April 9, 2025 • 44 mins
In this special crossover episode of In Case You Missed It recorded at Final Four Weekend, Khristina is joined by hosts of the Full Circle podcast Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. The trio dives into the tournament, talking standout performances, the Final Four buzz, and surprising blowouts. They also discuss the transfer portal, NIL deals, and global growth in women’s hoops.
Want more women’s basketball scoop? Follow the show on Instagram @ICYMIwithKW and X @ICYMIwithKW and for more on Khristina follow her on Instagram @khristinawilliams
Let us know what you think of the show by leaving a rating and a review!
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.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
What's up, y'all, It's Zego Christina and welcome to a
special edition of In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams.
So over the past weekend, I was in Tampa, Florida
for the Women's Final Four and I was able to
join Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose for a special crossover
episode where we previewed.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
The Final four. And we already know what the results
of the championship game was, but I want you guys
to take a listen to this special conversation. We had
a lot of fun. Shout out to our producers Grace
and Tari for being on site and Jesse Katz for
making it all possible. All right, y'all, take a listen
(00:55):
to this special episode.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Welcome to our second This is Me and Mariah second
live show, Christine.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Have you done live shows before?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Done tons of them?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yeah? So you're a vet.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
So I'm gonna let you. I'm gonna let you take
the leave with us for now. For now, our show
is very go with the flow, vibing out. If y'all
have any questions, we're gonna we're gonna interact with y'all
a little bit too. If y'all want to ask us anything,
We're gonna ask y'all some questions about the tournament, about
what who y'all think is.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Gonna win today?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Okay, period, All right, I'll save my prediction for the
end of the show, so y'all don't leave. But what
do y'all think of the tournament so far? I mean,
we're on the last weekend championships Sunday, Yes, and what
are your What are y'all's thoughts overall thoughts.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Of the tournament?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Very exciting basketball, very high level basketball. I've just been
enjoying Tampa. Really just vibing, but not disappointed in the
level of competition that we've been seeing throughout the weekend.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
I think the tournament has been amazing, Like we've had
seen some really huge performances, Page dropping fifty without any
points in the second, you know, like huge moments. I
think everybody showed up and showed out for the moment.
I feel like the very untrue narrative was that after
last year, the Mimentum was going to die down, and
I think that they understood the assignment of carrying on
(02:21):
that momentum, and so the tournament was incredible.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Yeah, we were at the games on Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Let's talk about those games real quick, because I know
we were just talking about the high level competition. But
I don't want to say that you have the tournament,
not about the final four. I mean, yeah, but we're
at the final four now. Those two games, for me,
I was I was a little disappointed in those games.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Not gonna die what about y'all?
Speaker 6 (02:47):
I was disappointed as a fan.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
But if I were a fan of one of the
winning teams and or a player or coach on one
of the winning teams, of course I would be ecstatic.
Like they went in their handle business.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I think that you could definitely tell which teams had
the experience and prepared for the moment in which team's
kind of cracked in the moment. Did not expect the
UCLA to get blown out by Yukon.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Did not.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
It would be interested to see what that scout of
report look like, but I don't. I wouldn't say I
was disappointed, but I wasn't disappointed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Oh was that game annoyed me? Because you're the number one,
so you're the number one over ros, so you can't
come in this final four and get beat down like that.
But I'm really excited for UCLA next season.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Well, can I give UCLA some some slack for a second.
We are far from California, We're in a whole different
time zone, and they.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
Forty forty the jet lag wait me on the jetlage. No,
I'm not, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I'm not.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I'm not rolling.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
But I'm excited for them for next season because I
know they probably gonna have that score in the locker
room all year. Can't wait for next season, can't wait
for them to see Yukon again because they will, absolutely will.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
But yeah, I'm excited la.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Jim Marya's point, Like Kim Moulki and g M brought
up that point of the super regionals and how that
would impact the performance on the court and maybe that
became a factor.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
When did they change that?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I think how long ago, because when I was in
college it was four, which I liked.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
I like the four regions.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I think that they try to make it more or
less so we could have more fans. But now with
the explosion of women's basketball, I don't feel like that's
necessary anymore, and I think I absolutely agree with you
know that the two regional sites is not a good
look anymore.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I love the home court advantage.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Some people don't really like that that much, but I
think that's like one of the most fun parts about
the women's tournament is having your tournament games at home
and then you get to earn that. But I hope
that in the future they're able to go back to
the four regional sites because now the way the conferences
are set up now, it's like everything is just a mess.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Everything is everything in college is a mess.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
As somebody who played in the Final four in Tampa.
By the way, y'all, what's your opinion on the fact
that I believe the men get a week break before
their championship.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
It's next week now, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Alright, So do you feel like there should be any
more time in between? Are you cool with the one
day No?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think that's the fun part about the final four.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I was talking to somebody a few weeks ago about
how they should maybe try and put the final fours
in the same city.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
No, I think that would be fire.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
The men and the woman. Yeah, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Wait, why not tell me?
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Well, because last night me and my little sister were
trying to go see Gorilla.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I don't know if any of y'all will try to
go to that or when to that. Listen.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
We got there really late and they shut the line
down on us because there were so many people.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Convention centers and arena's shit.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
They to the right, they have to pick the right Vegas, Atlanta, Atlanta,
what else? Not Los Angeles not La. I think that
would be cool and then have like double header. I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I'm trying to like think of.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Things to like spice things up, but that was something
You're the first person that told me no, So I
appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
I appreciate the pushback. I do want to give a
special shout out.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I don't know if they're going to listen to this episode,
but we told them to start listening to our podcast.
Me and Mariah were at the game on Friday, and
because it was a blowout, we were yapping just like
this in the stands and there were these two women
in front of us and one of them turns around
and they're like, what do you guys do?
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Like y'all know so much about basketball?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And we've just been listening to y'all's conversation for twenty minutes,
and I was like, oh, you like you like our conversations.
We actually have a podcast that you can listen to.
So I want to give a shout out to Stephanie
and Lucy.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
If they're going to listen.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
We really appreciated hanging out with you at the game,
So I just wanted to give that.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Little shout out.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
If you remember them what all in our.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
Conversation, shout out to them. Yeah, they now they are
approved to listen to our Yeah. No, I'm joking.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
But also heading into the Natti, I'm curious what you
guys think about all of this transfer movement.
Speaker 6 (06:53):
Lexie is a transfer kid herself. I'm a trust a
bit about that.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
But now with everybody bouncing around and moving teams before
the season really is over.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, So even when I transferred, I waited till my
semester was over, Like, I finished my classes, I did
postseason workouts, I did everything, and then I decided to leave.
The way these kids move now is is crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
It's almost like free agency. When I'm watching all of
the different movement and coaches going on social media saying
we don't have the money for you, and it's like
what college has become a big business. I was scrolling
through X a couple of days ago, and I saw
a coach saying that coaches were reaching out to players
without even being in the transperportal. So lots of tampering
(07:35):
and things like that. So it's very interesting to see
just the movement, but also players prioritizing themselves.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Yeah in that way, I mean, and there's no rules
in place, so yeah, like you say tampering, but like
that's not a thing really in college, because there's no
rules about.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
The science office, right, what is this compliance that existing?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Because I remember I was in the compliance office every
day when I was in college for every little thing.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Like it's seeing how much everything has.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Changed is so crazy, because like I couldn't even bring
my own basketball trainers on campus with me because it
was against the rules.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
It was a violation. If somebody wanted to send us
some clothes to.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Wear, violation.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I don't even know how they knew that we were
getting stuff. They knew everything, like they I feel like
they had cameras on campus because we couldn't get away
with nothing.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Well, another big change is the fact that you have
to set you You had to set out for a
year when you decided to transfer. Now they can. They
can move schools every year if they want, and there's
no players.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
We recushing for seven seasons eight years? Right, too long?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I hope you have as long as you leave with
multiple degrees, you know, do your thing.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But yeah, seven years in college is absolutely the same.
