it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
You said a couple of things that stood out to me.
First with my Laysia Fool while she logged in eighteen
minutes in that championship game. But I think that what
was South Carolina strength and having depth was also their
achilles hill in that championship game. Because the amount of
subbing right that happened, it was hard for South Carolina
to establish an offensive flow and so I think that,
you know, with all of the subbing and having at depth,
(18:57):
it was really hard for play like Malaysia Fuo Wally
to help from climb out of that because she wasn't
able to establish a rhythm in her game and there
was a lot of pressure for her to come in
down twenty plus points and try to make something happen,
and it just it just didn't happen. But I think
that what people forget about South Carolina is the player
(19:18):
that was on the end of the bench in Ashton Watkins.
She is that player for South Carolina who gets the rebounds,
who really helps them to get going on the offensive
and defensive end as well, someone who probably could have,
you know, contained Sarah Strong. But so it'll be interesting
to see what happens next season when she's back, just
(19:39):
because of her presence and how impactful she was for
the South Carolina roster. All Right, so we know that
what's next for the Game Cops in terms of recovery.
I don't want to count them out. I think that
they will be back and better next season. But what
happens next for Yukon and we know that they're gonna
lose Page as already said that she's going back next season.
(20:02):
What can we look forward to in terms of Yukon
next season.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yukon fans should be so excited that this is the
future of Yukon basketball, and it's so wild to think.
I think the whole time while I was in Tampa
and we're talking about these storylines and oh, can Yukon
get back to the mountaintop, I'm like, this is so weird.
(20:26):
Like Yukon was winning for so long and they were
so dominant that the storylines for like a decade was
Who's gonna knock off Yukon? And then now almost ten
years later, was the last time that they won their championship.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It was like, who's gonna be the next Brianna Stewart?
Is Yukon gonna be back? Like they've always been great?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
And I want to say to just give my flowers
to Gino and the Yukon program because it made everybody else,
you know, raise the standard. They wanted to compete with Yukon,
and they wanted to make sure that they were able
to get their program to a level that Yukon was
for so long, and so there was so much parity
(21:07):
and there was so much of a time to build
and add more to your programs. So now you have
a Azy Fudd and a Sarah Strong that is going
to be pillars for you for the next couple years.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
And that is so exciting.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I was just recording with Cheryl Swoops yesterday as we
recapped it, and she said, at the end of the day,
Sarah Strong could.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Be the best Yukon player to ever come out of Yukon.
She is that good.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
And I said, dank, Cheryl, Okay, that's a full statement,
but I'm rying with you because she is that good
and she is only a freshman, and at this point
of your freshman season, you're really a sophomore, and you're
able to see who's been able to grow over the
course of their year. Since day one one, she is
not the same player, and she's been able to add
(22:03):
tools to her game, be more efficient, and she is
scare re.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
So Yukon fans are like, oh, thank god, we're back
on top. We got Azy, we got Sarah.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Strong, and we're gonna keep adding more pieces to make
us the Yukon of yesteryear.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I think it was Nikaya s Duncan who tweeted, this
is the worst we'll ever see of Sarah Strong, and
it's true because her worst is someone's best. As all
the records she's been able to break, you talk about
her versatility. When I saw her shoot that three in
the championship game, I was like, all right, this light's out.
She's comfortable, comfortable, and she comes from It's in her blood.
(22:41):
Her mom played Alison Peaster. She was at the game,
her all of her parents and everyone was there. But
I loved at the end of the game just seeing
all of the Yukon rates, how much they embraced Sarah
Strong and the other players from Yukon at the championship
game when they won, and just the culture that they
build around those I think it's something special. I am
(23:02):
looking forward to seeing three more years of Sarah Straw.
Also in Tampa, they found out that super Yukon Alum
(23:23):
Mine have more another Yukon alum and then LSU Great
Sylvia Fowls have all been elected into the Hall of Fame.
Obviously there's no surprise there, but let's just talk about
their impaths and what they mean to the game of
basketball so much.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You know, I got to talk to Sylvia Fowls at
the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame breakfast over the weekend
and she was inducted in the Women's Basketball Hall of
Fame but also the Nasman's Hall of Fame. And I
asked her, you know, how does it feel to have
Hall of Fame next to your name? And she said,
it feels weird because it's so soon. I thought it
would take longer. And I'm like, do you know who
(23:59):
you are?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Are?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Like, no, we couldn't wait to induct you as soon
as we were possible. We can induct you the all
time leading rebounder, And somehow she feels overshadowed by Sue
Bird and Mayamor. That is an incredible class of legends
and people who have paved the way. When you think
of Maya Moore, she is one of my all time
(24:22):
favorite players, like she is one of my goats because
of what she did in such a short amount of time.
And then chucked up the deuces and was like, yeah,
you know, this whole basketball thing, I'm done with it.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And she's still a Hall of Famer. So what they were.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Able to do and for the WNBA, but for women's basketball,
going back to their college, their times at the Final
four is never going to be duplicated again. And I
hope even just when I said with my book, we're
able to preserve their history, their records, their stats, what.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
They meant to the game.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I want Mayamour highlights on replay on YouTube over and
over because she was one of the most poetic basketball
players to watch, Sue Bird, the way she commanded the floor.
She was a true true point guard, which I feel
like our game is missing a little bit of. And
then Sylvia Fowls being able to be so dominant inside.
(25:20):
You don't see a lot of that anymore as well.
So I hope all three of them are they are
enshrined in the Hall of Fame for what they have done.
And as a women's hoops fan, just regardless of it
being my job, I loved loved watching them play.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
You know, we talked about players who were great. I
mentioned Elena Deladan earlier. She finally announced her retirement from
basketball as well, and as mentioned earlier, it was shocked
the mess out of even people were like, was she
any good? And I was like her twenty nineteen championship
run playing with three herniate discs in her back. That
was the same season she was the fifty forty ninety,
(26:00):
the only w NBA player to this day to do that.
Just asking if she was any good was absolutely ridiculous.
It's like death taxes and Alena Deladon's fade away exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
We talk about her heart.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Oh my gosh, the evolution of the basketball style of play.
I think about Candice Parker, I think about Elena Deladon,
just how versatile their gameplay was, how how much of
leaders they were for their franchises. Bringing the first championship
to DC. To question her greatness is absolutely crazy. I
think that the game is definitely going to miss a
(26:35):
player like Alena Deladon.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
I'm going to miss Helena Deladon. I was the person
that was Delulu and like, yeah, she's just taking some
time off, but she's gonna be back, Like she's coming
back this season.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
She's been, you.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Know, working out behind closed doors like it's fine, Like
she's gonna be back. Because I can't imagine the WNBA
without now Diana Tarasi and Alena Deladon being retired back
to back. You know what's funny is I kind of
called it because we're looking at the game plan of
what we're going to be doing for this weekend. I
was there with Women's Sports Network and I see that
(27:11):
Atlanta Deeladon has an appearance Attorney Town and I was like, oh, man,
she's retiring. She's not just gonna come out of the
woodworks after like two years and be at an appearance
unless she has an announcement to make. And I was devastated,
pre devastated before the announcement already happened. But we are
(27:31):
going to miss her versatility, gosh, her smooth touch, her
shock value that every single time she stopped on the court,
you were still surprised that she had something else in
her bag. And this goes all the way back to Delaware,
Like she talked about in her Player's Tribune article a
(27:51):
while back, I could have went to Yukon. She was
gonna go to Yukon, she was gonna go to a
big school.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
But she said, Nah, I'm gonna go to Delaware and
be the best player in history there and.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Bring them to the furthest they've ever been in their
tournament run when she was there, and be their draft pick.
And she was a part of that iconic twenty thirteen draft.