I can't.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
I was in college for five and I was ready
to go, but again, I wasn't making half a million dollars, so.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
I would be in college for ten years, ten years
if I could. If I were a current college athlete,
you have to drag me.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
How do I to your point?
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Nil place a huge part in players stay longer. We
saw that Olivia Miles and a lot of other players
laj Johnson decided not to enter the w Engage Raft
to go back to school to make more money.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, I mean the fact that people are announcing that
they're not going to the draft when they are not
technically even eligible yet.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I think that's funny.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
But I was never I don't think anybody was expecting Flage.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
To leave early.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Why would she do that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Olivia Miles Honestly, I was not surprised that she decided
to stay.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
I was more surprised by the transfer.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
So even the way Notre Dame kind of finished their season,
everybody kind of was like, what it they got going
on over there? But you know, I know what that's like.
Like when you're you're not happy somewhere, you're ready to
move on.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
It impacts the.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Team top to bottom, and did like you said, they
had other girls leave too.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Yeah, yeah, something's going on.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I'm not sure making four players. I think one player
was a red shirt player. Another player was on the
bench averaging four points the game. I think he's a center.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So yeah, a couple, okay, which I've got going over
there Notre Dame.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
But I don't think they.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Don't have they don't got them well do they have
money for?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I don't know what Notre Dame got going on because
they have the really good football team.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
I have no idea. But I also feel like the
staying to the same college point.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
The CBA also plays a part because I feel like
if I were in their shoes, they kind of want
to see what happens because the only people who are
going to be locked into their contracts all the rookies.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
So I feel like you might as well try your luck.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
And see what happens with the CBA and then coming
to college next year.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, and if y'all offer those who don't know, if
the rookie contracts right now are four years, which is
a very long time, and that's one of the things
that we're probably going to try and change in our
negotiations is trying to get those contracts to be a
year shorter because by the time you get to the
end of your rookie contract, you're like twenty six twenty
seven years old, and we think that's too old to
(10:54):
you know, start playing for your extension in your next
contract to potentially.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Enter free agency. So hopefully we can get that done because.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
I heard that there was that you guys are willing
to sit out if the negotiations don't go.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
No, I mean it's a it's a possibility, because that's
like worst case scenario.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
You got to prepare for anything. We don't. We would
not like to sit out.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I feel like it would be counterintuitive on our part
to sit out with all this momentum and stuff that
women's basketball has. But again, worst case scenario is we
don't get anything that we want from the ownership in
the league. Best case scenario is we get every single
thing that we ask for. So we're going to meet
somewhere in the middle, hopefully. You know, we have a
new team this season, Like, I would hate for us
to lock out when you know we have.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
An expansion team.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I can't remember when it was the last time that
w had an expansion team.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
I can't even two thousand. Yeah, Like, it's such.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
An exciting time for women's basketball on the WNBA and
women's college season was so amazing, So for us to
like have to stop it at any point next season,
I would really actually hate that.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Like your point about making the rookie car tracks last
for last time, because I never really thought about the
fact that, well, a lot of people complain about having
to stay in college for all that time, but I
think that that might be more beneficial changing the rookie contracts,
because it's like, Okay, so you're making me stay in
college for three years or until I'm twenty two or whatever,
and then I also have to stay locked into this
(12:17):
rookie contract until I'm twenty seven. Yeah, and then I'm
twenty seven and I'm having to play for my extension.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
That kind of puts me in a bad situation.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yeah, there's a.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Lot of things in our last CVA that were amazing,
but there was like a lot of things that we
still missed out on. But like, that's the thing about
negotiations and opting out is you get things that you
want and then you realize that there's more things that
we need. And I think right now we have a
lot of leverage to demand more from the league and
from the ownership, and we're seeing it. You know, teams
are getting practice facilities, now, we get to fly charter flights.
(12:48):
You know, things are just getting better and better and better,
and it's just all been a really nice process.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I did have Terry Jackson on my show from the
w MVPA and she said that the charter flights are
not necessarily written in contract.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
No they're not.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
It's like, oh, just pay for it for twenty twenty five.
But they're trying to into the new CB so hopefully ownership.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
I hope. And that was that whole situation was very funny.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Don't introduce me to something you can't maintain it.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Yeah, but that was like a power play on Kathy's part,
because I remember I was in meetings with Nekka, who
was on the Sparks at the time, and our person
who organizes all of our flights and hotels, and we
were going through the whole schedule, or like, what flight
do we want to get on? Do we want to
take this flight at this time? Do you want to
practice and then fly, or do we want to fly
and then practice. We were on the phone for like
(13:33):
two hours going through it, and then like three weeks later,
we get an announcement, Oh, we get charter flights, but
we like it literally came out of left field. So
as grateful as we were for that and how amazing
it was to fly charter, it kind of was like
a slap in the face because, like you just said,
you're introducing us to something that you might may or
may not be able to maintain, and it's now something
that we're going to have to negotiate in our collective
(13:56):
bargaining agreement. So I knew what Kathy was doing was
she did that. I mean, still appreciate it, but.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I can't believe there was a time where you guys
had to share hotel rooms.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Oh yeah, the rookies my first two seasons, I shared
rooms grown women, grown women, like.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
It was top athletes in the world.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah, I want to FaceTime my friends, and my mom
had to go downstairs with the lobby or get out
or they It was bad, but we made it work.
But it was good for like Team Bonnie. I was
on Erica Wheeler's podcast the other day and she was
telling me how part of her missus traveling commercial because
you get to spend like so much time with your teammates.
So like things like that we do miss because it's
(14:36):
good for Team Bonnie.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
You get to spend time with your teammates.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
And hang out.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But like at the end of the day, like we
want to get in and out, Like we don't want
to be sitting in the airport all day and we
want to get rest.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
But there were, I mean there were It wasn't all.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Horrible Born at Chicago Sky team that got stuck in
the airport for I've.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Been on like a few I've been on like I've
got like three experiences since I've been in the league
of getting.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Stuck in an airport overnight.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
So yeah, so okay, one we were nice, Yes, so
four hours we were twenty four hours. The most recent
time actually with the Sparks, we were in DC, I
want to say, and we were flying home and they
just kept delaying our flight, delaying our flight.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
It's like midnight. Then they finally cancel it.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
So we're all just sitting in the airport and we're like, Okay,
what do we do? So half the team went and
got hotels and then the other half just slept in
the airport.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
So w BA free agency happened, and you were traded
to the Seattle Storm from the Los Angeles Sparks.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Seattlestorm. They have practice facilities, they have.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
All of it, all of the things.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
How excited are you to be a part of that organization.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
I'm super excited, you know. I think the trade it
definitely caught me off guard. I think it caught a
lot of people off guard. But for me, I'm just
excited to be in a situation to win. Now be
surrounded by some veterans. I was one of the oldest
players on the Sparks. Now I'm probably one of the
youngest players on the Storm. And they just have really
good culture there and coach Quinn is amazing.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
I've heard from all the coaches.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
They watched me playing AU they were like very complimenting
of my improvement. You know, they've been checking on my health, mental,
physical health. So it's just been good vibes. And I
haven't even been up there yet, and I'm just really excited.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
To get up there.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Where were you when you found out that you were
being treated in the parking garage?
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Really?
Speaker 6 (16:39):
Yes, she had a game.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
I had a game.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I was on my way to an athlete It's a
limited game. I was pulling out of the parking garage
and my GM called me, and I just I immediately
knew because she never calls me.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
So I was like, this is not good, but I
mean it was good.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Like in hindsight, it ended up this is a really
good situation for me. But yeah, I was just in
the parking garage, all my way to the game, my business,
and she just calls me and just says, oh, yeah,
we're trading you bye.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
Like it was minute long. I'm not even exaggerating.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Had I went and checked one minute, one.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Minute and the NBA players get traded mid season? Is
it is it light and a load that you have
time to actually move from Los Angeles to Seattle in
the off.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Season Oh yeah, for sure. I mean I think moving.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I just got a place in LA which is crazy
because like for this exact reason, I never got a
place anywhere that I played.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
But I was like, Okay, I feel like I'm being
in LA for a minute.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Just got the apartment in October and now I'm traded,
so I'm still gonna have.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Home base in LA.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
But I was really excited to like have my place
of my own for the season because you're basically just
staying in a rental apartment during the season, so it
doesn't really feel like home.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
You can't always get super comfortable.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
But yeah, definitely lightens load, like what we saw with
like Luca and Anthony David, like people just my dad
went through it too. They said that they slipped a
note under his hotel door.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
What that's why I found out he got traded when
he was playing.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Her dad played for the Celtics.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Wait he got traded from yes.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Boston Slam Dump champion.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
Yeah, yeah, he got traded from where to where? In fact, I.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Think Boston to Toronto.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
Told me to move to Canada with a no understaid
get out. But that's farm.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Not too much on Canada, not too much.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Hey, big Drake fans over here.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Your work Yeah okay, but yeah, like it's cutthroat.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Business is business, but I think there's a way to
go about things and we got to be professional no
matter what.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
So I'm just excited for the next opportunity.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
I've never asked you about this, Lexi, but in your experience,
do you feel like getting traded, how do you deal
with that sense of almost rejection or like, how does
that feel?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Well, I'm kind of numb to it at this point.
I've been traded three times now. I've been traded and
you kind.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Of just have to bounce around.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
The WBA is such an interesting league, and we'll get
into this later because of the transition from college to
WBA is literally a week and a half, so you
don't always end up on the team that you should
end up on in the draft once you get drafted,
and for a lot of players, it takes a few
years for you to.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Settle in and find a place that's home.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
So for me, you know, La, I felt like that
was home for me, but then we just internally the
Sparks were just going through so many other changes and
I never was able to get comfortable. So I say,
Seattle's my last though I can't. I can't, and if
I do get traded again, I might as well just
go try and play for all twelve teams and let
me let me play for all twelve.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I feel like a lot of people don't realize the
fact that the season for college and today. So it's
Sunday to day the sixth, yes, and then the draft
is on the fourteenth.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
Yeah, so eight days.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
And the players who are playing in the game today
have what forty eight hours to decide if they wanted
to clear for the draft or not if they're eligible.
So it's life happens past.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
It happens fast.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
I remember my senior year, we lost in the sweet sixteen,
so I had a little bit more time. I didn't
officially get invited to the draft until like after the
Final four ended, so I don't have an out.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I have nothing.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
I had no clothes I have, I don't know I
was gonna wear. So everything happens like really fast. I
had to take my finals early, I couldn't go to graduation.
So you get thrown into the fire immediately.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Like I say, could you speak to the fact that
when you get dropped that isn't your guarantee that you're
in the WNBA.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
No.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
I just read an article that said less than half
of the draft picks from last year made the teams.
So it's very hard to make a WNBA roster. And
even though your contracts are long.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
They're not guaranteed. So you could be the number.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
One pick, number two pick, and if you're not. Charlie
ar Yeah, she's a perfect example of that. If you're
not up to par, you can get cut in training camp. Baby,
we do not care.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
So it's like very cutthroat.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
But that's why I think everyone has so much respect
for last year's class because they.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Came in and they did their big one.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
They really did, and they had a lot of opportunities,
and they had a lot of pressure, and they had
a lot of eyeballs and they really rose to the occasion.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So I like really enjoyed watching them do that.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
What was the hardest thing about transitioning from college to
the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
The hardest thing for me, I have like a lot
more free time than I was used to, so it
was like still trying to stay productive and not get
too bored. And then once the season started, once I
found out like I wasn't really gonna play a lot.
It was like finding ways to stay motivated with all
that free time, Like you can only work out so
many times in a day, you can only watch so
(21:37):
much film, you can only do so much stuff. So
for me, from going from playing forty minutes a game
in college, being in the championship games, winning all these awards,
and you get to the league and you're like bottom
of the totem ball, you're kind of just like okay,
like what now.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
So that was like one of the hardest things for me.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
That's probably like humbling might be the wrong word, but
going from being one of the if you're in the
top ten, you were definitely playing in college, you were
one of the best players in college, you were one
of the best players in high school, and then you
get thrown into the professional league and everybody's like, listen, rookie.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, And I was the only rookie on my team,
so I didn't even have like a rookie buddy. So
I had all the rookie duties. I had to take
everybody's laundry loops. I had to drop off laundry loops
on the road trips.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
I had to do all that kind of stuff, and
it was.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Just me, was there a VET in your rookie season
that kind of took you under their wing? No?
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Wow, No, there wasn't. Unfortunate. Oh yeah, man, eight years ago.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I'm over it now, And if anybody was on my
team that year, they probably are like, yeah, we probably
should have treated her a little bit nicer.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
But again, business is business.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
We were teammates, but you're competing for minutes and stuff
like that.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
End of the day. The first VET that actually took.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Me under her wing was Samonaugustus when I got traded
to the Minnesota Links. So she was like my first
like real vet that really taught me how to.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Conduct myself be a professional.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I was kind of a little baby, so she kind
of got me out of that and I'm like really
grateful over her.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Well, now that you are part of the Seattle Storm
and y'all have one of the top picks in the draft,
your second pick, second pick, what.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
Are you looking forward to having it with that second pick?
Speaker 3 (23:12):
According to the mock drafts, we're picking a French player.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Her name is Dominique.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
She's six' six and she can, dunk SO i would
not be mad at that. Pick we definitely have very
good guards, already SO i WOULDN'T i wouldn't think that
we would pick a guard in the. Draft SO i,
MEAN i think it's gonna Between dominique and Probably.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
KIKI i think.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
They're both excellent. Players we got to Watch kiki this this,
year you, know breakout a little bit from after. Transferring
SO i don't, know BUT i would love to have
a teammate that can. Dunk i've never had one.
Speaker 6 (23:44):
Before, yeah after watching we were watching some of her.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Highlights after watching, Those i'm, like somebody needs to put
those on a reel and put them ON espn so
that everybody.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Shuts up about women's basketball players not?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Dunking is that fucking? Dunk it was very light, too like,
entrances just one hand.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
DUNK i don't know what they're feeding These french basketball
prospects because six to, six.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Can, dribble can.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Shoot she came out of The wimby.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Factory she came out of The wemby.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
FACTORY i love that gms and scouts are starting to
look more overseas to build the. Rosters we saw That
Golden state at it like seven international. Players but when
you look at The New York, Liberty laoni Pbch. Niarasapoli
those international players helped them win a. Championship, Right SO
i love that THE w is extending.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Globally, YEAH i JUST i.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
WANT i do want More european players to come over,
here but with the prioritization, rule it's just so hard
for them because they all are playing professionally.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Already SO i think that's another thing TO.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
CB i think we're going to try and get that
out because The european players are extremely. TALENTED i played
overseas for three, years so Like i've been over, There
i've seen the talent that's over. There they're super, intelligent
they really love. Basketball so a lot of the draft
picks that do happen from over, sees a lot of
them are drafts in, stash and a lot of them
don't even ever come.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Over because she said The sparks didn't even call her
the three years that she wasn't in the, league and
The New York liberty was the first team to actually
go overseas meet with. Her everyone just kept trading her
right to right to him FROM la To, chicago And
Jonathan cole got lucky and was like we need this
player and then break out the star in the. Finals
she helped them win a.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Championship so, yeah there's some gems. Overseas So i'm excited
and if we can a.