The three to see with her, Brittney Griner and Skyler
Diggen Smith. It was a new era of the WNBA
and she was really a part of that. And when
(28:23):
you think about someone like Deldon, you think about Candas Parker,
kind of that point forward tall but can do it
all Without Candas Parker, without Alanta Deladon, we don't have
Breanna Stewart.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Like there is a.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Lineage of those type of players that we see now
and now we're seeing a Sarah Strong who can cross
people over and shoot the three, and she's also over
well over six foot. There is a string of those
type of players that we are able to see and
Alena Deladon is very much a part of that. Then
you throw in her efficiency as well, whoa one of
(28:58):
the best to ever do it.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Absolutely, Edd, we truly are going to miss you. You
did so much for the game. Thank you for all
that you've done. He talked about, you know, that draft
class with Edd and Sky and Brittany Griner, which really
made my mind go because I was scrolling through social
media after the championship game and there was a post
about the twenty twenty recruiting class right and it was
(29:21):
Paige was the number one recruit from that class. Angel
Reese was second. They had Camon Brink, Camilla Cardoso, and
Katelyn Clark. And so the discussion around that recruiting class
was four of the five one national titles all but
Katelyn Clark. And so you know, we've had these discussions
(29:41):
about if championships define your greatness. Now, after seeing four
of the five and the twenty twenty recruiting class get titles,
do you agree or disagree that a championship defines the greatness?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
I think that is such a great question.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
And what I come back to don't want this to
be a cop out, but there is greatness on the court,
and there's legacy on the court, and I think someone
like a Brianna Stewart saying, yeah, you need a title
in college to define that legacy, and she says that
is going four for four, But I think it does.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I think you need one.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I think it solidifies what you do. But on the
other hand, and I think of someone like Caitlyn Clark,
her impact, I want to say impact off of the
court and what she was able to do to bring
eyes to our game. That is very important and I
don't want it to be either or, but it is
(30:41):
also very important having a title and being able to
go to a program that you know, when you think
about those recruiting classes, that's Yukon, that's Stanford, that is
South Carolina, that's LSU and Maryland for andrel Ree's went
to Iowa and not a lot of people were talking
(31:02):
about Iowa on that same level as those those platforms,
And I think that's something that we also have to
consider the impact of her bringing Iowa to back to
back final fours. Nobody who had that on our bingo
card even when she recruit was committed there in twenty twenty.
So I want to say that in general, I would
(31:23):
be in the camp to say, yes, you got to
win a title to solidify, and that's why it was
so important for Page I think, to win the title
this year. So when we remove contexts, when the next
people are writing the book and you know, twenty years
from now, when they look back and they see, Okay, wow,
(31:44):
Calin Clark didn't win a title, who was this buster like,
It's not going to be that type of conversation. They're
not going to write it about write it like that
in the history book. So I do think it's important.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
But Caitlyn Clark definitely has the impact and the wave
that she helped continue because I won't want to say
she started it, but she helped continue it and have
new life. Yeah, I think that's that's her legacy.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah, I agree, it is too cool because you did.
You then have players like Lisa Leslie, Simona Augustus who
had never won in college but they're in the Hall
of Fame and Don Staley and what you contributed Donston
contributed to the game speaks for itself, and so no,
I think that you made an interesting point there. Also,
(32:34):
I saw a clip. I didn't see the full context
of what Gina Ariama said, but did you see the
clip where he was talking about how players who won
one championship gets statues and and I don't know the
whole quote, but what were your thoughts about what Gino said?
Because I don't know if it was shade towards South
Carolina and Asia Wilson or even Lsu given Simone Augustus
(32:58):
a statue, But I think that in terms of context
and why those women have statues at their alma maters,
I think that we should dive deep into death because
people forget or maybe they won't to ignore again, the
history of why it was important to recognize them.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
My initial reaction was to think about all of the
players that had statues, So I was like, Okay, who
else has one?
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Are right, there's two? There is Asia Wilson, Handsome on Augustas.
So it's a very short list to not feel like
it's shade towards those players. But again you go with
impact Asia Wilson. I mean, think about everything she has
done since.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Her statue, Like it's like South Carolina knew that she
was going to be such a pillar in women's basketball
that they're like, let me just get her this statue
now before she blows up, because we believe in the
potential and the future that she has done for this.
But when you think about both of them and Simone,
it was their city, They went to a school where
(34:04):
they grew up. They were able to put their schools
on the map.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
And yes, Simone was able to make a deep tournament run,
but Asia was able to win a championship on a
same campus that her grandmother wasn't even able to walk
on at some point in South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
That is legacy, that is something that is more than banners.
And still she was able to get one. We talk
about even I mentioned with the Lena Deeladon choosing to
go to a different school and Caitlin Clark choosing to
stay close to home. Going to a different school rather
than a program like Yukon isn't a diss to Yukon.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's exactly what I said before.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
It's this idea that programs wanted to get like Yukon.
They wanted to build better programs to meet that standard,
to try to knock them off the mountaintop. Haja Wilson
and Simone Augustus were pieces in that.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Caitlin Clark is definitely going to have a statue at Iowa,
that is no question. It's probably being built as we speak.
She did not win a championship there. It's the impact
that sometimes make a bigger difference. And at Yukon, who
the heck are you gonna build a statue? You need
to build a whole enshrinement. It needs to be a
whole section of the campus for all of the players
(35:23):
that went there.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And won a championship. I think it should be flipped.
Why doesn't do we have a champion a statue on
campus at Yukon. She went four for four nobody has
done that. Why doesn't Maya Moore have a statue on
Yukon's campus?
Speaker 2 (35:37):
So I hope it was in shade.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
I hope he was just in the moment kind of
talking more about his program rather than a disc to
other programs. But we have to uplift and be able
to recognize that what Ajea Wilson and Simon Augustus have
done to deserve a statue is that they deserve that
statue there.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
Absolutely, do you think that maybe Yukon should do as
you said, I building inscribement for all the players that
came through and made history for that program. All right,
(36:19):
moving right along, breaking news this week, Olivia Miles has
reportedly committed to TCU. Now, I like this move, and
I think that Mark Campbell's ability to recruit top level
players has been amazing. What are your thoughts on this
move of Olivia Miles returning to college and transferring to TCU.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Christina, I where I ask when I go to sleep
and I just write what I lifted up my eyemask
and I turn and look at my phone.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I see that Olivia Miles is going to TCU, And
I thought I was still dreaming.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I thought, this can't be real.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
I was. I was shocked by it. Actually, I was
shocked at how quickly this news came, like this was
just what was it? Maybe last week that she decided
to go into the portal going she pulled to Kevin Durant.
She went to the team that beat her twice and said.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
If you can't beat them, join them. And you don't
see that a lot in our women's game. You don't
see that a lot really period. I also love Mark Campbell.
I think he is great.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
I love what Hailey van Lith and the PAC twelve
All Stars. That's what I called TCU last year because
it was everyone from the PAC twelve conference that went
over to that team. I think they're doing some special teams.
But I was like, man, what is that bank account
looking to like? Cause that nil money must be real
(37:55):
nice at Texas Christian that was my first thought.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I'll be honest, but losing Hailey vandlydth I think you
bring in an Olivia Miles on a team that is
super strong that is only going to help other recruiting, Like,
I think that's going to bring more people there once
she has recruited and committed. So it's just the beginning
for TCU, I think. But I was shocked. I did
(38:21):
not see that coming.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Yeah, and it's so interesting now that in college basketball
in general, men's and women's portal is like free agency,
and we see on the men's side right teams are
starting to hire general managers. So this is like, is
this college troops or is this professional basketball? At this point?
And to your point, you talked about how nil has
(38:44):
changed the recruiting process, and again that bag must be deep.
But I do want to applaud Mark for his ability
to develop guards. And we saw the return that happened
with Haley Vanldt when she joined TCU this year versus
last year at LSU. Just the player development and how
could they're able to develop their players. I'm looking forward
(39:07):
to seeing how Olivia Miles turned that page. Okay, so
we are one week away, well less than a week
away from the w NBA Draft in New York City.