Speaker 6 (25:27):
NIGHT i, MEAN i think.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
The last like teenager young player Was Liz and when
did she get? Drafted, yeah she was young when she got.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
DRAFTED i THINK i, think, oh, yeah she Was, chicago
but she came and played for like three seconds and
then she came back To yeah it's too crazy over,
here BUT i Think liz is probably like the last
like foreign player that was drafted at a super young
age and actually came over and.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Played SO i think it would be cool for her
to like start that back. Up you see it in THE.
NBA i would love for that to happen over here
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
MORE i was Watching fee the other day on First,
take AND i kind of hated this, question And i'm
about to ask it to, you BUT i just really
want to.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
Know what you.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Think who asked It Steven Stephen.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Smith oh, gosh so he asked her how she felt
about the NATIONAL tv. Schedule, OBVIOUSLY i think every SINGLE
fav games.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Is hit forty one out of forty four games.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
And NATIONAL tv or The Indiana fever and then there's
three you know that they dolved out to the.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Others so what do you think about? That the national? Team,
dude so all OF i.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Saw that one out of forty four games.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
On forty one out of their forty four or forty
one out of the forty four that are being the
TOTAL wnba national team games are The indiana faver?
Speaker 6 (26:44):
Games?
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Yes? Yeah oh, well.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
DID i just DID i break some?
Speaker 4 (26:48):
News i'm, Sorry, NO i saw, that BUT i came.
OUT i didn't really read into it BECAUSE i didn't.
Care BUT i mean it makes.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
SENSE i didn't, Care Like i'm, like let's not be,
dumb like who does everyone want to? Watch and they
have a really good team, NOW i mean they had
a good team last, year but they've made it very
clear what they're trying to do in free, agency so
it makes. SENSE i mean it's, good more, eyes more,
money more. Everything So i'm not mad at, it BUT
i think.
Speaker 6 (27:13):
We could have spread the love of the champs just
a little.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Bit, yeah but there are.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
Some of those games That i'm, LIKE i want to,
see like which?
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Ones what do you mean which? Ones like that WHEN i.
Speaker 6 (27:23):
See the championship, map like the championship match Of.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
New york and In.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
Minnesota, YEAH i think any from.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
A coverage, STANDPOINT i think it's disappointing because if you
want to grow the, game you have to tell a
variety of. Stories, right it's.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Lazy it's very. Late, yeah it's very. Lazy that's why we're.
Here that's.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Why, literally that's WHY i started my show BECAUSE i
feel like the coverage of women's sports is very. Lazy and,
yes it makes sense to put forty One fever games
on national, television but, again that's not how you grow the.
Game it makes sense number, wise like we know, that
but sometimes you got to do a little extra work
to grow things and make things. Work so shout out
(28:01):
to The. FEVER i hope everyone's coming for y'all's.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
NEXT i know, that, Right, yeah AND.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
I guess every that's a good point because every team
that plays, Them, yeah y'all, know like it's two way, thing.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Right we'll get that exposure as. Well SO i, mean.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
What was, It? Chicago don't they play them like five
or six? Times Crazy? Clark, yeah, Rivalry, YEAH.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
I THINK i, mean if it makes, sense but, again
LIKE i would rather see A Minnesota New york rematch
twice rather Than Kaitalen clark and The fever every.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Day but, well it's also the ticket sales and the
money that they make off of.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
THAT i think all of the almost every fever seeing that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Money, Right, no not, yet not, yet.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Not, yet but hopefully.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
If I'm Kaitlyn, Clark i'll be pissed at.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
That what not seeing that?
Speaker 6 (28:52):
Money what?
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Else why she didn't playing Rival, Yeah i'll be pissed at.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
That that's Why asian playing unrivaled like those are.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Those are our are cash cows one and.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Two so, yeah they're protecting their brand and doing what they,
do and they've earned that right to say no to
certain opportunities LIKE i.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Don't i'm not mad at them for being, like, no
this is my. NAME i earned. This, YEAH i don't
want to share what everybody.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Said i'm not doing a three point contest OF Nba
All stars just come To. Indianapolis this's really about.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
It if y'all about, it if y'all really, cared y'all.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Ridiculous so how about you have AN nba player come
shoot Against kaitlyn.
Speaker 6 (29:25):
At W why would she do?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
That?
Speaker 6 (29:27):
Agree to do that.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Because people think that she cares about like all these
opinions and views and da da.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Da she that girl really just wants to play.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Basketball AND i respect the hell out of her for
that because a lot of people really think that she
cares about all this outside. Noise and even WHEN i
was With erica the other, day she was telling, me
she was, like she does not care about none of,
That like she doesn't like, it she hates, It like
you can only stop so much everybody out here as
a grown as.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Person but, well and you don't start playing basketball as
a little girl because you're you want to do that.
STUFF i, mean that stuff is, fun having a, shoe
working With, nike being in, Commercials but at the end
of the, day the goal is the.
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Goal she probably dreamed of holding up a championship.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Trophy NOT i haven't been interested In caitlyn park story
from last year when she was getting. Drafted you, know
the day starts at like five am and you're doing
all the, things and we went to The Empire State
building and she was trying to hide in the back
because she was, like give the other players and drafts
a chance to be out in the. Front, yeah and
she's literally said up her. Mouse she was, Like i'm
going to stand back. Here can you get someone else
(30:29):
to light The Empire State? Building and Then kathy came
up and she was like. Okay camilla And caitlyn come
to the front and they were, like, Oh she's.
Speaker 5 (30:36):
Like, YEAH i want to do.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
It so she's literally, LIKE i just want to hoop.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
It, Yeah and THAT'S i, mean and that's respectable. WOMEN
i feel like there's a lot of players that feel that. Way,
yeah and it's. Okay AND i feel like once we
get you, know these increased salaries and more, endorsements, whatever
people can choose to just play. Basketball they don't have
to put it on all the type of the camera
and be appealing to this. Group in this, group they
can really just show up as their authentic cells and
(30:59):
who and that's it because the guys can do.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
It there's, like what we see what eight.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Eight of THE nba players and everyone else is just,
pooping making money and chilling Cho that's, true but.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
You also can fly under the radar in THE nba.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
And make a lot more, money you know What i'm,
Saying like that part of doing all that endorsement extra
stuff and putting yourself out there is part of your
brand and your.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Check so you kind of have to do all that extra.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Stuff, yeah and it's hard and it's not for. Everybody
So i've always felt not, pressure but like as, women
you just have to do, more like for all the extra,
Stuff like you can't just be a good basketball, player
like we don't.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
Make, obviously we don't make enough money for.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
That we do make good, Money LIKE i don't want
anybody to get me, wrong like we make great.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Money i'm very.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
GRATEFUL i love waking up every day playing professional, basketball
but SOMETIMES i WISH i could just go to the
gym and work out and go to my game and
go home and. Repeat yeah, sometimes BUT i mean this
is also a passion of mind doing stuff off the.