I'm looking forward to see you there if you are
coming through.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
No, I'm not ere. I'm tired, Christina, don't put me
on another flight. I'm done.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
I'm done, All good, all good, Okay, But what are
you looking forward to the most from this year's draft class.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
Well, this is an interesting draft class.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
You know, when we were projecting, probably in November, it
was going to be a total different draft class. You
mentioned a z Fud coming back, Olivia Miles going back
to school, Lauren Bets going back to school, even Flage deciding.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
To stay one more year. So that really mixed a
lot of things up.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
And I think it's exciting because when we're at this
point in the WNBA draft, probably the first three picks
are a lock, and then it's like, we don't know,
and we kind of all go in with like, who
are the gms gonna pick? I don't know if the
gms know at this point, honestly, but that makes it
a little fun that are mock drafts.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I just made a mock draft yesterday with Bleacher Report.
We don't really know. We're just thinking about fit.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
And when we talk about the WNBA draft very differently
from really any other professional draft. It's not always about
the number that you are selected. It is about the
team that you go to and if you fit in
with what they already have the system. Just last year,
not even fifty percent of the players who were drafted
(40:41):
made a team. So you just want to make sure
it doesn't matter if you are pick number eight or
pick number thirty, that you can go to a team
that you could have the best opportunity to make a
training camp and make an impact immediately. We talk about
all the time in our lead that you know, maybe
(41:02):
you don't get picked in the training camp, but you're
in the ecosystem of a team that if somebody gets
injured or somebody has to leave, you can fill in because.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
They already know you.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
So having that ability to go into training camp and
make an impact immediately is super important. But I'm excited
to see some of the international players too.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
Dominique Malanga out of France, I think is a sleeper.
A lot of people aren't familiar. But I know my
dad sent me that viral video like three times when
she was seventeen, so yes of her dunking a drop
step dunk, and he was.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Like, who is she?
Speaker 2 (41:38):
When does she come to WBA? I want to see
her play?
Speaker 3 (41:41):
And now I can finally say she is eligible to
be drafted. So could Seattle Storm pick her second?
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Could she go top five?
Speaker 3 (41:50):
She is six six and athletic on both ends of
the floor, and she's only nineteen years old. So I'm
excited about an international pick, which I think is kind
of random, and I don't know if I would have
said in November listen.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
And we know that in years prior gms would draft
internationally and then stash and then that player's rights gets
held for years. It happened with Leoni Phoebitch from the
New York Liberty, drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks. They
stashed her, gave her rights to Chicago. And what did
the New York Liberty do. They actually was intentional about
(42:28):
going out to go see her, give her a call
for her availability, and she was a key piece in
helping them win that twenty twenty four championship. So sometimes
going internationally can help you make or break a roster,
a team and your chances of winning a championship. So
I'm looking forward to seeing Dominique potentially play in the
(42:50):
WNBA this season. But also you brought up an interesting
point about teams drafting for needs based off player name,
and I think that's going to be super important in
this draft as the Washington Mystics and the Connecticut son
look to build out their rosters. Because if I'm a draftee.
This year, I want to go to one of those
two teams because I want to maximize my playing time.
(43:12):
I want to get in front of teams as well,
because in twenty twenty six everyone's going to be a
free agent and the new CBA is coming. So play
the short term game for the long term game. I
think would be the strategy. If I was trying to
get drafted, or if I was a mid tier player
in the WNBA looking for a contracts, I would look
at those two teams because those are the two teams
(43:33):
that are looking to build.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
I love how you said that because it's such a
short term thing. I feel like next year it's going
to be like everyone entering the portal, it's going to
be the same thing. Everyone's going to get all mixed around.
But you're kind of making your audition tape a little bit.
You're like, hey, this is where hey.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
Superstar, you want to come to my team because this
is what we got going on.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
This is what I was able to do my rookie season,
able to even if you just get a couple wins.
I think a team like the Washington Mystics, Connecticut, even
the Valkyries like these, there is a low expectation for
you to win at all, and let alone win a championship.
So just come in and be able to show off
what you can do and be able to show like, yeah,
(44:17):
you didn't waste to pick on me, like I am
able to make that transition into the WNBA. I'm able
to defend a WNBA player. Someone like Sonya citron Is
I think going to be such.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
A good pro. I love her game and we barely
talked about her in college because she was with Olivia
Miles and Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame. But man, she
has the height. She can guard your best defender. She
can score at the rim, she can shoot the three,
she can hit a MIDI like she is able to
(44:51):
come in and a plug and play player. That's what
I like to call, like, where do you need me?
I can fit in. I think she should go to
the Mystics. I have her and my mock draft at
third because she can just she could be a starter.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
She can come in and be able to show like, oh,
I want to play with her next year. I like
what she's doing. She's somebody who can be in conversations
of rookie of the year because she might just be
that efficient. So I'm excited about players like that. But
love what you said, Mystics Connecticut. Even Valkyrie is getting
their first ever WNBA draft pick, it's not a lot
(45:27):
of pressure on them, so they should come in and
play free.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Oh. Absolutely, last headline to round is out for the week.
The WNBA announced that the Sparks versus Chicago Sky game
aka the Kandas Parker jose Who retirement game, will now
be televised. Now, my reaction to that was it should
have been televised to begin with, yes, because it's Candas Parker,
(45:55):
but just your general thoughts on that move.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
It was smart, It was smart. I think one thing
about women's basketball fans is they will kick down a door,
and I think this is the reaction of that of
everyone overwhelmingly saying why isn't this on TV?
Speaker 2 (46:14):
Why would I not be able to watch this? I mean,
I'm even in LA and I would have to go
on Spectrum and try to go through hoops to try
to watch it. We have been yelling.
Speaker 3 (46:25):
About that for so long about access and ease of
access to WNBA games. That has gotten a lot better.
But then you have someone who is a legend in
our game, like Candice Parker getting honored. That is going
to make headlines. That's going to make news, that's going
to make waves. So you want that to be as
(46:46):
many as people to see it as possible. So it
was the right move to listen to the Rabble rabble
and make the change and do that.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
But I think, what did I read that right? That?
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Because now that game on TV that they had to
switch another game and move it off of.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
ESPN unfortunately, But god, I mean, all right, it's Kennis Parker.
Speaker 2 (47:10):
We'll take it. We'll take it even trade.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
It takes me back to last season where there was
this like hoopla about WNBA preseason games not being broadcasted.
That one fan who took her phone for a couple
hours and streamed the game live and it got over
what four million, it picked at like four million views
on her cell phone. And so, as you said, I
(47:34):
liked that the league is listening to their fan base
and trying to make it easier to be a basketball
a WNBA fan because for years it was hard to
find game scores and updates and everything. And we're at
a different time now. And as we mentioned, throughout the show.
If we want to, you know, appreciate where we are,
(47:54):
we have to honor where we came from. And Kendas
Parker deserves to be on national TV for her Jesus retirement.
That just has to happen, especially in LA and Chicago
where she helped bring their first championship to that city.
So we got ours.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We have to we have to. So shout out to
WNBA for listening and making that switch an ESPN two.
Speaker 1 (48:15):
Absolutely all right. So to round us out with this
conversation for this week is I just had so much
fun talking hoops with you. We like to ask all
of our guests what is something that brought them joy
in the last week, and so if you would like
to share, what is something that's brought you joy this week?
Speaker 3 (48:32):
Oh my gosh, this is my favorite question ever. What
has brought me joy? I will just say being at
the Final four and being there in person, and because
I applied for credentials so late, I did not have
a seat, so I had a like an audience seat
(48:54):
like I was in the mix.
Speaker 2 (48:55):
I wasn't in the media seating. And I just got.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Goose bumps because one because I'm I'm hearing the chatter
around from fans and they're just talking about, oh, well, well,
you know this is you know Paige, she was injured
this time, but now she's back, and they're just like
reading off headlines that we contribute to, you know, just
they're so in the know with these players. And you
(49:21):
know Caitlyn Jin she was at Princeton and she came
over here because they can't play four years. Like, just
little things like that brought me so much joy. I
was just sitting in my seat smiling because it was
a reflection of our work, you know, and what we
are trying to do to put more headlines out there
about women's basketball. And then to see it sold out,
(49:42):
hear the roaring of the crowd, hearing the fans travel,
especially that championship game. I feel like it was an
even split of Yukon fans and South Carolina fans.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
Like it was so loud and looking up into the rafters,
like I get goosebumps, I get teary eyed because I
love this game so much and these players on the
court deserve this and it just brings me so much joy.