Court BUT i hope that one day and the future
players won't have to extend themselves so much to like
make a lot of money being a professional.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
ATHLETE i do have to, say you were like one
of the FIRST wnba players to start a YouTube, channel
to have your own, show to start your branding outside of,
Basketball AND i know the league wasn't really supportive of
players doing. That that's it's not at ALL i remember
when her Name montgomery was playing in twenty eighteen and
she was, LIKE i want to do. ACTING i want
to be on broadcasts and she was, like BUT i
have to stick to basketball BECAUSE i get in trouble
(32:30):
by THE. Wnba and now how that has evolved and
they encourage players to build their. Brands about, that how
are you to?
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Build it's so crazy And i'm so happy that at.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Twenty eighth was not that long.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
Ago, no it.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Wasn't AND i remember WHEN i got. DRAFTED i was,
LIKE i had my YouTube channel set. UP i would
say do probably was one of the first colleges that
really invested.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
In their social. Media we got like a social media.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Person we had a content, lady her name Is. Selena
she's still there, now and we were like one of
the first women basketball programs that was like pushing out
content all the. Time so they helped me set up
my YouTube channel because me and my Teammate Rebecca greenwow
went to the three point. Contest so we've blogged, That
i've blogged the drafts and Then i've blogged like my
(33:13):
last few days on campus and then they.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
Were, like, okay be. Free we helped.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
You so then they let me keep the YouTube, channel
and THEN i just was blogging my rookie, season and
every TIME i brought the camera, out everyone was like
what are you, Doing like like why do you have,
this why do you have YouTube? Channel like why do
you want to be on camera all the, time blah
blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Blah AND i was, like it was just it was
just a hobby of.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Mine AND i saw the bigger picture as far As,
brandy BECAUSE i was on the team With cheney at
the time and she was, hurt and that's when she
first started doing HER espn stuff AND i was always
asking her about, it if she liked, it if she
could see a future doing it instead of just something
to pass the. Time so she was the first PERSON
i saw doing all that outside. Stuff but she was,
injured SO i was kind of, Like, okay maybe you
(33:53):
can't do it while you're, Playing BUT i continue to
do my YouTube. STUFF i Love.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Instagram TikTok wasn't around. YET i just can't imagine.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
How i've been on TikTok and college and our, team
like our team was. Fun and then WHEN i got
To chicago and was on the team with Candas. Parker
that's WHEN i finally saw that you could do, both
and people even when she was doing, that people were
just kind of like down like they WERE i don't,
KNOW i DON'T i don't like How candis was treated
the tail end of her. Career but she was, Like
(34:22):
she's the one that like really inspired me to be
able to chase both dreams at the same time BECAUSE
i watched her do, it AND i watched her do
it and win a championship while doing. It, yeah that's
a flex for. Her, yeah that was just as long
for the ride along for the. Ride NOW i want
to win my. OWN i want to actually.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Contribute do you sound Like Charles.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Barker's bus driver. THING i need to be the bus.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
DRIVER i do have a ring and it's a, blessing
BUT i, like they can't take that away from. It they,
cannot BUT i want, To LIKE i THINK i did
score a basket in the, finals so that was, FUN i.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Think. Yeah with the.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Team, yeah that whole summer was like just for, vibes
but it was a learning. Experience But i'm not gonna
like pretend LIKE i was like a major contributor to the.
Team but it was like a really good, experience AND
i learned a ton And i'm mad that we didn't
try and run it back like the whole.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Time ye like everyone just we traded all the.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Piss yeah before it was like my Ultimate mike, drop
like all, right Here's, chicago here's the.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Championship we're all gonna leave. NOW i feel, like if.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
You go to the, finals unless something really bad happens
in every, sport like if you get to the, championship, win,
lose or, draw you gotta try to run it back
because you could go back to back or you could
if you, lost you could.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Win the next. Time SO i don't, KNOW i never
understood that blowing the team up? Right who wanted to just?
Disperse mix of?
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Both, OKAY i think it was a mix of both
BECAUSE I candae, Stayed slute, stayed but every cost, stayed
so it was like a mix of. Both that, Season
LIKE i, said that season was very.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
INTERESTING i got. CUT i came in.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
LATER i didn't come until like the middle of the,
season so they had stuff going on THAT i knew nothing,
about so you, KNOW i was there to you, know
kind of set the tone vibe, wise energy, WISE i
was like the tone setter as far as like everyone if,
someone if we haven't a bad price of it's like
see make do some make someone?
Speaker 6 (36:20):
Laugh do?
Speaker 4 (36:21):
This do? That that was like my job on the,
team but just an important.
Speaker 5 (36:24):
Job, well by the time we put this episode, out
the championship will have already. Happened BUT i do want
(36:45):
to hear you guys, predictions and then we'll check in
later in the week and you guys can hear our.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Reactions but do you first Happen yukon The yukon's Winning and,
OKAY i.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Had them winning in my, brackets so all, right SO
i had Self carolina at, first but after looking at
the Game, FRIDAY i think That yukon might run the.
Table And i'm not wearing blue BECAUSE i Think yukon
is going to win or, anything BUT i Have yukon winning.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
Today they just looked like a well oiled.
Speaker 6 (37:14):
Machine, yeah AND i think.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Because of the poise that they play, with people don't
understand how fast that they.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Play they played extremely.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Fast they were they KILLED ucla and, transition they were
shooting the. Ball i'm just really excited for this matchup
because it's really gonna be offense versus defense really the
taiale of two.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
Teams, Yeah i'm.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Excited yukon was a team that limped their way to
The final four last year half a team was, injured
and NOW i feel like the chemistrys there were starting
to turn the. Page Sarah strong is playing really so,
Good Asy fud as. Well paige is gonna Be. Paige, yeah,
SO i mean a well oiled.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Machine and they're young, though which is it's like you
don't see Young yukon team play like, This like they're
all playing like they've been in the At yukon, three
four or five. Years And, page you, know she's been
in college for so. Long it's like she's like everyone's little.
Sister we're like watching her like grow, up and everyone
is like so sad that this is her last. Season
i've really never seen fans so like emotionally connected to
(38:18):
a player, before and it's been like really cool to.
SEE i think it's a mix of you, know her
fandom from high. School you, know she was popping in
high school and she went through the. INJURIES i feel
like whether you're cheering For yukon or, NOT i feel
like everybody is like rooting For page AND i think
like it's such a beautiful.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
Thing, WELL i think that it's interesting how you said
we haven't really gotten to see them In March madness
all as a, unit healthy. Together i've read That asy
And page hadn't played together In March madness since the last.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Time yep Against South.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Carolina.
Speaker 5 (38:47):
Wow so it's like it'll be interesting to see them
get their get back and together after all they've been
through throughout their college.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Careers, yeah BUT.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
I do want to shout Out South carolina because this
is a team that's been here for the past four.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Years they've been five years in a, row, Right, yeah that's.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Crazy one of one. Championships the players have been to
the tournament what three of the four, years and they've
been in, school so this is an experienced. Team Don
staley is a GREAT exs and o's, Coach So i'm
excited to see how they battle it out as well
every game and the defending champs they deserve as.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Well every game in the.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Tournament like a Different South carolina players stepped up, Today
who is going to be that?
Speaker 1 (39:30):
PLAYER i Think rayven is definitely the leader of the.
TEAM i like WHAT i see From Tessa johnson when
she's lights out from.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Three she was hooping last. Game she was very.