So that is what brought me joy this past week.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
Oh my goodness. I love that well, Jordan, thank you
so much for joining us this week on In Case
you missed it, Such a pleasure chatting with you. Where
can we find you in your work?
Speaker 3 (50:22):
Yes, well you can find me anywhere and everywhere on TikTok,
Hey Jordan are, on Instagram at Jordan Liggins or on.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
Ex Hey Jordan Are Jordan Robinson. She's the host of
the Women's Hoop Show, so make sure you tune into
her show as well. Thank you so much for joining
us this week for this week's headlines.
Speaker 2 (50:42):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (50:44):
That's gonna do it for this week's show. Don't forget
to rate the view and subscribe to the podcast. Next week,
we have the WNB and draft coming up, so make
sure you subscribe so that you don't miss anything. Guys
next week, In Case you missed It with Christina Williams
(51:05):
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.
In Case you missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart Women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. Hey guys, welcome to In Case you missed
It with Pristina Williams and I am back in New
York City after a fun field Beacon in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
There was a.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Lot that happened in Tampa for action packed games, lots
of events. One of my favorite things about being in
Tampa was, you know, it felt like a reunion between
me and all of my friends in basketball media. But
also it felt like a full circle moment because the
last time that I was in Tampa was in twenty
nineteen when Notre Dame lost to Baylor in the championship game,
(00:45):
and that was also my first final for so to
see how much has changed in the last six and
a half years, I think that it just hit me
that women's sports is growing and evolving and that we
are doing the right work here. But yeah, it was
a super exciting weekend. One of my favorite events that
I attended had to be on Saturday. That was when
(01:06):
all of the events pretty much happened, but I was
able to attend a dinner hosted by Asia Wilson. She
announced a new partnership with Chase. Shout out to our
friends at Deep Blue, who you know, invited us to dinner,
but it was just a chill, private dinner. The steak
was really good, but I enjoyed hearing Asia talk about
(01:27):
all of the things that she was working on. Sid
Colson moderated the conversation, But one of my favorite parts
about that conversation was Sid just loving on Asia and
letting her know that she's a legend. But also she
hinted that this season, you guys better watch out for
her because she's ready to dominate and she's ready to
get back to winning. And so I'm excited to see
Asian Wilson just be herself this season and just turn
(01:50):
a new page. But that was my favorite thing about
the Final Four. I also was able to attend the
Together party, and if you know, you know that is
one of the most pop in parties at Final four,
and I ran into Diana Tarazzi and was able to
you know, congratulate her on her retirements and just you know,
(02:11):
chill hang out with friends. It was very hot in there.
I'm I'm like, it was so hot that it felt
like a house party. It gave me house party vibes.
But it was good. It was a good time all around.
I mean, obviously on Sunday I got to sit up
close and personal at the Final four championship game. I
sat right behind the South Carolina bench, so I was
able to see and hear a little bit of everything.
(02:33):
But no, it was a good time, a good game.
Did not expect South Carolina to get blown out, but
congrats to Yukon. All right, Jah, I'm super excited about
this week's show and our guest this week, so joining
us this week, and it's a pretty long list. She's
a sports writer, a podcast producer, a TV host, and
(02:55):
overall storyteller. And she's writing a new book as well,
so if you want a lookout for that, the one
and only Jordan Robinson. Jordan, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Thank you for having me, and thank you for listening
off all my jobs. That's just a lot of ten
ninety nine this tax season, so that just made me
cringe you listen all those off, but thank you, thank
you for having me listen.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I feel you, girl on that one. So let's get
into Taifa. I know we both just got back from
the Final four. Did the championship weekend exceed your expectations?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I think it exceeded my expectations in the sense that one,
I didn't know that I was going until Monday of
last week.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So it was like a scramble.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
But I always love to go because it is a
reunion of everyone in women's basketball, So it always exceeds
my expectations there to be able to see everybody in
their elements doing what they love, doing their thing. So
in that case, yes, the basketball. On one hand, I
was a little sad at the scores and the blowouts,
(04:05):
but I loved how Yukon was able to pull it out,
and I think the stars were able to be stars.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
So in that case, yes.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Assume we're going to get into all of the basketball
a little bit later. Before we do that, let's dive
into who you are. Talk about your personal journey and
how you became a sports host, a producer, all of
the things. Where does your story start with women's basketball?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, that's my favorite question because I love this sport
so much, and it started because my older brother played basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
We had a hoop in our front yard and he
was always out there playing and I wanted to be
like my older brother in any way possible, so I
would follow him around like his annoying shadow. And basketball
was a part of that. So I started playing when
I was five years old. I was on a co
ed team. We were the Lakers. We had T shirts,
(05:03):
not even jerseys, that's how young we were. And I
remember there was this boy on my team and he
was such a ballhog, and I remember going into the
huddle and being like, you have to pass me the ball.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Like I know, I'm a girl, but I'm good. Trust me.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So that's where just this advocacy for girls and sports
probably started with myself. But growing up in Sacramento, I
was a huge Monarchs fan and one of my teammates
growing up. Her birthday was always Opening weekend and we
would go to a Monarchs game every year.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
For her birthday. And I have a T.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Shirpinacherial jersey that is still signed from when I was nine.
And that's where my love for the WNBA and women's
basketball really started. I would practice my signature. I was like,
I'm going to the WNBA. You can't tell me anything.
I'm autographing paper towels around the house and then Christina.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I'm only five to five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I stopped growing, so those dreams really stopped for me,
but the love for the game has stayed the same.
Went to school, studied journalism, played basketball in college, and
I fell in love with the storytelling aspect of sports.
And so I may not be playing at the professional
level now, but I still get to talk about it
(06:16):
and report about it. And I just want to make
sure that everyone knows these stories of these women's basketball
players in any media, podcasting, TV, writing.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I want to be able to tell them in any
way I can said.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
I absolutely love that, and we have a simpler story
and early advocacy for girls in sports. I mean, I
remember being in middle school and advocating for girls team
because I didn't want to be a cheerleader, and that's
that's where I started in my love for the game
as well. But you're writing a new book and it
isn't published just yet, but talk about the book and
(06:51):
what was that process like for you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Man.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
I cannot wait for you all to see this book.
It is about the history of women's backs basketball. I'm
co authoring it with Imma Bachelari. It's through Hashett Books,
their imprint Black Dog and Lovenhal and it's going to
be a coffee table book for women's hoops fans. We
go from the eighteen hundreds to twenty twenty four, and
(07:16):
we cover it all as much as we can. I mean,
through this whole process, it was very obvious how each
essay that we wrote could be its own book, Like
every story, every incredible woman who has paved the way
in their own right, could have their own story, their
own documentary about their journey. So we tried to just
(07:39):
give an overview, and we want this to kind of
be a bible, if you say, of women's hoops, and
a starting point for you to just jump off and
be able to learn so much.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
But you know, the first essay in the first chapter
I wrote was on Or Washington and the Tribune girls
from the nineteen twenties and Philadelpha and how they started
and they were kind of the superstars of their heyday, traveling.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Around going to HBCUs and playing against other black women
and they're getting their start in basketball.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So I learned so much, and I.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Have all of this knowledge of names and numbers and
years in my mind right now.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I feel like this is my peak self.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
But it has been a journey and Emma Bachelorrea is
so incredible. She writes a great great essays in this
book as well. But we're expecting early twenty twenty six.
So I was at the final four. I was like, Okay,
next year, this time, I will have a physical book
in hand and I'll be able to throw them at
people and say by it because you need it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And I think that this is something that is necessary,
especially as the momentum for women's sports continues to grow.
I mean, in Tampa, I attended a dinner for Asia
Wilson and Sid Colston was moderating discussion, but she came
over to our table and we started to have a
conversation about the lack of archives and women's basketball and
and lost history it and I brought up how Elena
(09:10):
Deldhon retired last week or now so retirement. People were
under my post like was she any good? And I'm like, wait,
oh my god, it's a recent player we're talking about,
and there are people who are asking was Alena Deladhon
any good? But it goes back to just the storytelling
and not having that history accessible, And so I applaud
(09:30):
you for taking the time out of your schedule to
make something like that happen. And I'm excited for your
book to come out. What was one of the most
interesting stories that you learned in the researching process of
the book?
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Oh man, You know, I love what you said about
archives too, because we are getting photos. The photos are incredible,
and we were able to grab personal archives from players
who are still alive and still here, and they were
able to share their photos and we went to libraries
and to get these photos. So one of my favorite
(10:06):
chapters was the seventies. You know, that was such a
special time in women's sports, but specifically women's basketball in general.
And I got to talk to the ladies from the WBL.
I have the basketball here behind me because Liz Galloway
mcquitter she sent me one and Molly Bolin and those
(10:27):
ladies were such pioneers and they didn't ask to be,
They didn't know that they were going to be. But
the first professional women's basketball league before the WNBA was
the WBL, and it only lasted a handful of years.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
It wasn't this great success.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But the women who really started it and were asked
to be a part of it, their stories and the
team names, the California Dreams, the Chicago Hustle, the Columbus
Minx where they're on their fly and mink coats that
were sponsored and given to them, like incredible, incredible stuff
(11:06):
that you have to see to believe. I think that's
a lot of it too, having the photos, having the stories,
having them say, you know, we didn't show up to
the game because we were missed two paychecks, Like we
boycotted at the start of the game, like we weren't
getting paid. We had to carpool with each other, we
were sharing rooms, but we just wanted to play basketball
(11:29):
and that's all that mattered.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
So some things have changed, but some things haven't changed.
And this desire to play at the highest level and
be able to share your love for the sport regardless
of the circumstances.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
You see that over and over again throughout history. So
that was my favorite part and one of my favorite chapters.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
I'm so excited for twenty twenty six. I absolutely cannot wait.
And I think that in order to appreciate how far
we've come, like now, the women's Final four had over
eight million viewers peak over eight million, we have to
appreciate where everything started. So I'm looking forward to that.
All right, let's dive into this week's headlines. So you
talked about, you know, some of those games over the
(12:12):
weekend being absolute blowouts. South Carolina lost in a championship
game to Yukon. How surprised were you for that result?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Now?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
For me, I had South Carolina winning it all, but
I think that on Friday I kind of changed my
mind in terms of who I thought would win because
of the beatdown that Yukon put on UCLA, which was
the number one overall seed. But what was your thoughts
about that game?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
That game in particular?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I also had South Carolina on my bracket winning it all,
And I wish you could have a bracket pre tournament
and then you could be able to erase some of
your answers once the games started going. Because once I
saw Yukon from the start from game one of this
NCAA tournament, I said, oh, okay, this is different. Page
(13:02):
is on a mission. And then her teammates around her
want this for her so bad that they are doing
everything that they can to make this dream happen, to
make it happen so that she can win a championship
her senior year.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
That's a different level of energy that x's and o's
game plans.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You kind of throw all of that out the window
when it is a pure desire to win. And that's
what you saw on Sunday page.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Beeckers in Yukon looked I don't even know how to
describe it, near perfection.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Really.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
They looked sharp, they looked discipline. They were going after
fifty to fifty balls, they were boxing out every possession,
they knew the scout. It was a flawless execution.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And when you are going up against a team like
South Carolina, you kind of need that, and that's exactly
what they did. And then on top of that, they
couldn't miss. So there's that as well. South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
To me, something that I never thought I had to
do throughout this tournament was questioned effort and question their
ability to get it. They have slow starts, we know.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
That, but getting over that hump and being able to
turn it on. It just never got turned on. And
we talk about don Staley. I'm never gonna bet against her,
but she can't go out on the court and play
for her team.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
She can't suit up, she can't put on a jersey.
At the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
The players are gonna have to want that desire, and
you know, she said it after the game. I hope
they're crying. I hope they're upset, because it's gonna take
a little bit more than the skill the x's and
o's to come back and try to win it again
next year.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yukon, hats off to you. You deserve that. They played
near flawless.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Everybody in the tournament fud around and found out because
as Fudd is a freaking hoper.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I love her game. So yeah, Yukon, congratulations.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Listen. I didn't agree with you more. I think that
on finding that. What I saw was that first game
between Texas and South Carolina in the first quarter, As
you said, they had the slow starts, and against a
team like Yukon, who's so good in transition, who's so disciplined,
it's hard to climb back from that.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
What I will say about Yukon is this is the
first time that this team has been healthy, and we
were able to see the big three and Sarah Strong
as Page Beckers, just how much chemistry they had throughout
the season. I had a chance to talk to a
Z postgame, and she talked about the uncertainty she had
at the start of the season for this Yukon team,
(15:37):
but how they were able to build chemistry throughout the
season and how by the end of the regular season
going into tournament time, you know no one could knock
off their confidence. Sarah Strong mirror that same story of
just trusting her teammates and being confident. She played really,
really mature, like she's only a freshman. But to have
(15:58):
a double double in your friend year in a championship game.
Out to Serio Strong for that game, you talked about
what we're like for the Huskies and where South Carolina
kind of fell short. How do you think the game
Cops can recover from something like this.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
I think it's gonna be one I say they're one
piece away.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
They need one more piece. I think they're going to
get into the portal, or even maybe it is an
incoming freshman because don can recruit like no other and
she doesn't need to recruit really that hard because people
want to play for her. They need one more offensive
weapon because what I saw in that game was historically
(16:39):
South Carolina gets a lot of their points off of
their defense, and it's out of picking people off getting transition,
that's what gets their momentum, gets hype. But Yukon was
not making mistakes. They don't make a lot of mistakes.
They weren't turning the ball over. So then it was
a little bit like, oh, we have to really get
a half court set. And Chloe Kitts was really great
(17:02):
and aggressive from the jump of that game, and I
was really proud of her for taking a little MIDI
doing a turnaround fade away that was creating your own
shot rather than just in transition. So I think they
need one more piece. That's like, okay, who is going
to get us a bucket? Malaysia f Wili is typically
that person and she comes off the bench and it felt.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Like it was a lot of pressure for her.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
To come in and be this savior at this time
of the game in a national championship game. She's only
a sophomore and we know how she's explosive and exciting
and this microwave player, but it was like, hey, we
haven't scored in like five minutes. Malaysia save us, and
she wasn't able to do that. She had back to
(17:47):
back turnovers that really changed the trajectory of the rest
of that first half, and then she didn't really play
a lot in the second half. So you need a
couple more people and not have it all on lay
to come in and get a bucket when they need it.
So I'll be looking to see who they sign to
add to this already hungry team that has had a
(18:09):
lot of success up to this point. I don't want
people to think, oh, it was a bust. No, especially
these the seniors at South Carolina. They're two time national champions.
They have been to the Final four over and over,
so they should hold their head high. But I know
what they know what it takes to make it and
to win it. So they're not going to be satisfied
(18:30):
with just making it to the championship game. They want
to come back next year and they want to win it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
You said a couple of things that stood out to me.
First with my Laysia Fool while she logged in eighteen
minutes in that championship game. But I think that what
was South Carolina strength and having depth was also their
achilles hill in that championship game. Because the amount of
subbing right that happened, it was hard for South Carolina
to establish an offensive flow and so I think that,
you know, with all of the subbing and having at depth,
(18:57):
it was really hard for play like Malaysia Fuo Wally
to help from climb out of that because she wasn't
able to establish a rhythm in her game and there
was a lot of pressure for her to come in
down twenty plus points and try to make something happen,
and it just it just didn't happen. But I think
that what people forget about South Carolina is the player
(19:18):
that was on the end of the bench in Ashton Watkins.
She is that player for South Carolina who gets the rebounds,
who really helps them to get going on the offensive
and defensive end as well, someone who probably could have,
you know, contained Sarah Strong. But so it'll be interesting
to see what happens next season when she's back, just
(19:39):
because of her presence and how impactful she was for
the South Carolina roster. All Right, so we know that
what's next for the Game Cops in terms of recovery.