Speaker 6 (39:45):
Light it was very light.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
Work i'm gonna go with my, Girl. CHLOE i like.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
THAT i feel like what makes.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
Them so dangerous, though is that they've found different ways
to win in each, step like whatever is needed at that.
Time they kind of play, around like they play with their,
food and then once they decide to, sign they, eat
they're like yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Bye liked an interview with Coach yo and. Two it's
just like when you're scouting For South, carolina you can't
plan for one or two. Players you got a plan for, everybody,
right you just don't know who's not gonna.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
BE i was talking to one of my friends and
they were saying that when when teams have like their,
superstars they're not easy to, scout but like you know
what to, expect you know where the ball's, going you
know what players are gonna be. Run when those star
players are, out they're much harder to guard because you
don't know where the ball's Go you don't know what they're,
doing but they're doing and not saying That South carolina
doesn't have any, stars but, LIKE i completely agree with,
(40:38):
You like it's very hard to scout for a team
where everybody contributes a little bit in different, ways and
someone can go for. Thirty this person can go for.
Thirty you got your two leading scorers coming off the.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
Bench, okay it's the.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Opposite they have a bunch of. Stars so it's like
you're looking around, like Oh, god what DO i?
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Do don is an evil with mad scientist over?
Speaker 5 (40:55):
There can we just talk About don VERS i was
talking to, YOU i think earlier about. THIS i have
never seen anything any fanfare like this for a. Coach
when you're, like, oh who are you rooting? For people are, like,
Oh i'm rooting For South. CAROLINA i Love.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
DON i Love don every. TIME i have not heard
a single player's name this entire.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
Like she's the star player of the.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Team, YEAH i mean that's, Amazing like THAT'S i love
that For. Donna just watching how she's Built South carolina
from the ground, Up like it's been amazing to. Watch
BUT i want some fans to talk about some of
the players.
Speaker 6 (41:27):
SOMETIME i, mean what do you think that's?
Speaker 5 (41:28):
Like as a player in the locker, room we're, like,
well y'all walking in ready to, play and everyone's like.
Speaker 1 (41:32):
Talking Like.
Speaker 4 (41:36):
Don, please she's a little, superstar but she's earned. It
BUT i. DON'T i thought that was hilarious all weekend.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
Long wait yesterday when my.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
Sister were at the pool and you, know we're chilling,
whatever and we see The South carolina team up in
the window going to get their, lunch and everybody at
the pool's like, done and she's up there.
Speaker 6 (41:54):
Waiting like she's like. Princess, guys.
Speaker 4 (41:58):
She's a.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
President she's like the. President I'm Matti resident of women's,
basketball And i'm so grateful for.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Her she's.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Amazing i'm excited for some really great basketball. Today hope
you guys are going to, watch maybe go to the
arena to watch the game as.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Well tampa's been.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Lit tampa has been. Lit we've had a great time.
Here we've had a great time before we.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Go what it's been your favorite thing about being here
In tampa this?
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Weekend my favorite.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Thing my favorite thing is seeing how much women's college
basketball has. Grown Like mariah, said my Second Final four
was In tampa and it was an amazing. Experience but
like the level of, everything how it's been elevated FROM i.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
Think that was twenty.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
FIFTEEN i want to say, yeah twenty, fifteen how so
much has. Changed it's been like such a humbling and
amazing experience just to be in it from a different,
perspective but just be able to Have my mom sent
me a picture of me on the side of.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
The arena WHEN i was playing, here and she was
like losing her mind this.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Weekend she's, LIKE i can't believe you're going there to
work now played there and it just you're still involved
And i'm so proud of. You so things like, That
moments like that like that was probably my favorite part
of the.
Speaker 6 (43:06):
WEEKEND i came To.
Speaker 5 (43:08):
Tampa the last TIME i was here was for The
Volleyball National championship In final, four AND i think that
it's amazing seeing, here like there's such a good market
for women's sports, here but also just watching the arenas
fill up for women's sports is so. Incredible everybody's, sharing
everybody's paying, attention everybody's going, crazy even like the fanfare
For Page it's LIKE i only have seen that kind
(43:30):
of fanfare for Like Steph, curry you know What i'm.
Saying so it's really exciting seeing that in, person because
ON tv it's.
Speaker 6 (43:36):
Hard to really feel.
Speaker 5 (43:37):
That, yeah but when you're in the arena and everybody
has their posters and it's going, crazy it's so. Fun
BUT i mentioned the volleyball thing and The Final four
this year because there's such a great market for women's sports.
HERE i don't think it would hurt to have an
expansion team.
Speaker 4 (43:50):
Here, Yeah i'm just Said i'm here For.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
FLORIDA i would have to say for, me my first
time In tampa was in twenty nineteen for the women's
Basketball Final, four and just to, see as you guys,
said like how everything evolved over the, years even the
media coverage doing things like, This it's come full, circle
come full. Circle definitely enjoy being here and just seeing
how much the sport is. Wrong but all the, stakeholders
(44:13):
all the people who have covered the, game just them
elevating as.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Well, yeah women are.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
LIT i mean the shooting, contest we had little boys being,
like WH, wba they're so, cute let's please sign my.
Speaker 6 (44:26):
Basketball it's so.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
CUTE i love.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
It it's been a great. Time we've had a great weekend.
HERE i appreciate you guys coming. Out thank you appreciate.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
It in case you missed, it With Christina williams is
An iHeart women's sports production in partnership With Deep Blue
sports And. Entertainment you can find us 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.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
What's up, y'all, It's Zego Christina and welcome to a
special edition of In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams.
So over the past weekend, I was in Tampa, Florida
for the Women's Final Four and I was able to
join Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose for a special crossover
episode where we previewed.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
The Final four. And we already know what the results
of the championship game was, but I want you guys
to take a listen to this special conversation. We had
a lot of fun. Shout out to our producers Grace
and Tari for being on site and Jesse Katz for
making it all possible. All right, y'all, take a listen
(00:55):
to this special episode.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Welcome to our second This is Me and Mariah second
live show, Christine.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Have you done live shows before?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Done tons of them?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yeah? So you're a vet.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
So I'm gonna let you. I'm gonna let you take
the leave with us for now. For now, our show
is very go with the flow, vibing out. If y'all
have any questions, we're gonna we're gonna interact with y'all
a little bit too. If y'all want to ask us anything,
We're gonna ask y'all some questions about the tournament, about
what who y'all think is.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Gonna win today?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Okay, period, All right, I'll save my prediction for the
end of the show, so y'all don't leave. But what
do y'all think of the tournament so far? I mean,
we're on the last weekend championships Sunday, Yes, and what
are your What are y'all's thoughts overall thoughts.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Of the tournament?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Very exciting basketball, very high level basketball. I've just been
enjoying Tampa. Really just vibing, but not disappointed in the
level of competition that we've been seeing throughout the weekend.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
I think the tournament has been amazing, Like we've had
seen some really huge performances, Page dropping fifty without any
points in the second, you know, like huge moments. I
think everybody showed up and showed out for the moment.
I feel like the very untrue narrative was that after
last year, the Mimentum was going to die down, and
I think that they understood the assignment of carrying on
(02:21):
that momentum, and so the tournament was incredible.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Yeah, we were at the games on Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Let's talk about those games real quick, because I know
we were just talking about the high level competition. But
I don't want to say that you have the tournament,
not about the final four. I mean, yeah, but we're
at the final four now. Those two games, for me,
I was I was a little disappointed in those games.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Not gonna die what about y'all?
Speaker 6 (02:47):
I was disappointed as a fan.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
But if I were a fan of one of the
winning teams and or a player or coach on one
of the winning teams, of course I would be ecstatic.