I don't want to count them out. I think that
they will be back and better next season. But what
happens next for Yukon and we know that they're gonna
lose Page as already said that she's going back next season.
(20:02):
What can we look forward to in terms of Yukon
next season.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yukon fans should be so excited that this is the
future of Yukon basketball, and it's so wild to think.
I think the whole time while I was in Tampa
and we're talking about these storylines and oh, can Yukon
get back to the mountaintop, I'm like, this is so weird.
(20:26):
Like Yukon was winning for so long and they were
so dominant that the storylines for like a decade was
Who's gonna knock off Yukon? And then now almost ten
years later, was the last time that they won their championship.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It was like, who's gonna be the next Brianna Stewart?
Is Yukon gonna be back? Like they've always been great?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
And I want to say to just give my flowers
to Gino and the Yukon program because it made everybody else,
you know, raise the standard. They wanted to compete with Yukon,
and they wanted to make sure that they were able
to get their program to a level that Yukon was
for so long, and so there was so much parity
(21:07):
and there was so much of a time to build
and add more to your programs. So now you have
a Azy Fudd and a Sarah Strong that is going
to be pillars for you for the next couple years.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
And that is so exciting.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I was just recording with Cheryl Swoops yesterday as we
recapped it, and she said, at the end of the day,
Sarah Strong could.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Be the best Yukon player to ever come out of Yukon.
She is that good.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
And I said, dank, Cheryl, Okay, that's a full statement,
but I'm rying with you because she is that good
and she is only a freshman, and at this point
of your freshman season, you're really a sophomore, and you're
able to see who's been able to grow over the
course of their year. Since day one one, she is
not the same player, and she's been able to add
(22:03):
tools to her game, be more efficient, and she is
scare re.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
So Yukon fans are like, oh, thank god, we're back
on top. We got Azy, we got Sarah.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Strong, and we're gonna keep adding more pieces to make
us the Yukon of yesteryear.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I think it was Nikaya s Duncan who tweeted, this
is the worst we'll ever see of Sarah Strong, and
it's true because her worst is someone's best. As all
the records she's been able to break, you talk about
her versatility. When I saw her shoot that three in
the championship game, I was like, all right, this light's out.
She's comfortable, comfortable, and she comes from It's in her blood.
(22:41):
Her mom played Alison Peaster. She was at the game,
her all of her parents and everyone was there. But
I loved at the end of the game just seeing
all of the Yukon rates, how much they embraced Sarah
Strong and the other players from Yukon at the championship
game when they won, and just the culture that they
build around those I think it's something special. I am
(23:02):
looking forward to seeing three more years of Sarah Straw.
Also in Tampa, they found out that super Yukon Alum
(23:23):
Mine have more another Yukon alum and then LSU Great
Sylvia Fowls have all been elected into the Hall of Fame.
Obviously there's no surprise there, but let's just talk about
their impaths and what they mean to the game of
basketball so much.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You know, I got to talk to Sylvia Fowls at
the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame breakfast over the weekend
and she was inducted in the Women's Basketball Hall of
Fame but also the Nasman's Hall of Fame. And I
asked her, you know, how does it feel to have
Hall of Fame next to your name? And she said,
it feels weird because it's so soon. I thought it
would take longer. And I'm like, do you know who
(23:59):
you are?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Are?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Like, no, we couldn't wait to induct you as soon
as we were possible. We can induct you the all
time leading rebounder, And somehow she feels overshadowed by Sue
Bird and Mayamor. That is an incredible class of legends
and people who have paved the way. When you think
of Maya Moore, she is one of my all time
(24:22):
favorite players, like she is one of my goats because
of what she did in such a short amount of time.
And then chucked up the deuces and was like, yeah,
you know, this whole basketball thing, I'm done with it.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And she's still a Hall of Famer. So what they were.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Able to do and for the WNBA, but for women's basketball,
going back to their college, their times at the Final
four is never going to be duplicated again. And I
hope even just when I said with my book, we're
able to preserve their history, their records, their stats, what.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
They meant to the game.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I want Mayamour highlights on replay on YouTube over and
over because she was one of the most poetic basketball
players to watch, Sue Bird, the way she commanded the floor.
She was a true true point guard, which I feel
like our game is missing a little bit of. And
then Sylvia Fowls being able to be so dominant inside.
(25:20):
You don't see a lot of that anymore as well.
So I hope all three of them are they are
enshrined in the Hall of Fame for what they have done.
And as a women's hoops fan, just regardless of it
being my job, I loved loved watching them play.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
You know, we talked about players who were great. I
mentioned Elena Deladan earlier. She finally announced her retirement from
basketball as well, and as mentioned earlier, it was shocked
the mess out of even people were like, was she
any good? And I was like her twenty nineteen championship
run playing with three herniate discs in her back. That
was the same season she was the fifty forty ninety,
(26:00):
the only w NBA player to this day to do that.
Just asking if she was any good was absolutely ridiculous.
It's like death taxes and Alena Deladon's fade away exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
We talk about her heart.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Oh my gosh, the evolution of the basketball style of play.
I think about Candice Parker, I think about Elena Deladon,
just how versatile their gameplay was, how how much of
leaders they were for their franchises. Bringing the first championship
to DC. To question her greatness is absolutely crazy. I
think that the game is definitely going to miss a
(26:35):
player like Alena Deladon.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
I'm going to miss Helena Deladon. I was the person
that was Delulu and like, yeah, she's just taking some
time off, but she's gonna be back, Like she's coming
back this season.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
She's been, you.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Know, working out behind closed doors like it's fine, Like
she's gonna be back. Because I can't imagine the WNBA
without now Diana Tarasi and Alena Deladon being retired back
to back. You know what's funny is I kind of
called it because we're looking at the game plan of
what we're going to be doing for this weekend. I
was there with Women's Sports Network and I see that
(27:11):
Atlanta Deeladon has an appearance Attorney Town and I was like, oh, man,
she's retiring. She's not just gonna come out of the
woodworks after like two years and be at an appearance
unless she has an announcement to make. And I was devastated,
pre devastated before the announcement already happened. But we are
(27:31):
going to miss her versatility, gosh, her smooth touch, her
shock value that every single time she stopped on the court,
you were still surprised that she had something else in
her bag. And this goes all the way back to Delaware,
Like she talked about in her Player's Tribune article a
(27:51):
while back, I could have went to Yukon. She was
gonna go to Yukon, she was gonna go to a
big school.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
But she said, Nah, I'm gonna go to Delaware and
be the best player in history there and.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Bring them to the furthest they've ever been in their
tournament run when she was there, and be their draft pick.
And she was a part of that iconic twenty thirteen draft.
The three to see with her, Brittney Griner and Skyler
Diggen Smith. It was a new era of the WNBA
and she was really a part of that. And when
(28:23):
you think about someone like Deldon, you think about Candas Parker,
kind of that point forward tall but can do it
all Without Candas Parker, without Alanta Deladon, we don't have
Breanna Stewart.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Like there is a.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Lineage of those type of players that we see now
and now we're seeing a Sarah Strong who can cross
people over and shoot the three, and she's also over
well over six foot. There is a string of those
type of players that we are able to see and
Alena Deladon is very much a part of that. Then
you throw in her efficiency as well, whoa one of
(28:58):
the best to ever do it.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Absolutely, Edd, we truly are going to miss you. You
did so much for the game. Thank you for all
that you've done. He talked about, you know, that draft
class with Edd and Sky and Brittany Griner, which really
made my mind go because I was scrolling through social
media after the championship game and there was a post
about the twenty twenty recruiting class right and it was
(29:21):
Paige was the number one recruit from that class. Angel
Reese was second. They had Camon Brink, Camilla Cardoso, and
Katelyn Clark. And so the discussion around that recruiting class
was four of the five one national titles all but
Katelyn Clark. And so you know, we've had these discussions
(29:41):
about if championships define your greatness. Now, after seeing four
of the five and the twenty twenty recruiting class get titles,
do you agree or disagree that a championship defines the greatness?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
I think that is such a great question.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
And what I come back to don't want this to
be a cop out, but there is greatness on the court,
and there's legacy on the court, and I think someone
like a Brianna Stewart saying, yeah, you need a title
in college to define that legacy, and she says that
is going four for four, But I think it does.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I think you need one.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I think it solidifies what you do. But on the
other hand, and I think of someone like Caitlyn Clark,
her impact, I want to say impact off of the
court and what she was able to do to bring
eyes to our game. That is very important and I
don't want it to be either or, but it is
(30:41):
also very important having a title and being able to
go to a program that you know, when you think
about those recruiting classes, that's Yukon, that's Stanford, that is
South Carolina, that's LSU and Maryland for andrel Ree's went
to Iowa and not a lot of people were talking
(31:02):
about Iowa on that same level as those those platforms,
And I think that's something that we also have to
consider the impact of her bringing Iowa to back to
back final fours. Nobody who had that on our bingo
card even when she recruit was committed there in twenty twenty.
So I want to say that in general, I would
(31:23):
be in the camp to say, yes, you got to
win a title to solidify, and that's why it was
so important for Page I think, to win the title
this year. So when we remove contexts, when the next
people are writing the book and you know, twenty years
from now, when they look back and they see, Okay, wow,
(31:44):
Calin Clark didn't win a title, who was this buster like,
It's not going to be that type of conversation. They're
not going to write it about write it like that
in the history book. So I do think it's important.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
But Caitlyn Clark definitely has the impact and the wave
that she helped continue because I won't want to say
she started it, but she helped continue it and have
new life. Yeah, I think that's that's her legacy.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah, I agree, it is too cool because you did.
You then have players like Lisa Leslie, Simona Augustus who
had never won in college but they're in the Hall
of Fame and Don Staley and what you contributed Donston
contributed to the game speaks for itself, and so no,
I think that you made an interesting point there. Also,
(32:34):
I saw a clip. I didn't see the full context
of what Gina Ariama said, but did you see the
clip where he was talking about how players who won
one championship gets statues and and I don't know the
whole quote, but what were your thoughts about what Gino said?
Because I don't know if it was shade towards South
Carolina and Asia Wilson or even Lsu given Simone Augustus
(32:58):
a statue, But I think that in terms of context
and why those women have statues at their alma maters,
I think that we should dive deep into death because
people forget or maybe they won't to ignore again, the
history of why it was important to recognize them.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
My initial reaction was to think about all of the
players that had statues, So I was like, Okay, who
else has one?
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Are right, there's two? There is Asia Wilson, Handsome on Augustas.
So it's a very short list to not feel like
it's shade towards those players. But again you go with
impact Asia Wilson. I mean, think about everything she has
done since.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Her statue, Like it's like South Carolina knew that she
was going to be such a pillar in women's basketball
that they're like, let me just get her this statue
now before she blows up, because we believe in the
potential and the future that she has done for this.
But when you think about both of them and Simone,
it was their city, They went to a school where
(34:04):
they grew up. They were able to put their schools
on the map.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
And yes, Simone was able to make a deep tournament run,
but Asia was able to win a championship on a
same campus that her grandmother wasn't even able to walk
on at some point in South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
That is legacy, that is something that is more than banners.
And still she was able to get one. We talk
about even I mentioned with the Lena Deeladon choosing to
go to a different school and Caitlin Clark choosing to
stay close to home. Going to a different school rather
than a program like Yukon isn't a diss to Yukon.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's exactly what I said before.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
It's this idea that programs wanted to get like Yukon.
They wanted to build better programs to meet that standard,
to try to knock them off the mountaintop. Haja Wilson
and Simone Augustus were pieces in that.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Caitlin Clark is definitely going to have a statue at Iowa,
that is no question. It's probably being built as we speak.
She did not win a championship there. It's the impact
that sometimes make a bigger difference. And at Yukon, who
the heck are you gonna build a statue? You need
to build a whole enshrinement. It needs to be a
whole section of the campus for all of the players
(35:23):
that went there.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And won a championship. I think it should be flipped.
Why doesn't do we have a champion a statue on
campus at Yukon. She went four for four nobody has
done that. Why doesn't Maya Moore have a statue on
Yukon's campus?
Speaker 2 (35:37):
So I hope it was in shade.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
I hope he was just in the moment kind of
talking more about his program rather than a disc to
other programs. But we have to uplift and be able
to recognize that what Ajea Wilson and Simon Augustus have
done to deserve a statue is that they deserve that
statue there.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
Absolutely, do you think that maybe Yukon should do as
you said, I building inscribement for all the players that
came through and made history for that program. All right,
(36:19):
moving right along, breaking news this week, Olivia Miles has
reportedly committed to TCU. Now, I like this move, and
I think that Mark Campbell's ability to recruit top level
players has been amazing. What are your thoughts on this
move of Olivia Miles returning to college and transferring to TCU.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Christina, I where I ask when I go to sleep
and I just write what I lifted up my eyemask
and I turn and look at my phone.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
I see that Olivia Miles is going to TCU, And
I thought I was still dreaming.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I thought, this can't be real.
Speaker 5 (37:02):
I was. I was shocked by it. Actually, I was
shocked at how quickly this news came, like this was
just what was it? Maybe last week that she decided
to go into the portal going she pulled to Kevin Durant.
She went to the team that beat her twice and said.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
If you can't beat them, join them. And you don't
see that a lot in our women's game. You don't
see that a lot really period. I also love Mark Campbell.
I think he is great.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
I love what Hailey van Lith and the PAC twelve
All Stars. That's what I called TCU last year because
it was everyone from the PAC twelve conference that went
over to that team. I think they're doing some special teams.
But I was like, man, what is that bank account
looking to like? Cause that nil money must be real
(37:55):
nice at Texas Christian that was my first thought.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I'll be honest, but losing Hailey vandlydth I think you
bring in an Olivia Miles on a team that is
super strong that is only going to help other recruiting, Like,
I think that's going to bring more people there once
she has recruited and committed. So it's just the beginning
for TCU, I think. But I was shocked. I did
(38:21):
not see that coming.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Yeah, and it's so interesting now that in college basketball
in general, men's and women's portal is like free agency,
and we see on the men's side right teams are
starting to hire general managers. So this is like, is
this college troops or is this professional basketball? At this point?
And to your point, you talked about how nil has
(38:44):
changed the recruiting process, and again that bag must be deep.
But I do want to applaud Mark for his ability
to develop guards. And we saw the return that happened
with Haley Vanldt when she joined TCU this year versus
last year at LSU. Just the player development and how
could they're able to develop their players. I'm looking forward
(39:07):
to seeing how Olivia Miles turned that page. Okay, so
we are one week away, well less than a week
away from the w NBA Draft in New York City.
I'm looking forward to see you there if you are
coming through.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
No, I'm not ere. I'm tired, Christina, don't put me
on another flight. I'm done.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
I'm done, All good, all good, Okay, But what are
you looking forward to the most from this year's draft class.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
Well, this is an interesting draft class.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
You know, when we were projecting, probably in November, it
was going to be a total different draft class. You
mentioned a z Fud coming back, Olivia Miles going back
to school, Lauren Bets going back to school, even Flage deciding.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
To stay one more year. So that really mixed a
lot of things up.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
And I think it's exciting because when we're at this
point in the WNBA draft, probably the first three picks
are a lock, and then it's like, we don't know,
and we kind of all go in with like, who
are the gms gonna pick? I don't know if the
gms know at this point, honestly, but that makes it
a little fun that are mock drafts.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
I just made a mock draft yesterday with Bleacher Report.
We don't really know. We're just thinking about fit.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
And when we talk about the WNBA draft very differently
from really any other professional draft. It's not always about
the number that you are selected. It is about the
team that you go to and if you fit in
with what they already have the system. Just last year,
not even fifty percent of the players who were drafted
(40:41):
made a team. So you just want to make sure
it doesn't matter if you are pick number eight or
pick number thirty, that you can go to a team
that you could have the best opportunity to make a
training camp and make an impact immediately. We talk about
all the time in our lead that you know, maybe
(41:02):
you don't get picked in the training camp, but you're
in the ecosystem of a team that if somebody gets
injured or somebody has to leave, you can fill in because.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
They already know you.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
So having that ability to go into training camp and
make an impact immediately is super important. But I'm excited
to see some of the international players too.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
Dominique Malanga out of France, I think is a sleeper.