Like they went in their handle business.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I think that you could definitely tell which teams had
the experience and prepared for the moment in which team's
kind of cracked in the moment. Did not expect the
UCLA to get blown out by Yukon.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Did not.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
It would be interested to see what that scout of
report look like, but I don't. I wouldn't say I
was disappointed, but I wasn't disappointed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Oh was that game annoyed me? Because you're the number one,
so you're the number one over ros, so you can't
come in this final four and get beat down like that.
But I'm really excited for UCLA next season.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
Well, can I give UCLA some some slack for a second.
We are far from California, We're in a whole different
time zone, and they.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
Forty forty the jet lag wait me on the jetlage. No,
I'm not, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I'm not.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I'm not rolling.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
But I'm excited for them for next season because I
know they probably gonna have that score in the locker
room all year. Can't wait for next season, can't wait
for them to see Yukon again because they will, absolutely will.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
But yeah, I'm excited la.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Jim Marya's point, Like Kim Moulki and g M brought
up that point of the super regionals and how that
would impact the performance on the court and maybe that
became a factor.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
When did they change that?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I think how long ago, because when I was in
college it was four, which I liked.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
I like the four regions.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I think that they try to make it more or
less so we could have more fans. But now with
the explosion of women's basketball, I don't feel like that's
necessary anymore, and I think I absolutely agree with you
know that the two regional sites is not a good
look anymore.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I love the home court advantage.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Some people don't really like that that much, but I
think that's like one of the most fun parts about
the women's tournament is having your tournament games at home
and then you get to earn that. But I hope
that in the future they're able to go back to
the four regional sites because now the way the conferences
are set up now, it's like everything is just a mess.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Everything is everything in college is a mess.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
As somebody who played in the Final four in Tampa.
By the way, y'all, what's your opinion on the fact
that I believe the men get a week break before
their championship.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
It's next week now, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Alright, So do you feel like there should be any
more time in between? Are you cool with the one
day No?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think that's the fun part about the final four.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I was talking to somebody a few weeks ago about
how they should maybe try and put the final fours
in the same city.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
No, I think that would be fire.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
The men and the woman. Yeah, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Wait, why not tell me?
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Well, because last night me and my little sister were
trying to go see Gorilla.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I don't know if any of y'all will try to
go to that or when to that. Listen.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
We got there really late and they shut the line
down on us because there were so many people.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Convention centers and arena's shit.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
They to the right, they have to pick the right Vegas, Atlanta, Atlanta,
what else? Not Los Angeles not La. I think that
would be cool and then have like double header. I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I'm trying to like think of.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Things to like spice things up, but that was something
You're the first person that told me no, So I
appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
I appreciate the pushback. I do want to give a
special shout out.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I don't know if they're going to listen to this episode,
but we told them to start listening to our podcast.
Me and Mariah were at the game on Friday, and
because it was a blowout, we were yapping just like
this in the stands and there were these two women
in front of us and one of them turns around
and they're like, what do you guys do?
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Like y'all know so much about basketball?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And we've just been listening to y'all's conversation for twenty minutes,
and I was like, oh, you like you like our conversations.
We actually have a podcast that you can listen to.
So I want to give a shout out to Stephanie
and Lucy.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
If they're going to listen.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
We really appreciated hanging out with you at the game,
So I just wanted to give that.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
Little shout out.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
If you remember them what all in our.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
Conversation, shout out to them. Yeah, they now they are
approved to listen to our Yeah. No, I'm joking.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
But also heading into the Natti, I'm curious what you
guys think about all of this transfer movement.
Speaker 6 (06:53):
Lexie is a transfer kid herself. I'm a trust a
bit about that.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
But now with everybody bouncing around and moving teams before
the season really is over.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, So even when I transferred, I waited till my
semester was over, Like, I finished my classes, I did
postseason workouts, I did everything, and then I decided to leave.
The way these kids move now is is crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
It's almost like free agency. When I'm watching all of
the different movement and coaches going on social media saying
we don't have the money for you, and it's like
what college has become a big business. I was scrolling
through X a couple of days ago, and I saw
a coach saying that coaches were reaching out to players
without even being in the transperportal. So lots of tampering
(07:35):
and things like that. So it's very interesting to see
just the movement, but also players prioritizing themselves.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Yeah in that way, I mean, and there's no rules
in place, so yeah, like you say tampering, but like
that's not a thing really in college, because there's no
rules about.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
The science office, right, what is this compliance that existing?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Because I remember I was in the compliance office every
day when I was in college for every little thing.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Like it's seeing how much everything has.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Changed is so crazy, because like I couldn't even bring
my own basketball trainers on campus with me because it
was against the rules.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
It was a violation. If somebody wanted to send us
some clothes to.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Wear, violation.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I don't even know how they knew that we were
getting stuff. They knew everything, like they I feel like
they had cameras on campus because we couldn't get away
with nothing.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Well, another big change is the fact that you have
to set you You had to set out for a
year when you decided to transfer. Now they can. They
can move schools every year if they want, and there's
no players.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
We recushing for seven seasons eight years? Right, too long?
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I hope you have as long as you leave with
multiple degrees, you know, do your thing.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But yeah, seven years in college is absolutely the same.
I can't.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
I was in college for five and I was ready
to go, but again, I wasn't making half a million dollars, so.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
I would be in college for ten years, ten years
if I could. If I were a current college athlete,
you have to drag me.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
How do I to your point?
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Nil place a huge part in players stay longer. We
saw that Olivia Miles and a lot of other players
laj Johnson decided not to enter the w Engage Raft
to go back to school to make more money.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, I mean the fact that people are announcing that
they're not going to the draft when they are not
technically even eligible yet.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I think that's funny.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
But I was never I don't think anybody was expecting Flage.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
To leave early.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Why would she do that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Olivia Miles Honestly, I was not surprised that she decided
to stay.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
I was more surprised by the transfer.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
So even the way Notre Dame kind of finished their season,
everybody kind of was like, what it they got going
on over there? But you know, I know what that's like.
Like when you're you're not happy somewhere, you're ready to
move on.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
It impacts the.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Team top to bottom, and did like you said, they
had other girls leave too.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Yeah, yeah, something's going on.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I'm not sure making four players. I think one player
was a red shirt player. Another player was on the
bench averaging four points the game. I think he's a center.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So yeah, a couple, okay, which I've got going over
there Notre Dame.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
But I don't think they.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Don't have they don't got them well do they have
money for?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I don't know what Notre Dame got going on because
they have the really good football team.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
I have no idea. But I also feel like the
staying to the same college point.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
The CBA also plays a part because I feel like
if I were in their shoes, they kind of want
to see what happens because the only people who are
going to be locked into their contracts all the rookies.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
So I feel like you might as well try your luck.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
And see what happens with the CBA and then coming
to college next year.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, and if y'all offer those who don't know, if
the rookie contracts right now are four years, which is
a very long time, and that's one of the things
that we're probably going to try and change in our
negotiations is trying to get those contracts to be a
year shorter because by the time you get to the
end of your rookie contract, you're like twenty six twenty
seven years old, and we think that's too old to
(10:54):
you know, start playing for your extension in your next
contract to potentially.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
Enter free agency. So hopefully we can get that done because.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
I heard that there was that you guys are willing
to sit out if the negotiations don't go.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
No, I mean it's a it's a possibility, because that's
like worst case scenario.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
You got to prepare for anything. We don't. We would
not like to sit out.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I feel like it would be counterintuitive on our part
to sit out with all this momentum and stuff that
women's basketball has. But again, worst case scenario is we
don't get anything that we want from the ownership in
the league. Best case scenario is we get every single
thing that we ask for. So we're going to meet
somewhere in the middle, hopefully. You know, we have a
new team this season, Like, I would hate for us
to lock out when you know we have.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
An expansion team.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I can't remember when it was the last time that
w had an expansion team.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
I can't even two thousand. Yeah, Like, it's such.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
An exciting time for women's basketball on the WNBA and
women's college season was so amazing, So for us to
like have to stop it at any point next season,
I would really actually hate that.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Like your point about making the rookie car tracks last
for last time, because I never really thought about the
fact that, well, a lot of people complain about having
to stay in college for all that time, but I
think that that might be more beneficial changing the rookie contracts,
because it's like, Okay, so you're making me stay in
college for three years or until I'm twenty two or whatever,
and then I also have to stay locked into this
(12:17):
rookie contract until I'm twenty seven. Yeah, and then I'm
twenty seven and I'm having to play for my extension.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
That kind of puts me in a bad situation.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yeah, there's a.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Lot of things in our last CVA that were amazing,
but there was like a lot of things that we
still missed out on. But like, that's the thing about
negotiations and opting out is you get things that you
want and then you realize that there's more things that
we need. And I think right now we have a
lot of leverage to demand more from the league and
from the ownership, and we're seeing it. You know, teams
are getting practice facilities, now, we get to fly charter flights.