A lot of people aren't familiar. But I know my
dad sent me that viral video like three times when
she was seventeen, so yes of her dunking a drop
step dunk, and he was.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Like, who is she?
Speaker 2 (41:38):
When does she come to WBA? I want to see
her play?
Speaker 3 (41:41):
And now I can finally say she is eligible to
be drafted. So could Seattle Storm pick her second?
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Could she go top five?
Speaker 3 (41:50):
She is six six and athletic on both ends of
the floor, and she's only nineteen years old. So I'm
excited about an international pick, which I think is kind
of random, and I don't know if I would have
said in November listen.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
And we know that in years prior gms would draft
internationally and then stash and then that player's rights gets
held for years. It happened with Leoni Phoebitch from the
New York Liberty, drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks. They
stashed her, gave her rights to Chicago. And what did
the New York Liberty do. They actually was intentional about
(42:28):
going out to go see her, give her a call
for her availability, and she was a key piece in
helping them win that twenty twenty four championship. So sometimes
going internationally can help you make or break a roster,
a team and your chances of winning a championship. So
I'm looking forward to seeing Dominique potentially play in the
(42:50):
WNBA this season. But also you brought up an interesting
point about teams drafting for needs based off player name,
and I think that's going to be super important in
this draft as the Washington Mystics and the Connecticut son
look to build out their rosters. Because if I'm a draftee.
This year, I want to go to one of those
two teams because I want to maximize my playing time.
(43:12):
I want to get in front of teams as well,
because in twenty twenty six everyone's going to be a
free agent and the new CBA is coming. So play
the short term game for the long term game. I
think would be the strategy. If I was trying to
get drafted, or if I was a mid tier player
in the WNBA looking for a contracts, I would look
at those two teams because those are the two teams
(43:33):
that are looking to build.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
I love how you said that because it's such a
short term thing. I feel like next year it's going
to be like everyone entering the portal, it's going to
be the same thing. Everyone's going to get all mixed around.
But you're kind of making your audition tape a little bit.
You're like, hey, this is where hey.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
Superstar, you want to come to my team because this
is what we got going on.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
This is what I was able to do my rookie season,
able to even if you just get a couple wins.
I think a team like the Washington Mystics, Connecticut, even
the Valkyries like these, there is a low expectation for
you to win at all, and let alone win a championship.
So just come in and be able to show off
what you can do and be able to show like, yeah,
(44:17):
you didn't waste to pick on me, like I am
able to make that transition into the WNBA. I'm able
to defend a WNBA player. Someone like Sonya citron Is
I think going to be such.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
A good pro. I love her game and we barely
talked about her in college because she was with Olivia
Miles and Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame. But man, she
has the height. She can guard your best defender. She
can score at the rim, she can shoot the three,
she can hit a MIDI like she is able to
(44:51):
come in and a plug and play player. That's what
I like to call, like, where do you need me?
I can fit in. I think she should go to
the Mystics. I have her and my mock draft at
third because she can just she could be a starter.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
She can come in and be able to show like, oh,
I want to play with her next year. I like
what she's doing. She's somebody who can be in conversations
of rookie of the year because she might just be
that efficient. So I'm excited about players like that. But
love what you said, Mystics Connecticut. Even Valkyrie is getting
their first ever WNBA draft pick, it's not a lot
(45:27):
of pressure on them, so they should come in and
play free.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Oh. Absolutely, last headline to round is out for the week.
The WNBA announced that the Sparks versus Chicago Sky game
aka the Kandas Parker jose Who retirement game, will now
be televised. Now, my reaction to that was it should
have been televised to begin with, yes, because it's Candas Parker,
(45:55):
but just your general thoughts on that move.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
It was smart, It was smart. I think one thing
about women's basketball fans is they will kick down a door,
and I think this is the reaction of that of
everyone overwhelmingly saying why isn't this on TV?
Speaker 2 (46:14):
Why would I not be able to watch this? I mean,
I'm even in LA and I would have to go
on Spectrum and try to go through hoops to try
to watch it. We have been yelling.
Speaker 3 (46:25):
About that for so long about access and ease of
access to WNBA games. That has gotten a lot better.
But then you have someone who is a legend in
our game, like Candice Parker getting honored. That is going
to make headlines. That's going to make news, that's going
to make waves. So you want that to be as
(46:46):
many as people to see it as possible. So it
was the right move to listen to the Rabble rabble
and make the change and do that.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
But I think, what did I read that right? That?
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Because now that game on TV that they had to
switch another game and move it off of.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
ESPN unfortunately, But god, I mean, all right, it's Kennis Parker.
Speaker 2 (47:10):
We'll take it. We'll take it even trade.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
It takes me back to last season where there was
this like hoopla about WNBA preseason games not being broadcasted.
That one fan who took her phone for a couple
hours and streamed the game live and it got over
what four million, it picked at like four million views
on her cell phone. And so, as you said, I
(47:34):
liked that the league is listening to their fan base
and trying to make it easier to be a basketball
a WNBA fan because for years it was hard to
find game scores and updates and everything. And we're at
a different time now. And as we mentioned, throughout the show.
If we want to, you know, appreciate where we are,
(47:54):
we have to honor where we came from. And Kendas
Parker deserves to be on national TV for her Jesus retirement.
That just has to happen, especially in LA and Chicago
where she helped bring their first championship to that city.
So we got ours.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We have to we have to. So shout out to
WNBA for listening and making that switch an ESPN two.
Speaker 1 (48:15):
Absolutely all right. So to round us out with this
conversation for this week is I just had so much
fun talking hoops with you. We like to ask all
of our guests what is something that brought them joy
in the last week, and so if you would like
to share, what is something that's brought you joy this week?
Speaker 3 (48:32):
Oh my gosh, this is my favorite question ever. What
has brought me joy? I will just say being at
the Final four and being there in person, and because
I applied for credentials so late, I did not have
a seat, so I had a like an audience seat
(48:54):
like I was in the mix.
Speaker 2 (48:55):
I wasn't in the media seating. And I just got.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Goose bumps because one because I'm I'm hearing the chatter
around from fans and they're just talking about, oh, well, well,
you know this is you know Paige, she was injured
this time, but now she's back, and they're just like
reading off headlines that we contribute to, you know, just
they're so in the know with these players. And you
(49:21):
know Caitlyn Jin she was at Princeton and she came
over here because they can't play four years. Like, just
little things like that brought me so much joy. I
was just sitting in my seat smiling because it was
a reflection of our work, you know, and what we
are trying to do to put more headlines out there
about women's basketball. And then to see it sold out,
(49:42):
hear the roaring of the crowd, hearing the fans travel,
especially that championship game. I feel like it was an
even split of Yukon fans and South Carolina fans.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
Like it was so loud and looking up into the rafters,
like I get goosebumps, I get teary eyed because I
love this game so much and these players on the
court deserve this and it just brings me so much joy.
So that is what brought me joy this past week.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
Oh my goodness. I love that well, Jordan, thank you
so much for joining us this week on In Case
you missed it, Such a pleasure chatting with you. Where
can we find you in your work?
Speaker 3 (50:22):
Yes, well you can find me anywhere and everywhere on TikTok,
Hey Jordan are, on Instagram at Jordan Liggins or on.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
Ex Hey Jordan Are Jordan Robinson. She's the host of
the Women's Hoop Show, so make sure you tune into
her show as well. Thank you so much for joining
us this week for this week's headlines.
Speaker 2 (50:42):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (50:44):
That's gonna do it for this week's show. Don't forget
to rate the view and subscribe to the podcast. Next week,
we have the WNB and draft coming up, so make
sure you subscribe so that you don't miss anything. Guys
next week, In Case you missed It with Christina Williams
(51:05):
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.
Host
Khristina Williams
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