(12:48):
You know, things are just getting better and better and better,
and it's just all been a really nice process.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I did have Terry Jackson on my show from the
w MVPA and she said that the charter flights are
not necessarily written in contract.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
No they're not.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
It's like, oh, just pay for it for twenty twenty five.
But they're trying to into the new CB so hopefully ownership.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
I hope. And that was that whole situation was very funny.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Don't introduce me to something you can't maintain it.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Yeah, but that was like a power play on Kathy's part,
because I remember I was in meetings with Nekka, who
was on the Sparks at the time, and our person
who organizes all of our flights and hotels, and we
were going through the whole schedule, or like, what flight
do we want to get on? Do we want to
take this flight at this time? Do you want to
practice and then fly, or do we want to fly
and then practice. We were on the phone for like
(13:33):
two hours going through it, and then like three weeks later,
we get an announcement, Oh, we get charter flights, but
we like it literally came out of left field. So
as grateful as we were for that and how amazing
it was to fly charter, it kind of was like
a slap in the face because, like you just said,
you're introducing us to something that you might may or
may not be able to maintain, and it's now something
that we're going to have to negotiate in our collective
(13:56):
bargaining agreement. So I knew what Kathy was doing was
she did that. I mean, still appreciate it, but.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I can't believe there was a time where you guys
had to share hotel rooms.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Oh yeah, the rookies my first two seasons, I shared
rooms grown women, grown women, like.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
It was top athletes in the world.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah, I want to FaceTime my friends, and my mom
had to go downstairs with the lobby or get out
or they It was bad, but we made it work.
But it was good for like Team Bonnie. I was
on Erica Wheeler's podcast the other day and she was
telling me how part of her missus traveling commercial because
you get to spend like so much time with your teammates.
So like things like that we do miss because it's
(14:36):
good for Team Bonnie.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
You get to spend time with your teammates.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
And hang out.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But like at the end of the day, like we
want to get in and out, Like we don't want
to be sitting in the airport all day and we
want to get rest.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
But there were, I mean there were It wasn't all.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Horrible Born at Chicago Sky team that got stuck in
the airport for I've.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Been on like a few I've been on like I've
got like three experiences since I've been in the league
of getting.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Stuck in an airport overnight.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
So yeah, so okay, one we were nice, Yes, so
four hours we were twenty four hours. The most recent
time actually with the Sparks, we were in DC, I
want to say, and we were flying home and they
just kept delaying our flight, delaying our flight.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
It's like midnight. Then they finally cancel it.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
So we're all just sitting in the airport and we're like, Okay,
what do we do? So half the team went and
got hotels and then the other half just slept in
the airport.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
So w BA free agency happened, and you were traded
to the Seattle Storm from the Los Angeles Sparks.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Seattlestorm. They have practice facilities, they have.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
All of it, all of the things.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
How excited are you to be a part of that organization.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
I'm super excited, you know. I think the trade it
definitely caught me off guard. I think it caught a
lot of people off guard. But for me, I'm just
excited to be in a situation to win. Now be
surrounded by some veterans. I was one of the oldest
players on the Sparks. Now I'm probably one of the
youngest players on the Storm. And they just have really
good culture there and coach Quinn is amazing.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
I've heard from all the coaches.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
They watched me playing AU they were like very complimenting
of my improvement. You know, they've been checking on my health, mental,
physical health. So it's just been good vibes. And I
haven't even been up there yet, and I'm just really excited.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
To get up there.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Where were you when you found out that you were
being treated in the parking garage?
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Really?
Speaker 6 (16:39):
Yes, she had a game.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
I had a game.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I was on my way to an athlete It's a
limited game. I was pulling out of the parking garage
and my GM called me, and I just I immediately
knew because she never calls me.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
So I was like, this is not good, but I
mean it was good.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Like in hindsight, it ended up this is a really
good situation for me. But yeah, I was just in
the parking garage, all my way to the game, my business,
and she just calls me and just says, oh, yeah,
we're trading you bye.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
Like it was minute long. I'm not even exaggerating.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Had I went and checked one minute, one.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Minute and the NBA players get traded mid season? Is
it is it light and a load that you have
time to actually move from Los Angeles to Seattle in
the off.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Season Oh yeah, for sure. I mean I think moving.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I just got a place in LA which is crazy
because like for this exact reason, I never got a
place anywhere that I played.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
But I was like, Okay, I feel like I'm being
in LA for a minute.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Just got the apartment in October and now I'm traded,
so I'm still gonna have.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Home base in LA.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
But I was really excited to like have my place
of my own for the season because you're basically just
staying in a rental apartment during the season, so it
doesn't really feel like home.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
You can't always get super comfortable.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
But yeah, definitely lightens load, like what we saw with
like Luca and Anthony David, like people just my dad
went through it too. They said that they slipped a
note under his hotel door.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
What that's why I found out he got traded when
he was playing.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Her dad played for the Celtics.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Wait he got traded from yes.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Boston Slam Dump champion.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
Yeah, yeah, he got traded from where to where? In fact, I.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Think Boston to Toronto.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
Told me to move to Canada with a no understaid
get out. But that's farm.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Not too much on Canada, not too much.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Hey, big Drake fans over here.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Your work Yeah okay, but yeah, like it's cutthroat.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Business is business, but I think there's a way to
go about things and we got to be professional no
matter what.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
So I'm just excited for the next opportunity.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
I've never asked you about this, Lexi, but in your experience,
do you feel like getting traded, how do you deal
with that sense of almost rejection or like, how does
that feel?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Well, I'm kind of numb to it at this point.
I've been traded three times now. I've been traded and
you kind.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
Of just have to bounce around.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
The WBA is such an interesting league, and we'll get
into this later because of the transition from college to
WBA is literally a week and a half, so you
don't always end up on the team that you should
end up on in the draft once you get drafted,
and for a lot of players, it takes a few
years for you to.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Settle in and find a place that's home.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
So for me, you know, La, I felt like that
was home for me, but then we just internally the
Sparks were just going through so many other changes and
I never was able to get comfortable. So I say,
Seattle's my last though I can't. I can't, and if
I do get traded again, I might as well just
go try and play for all twelve teams and let
me let me play for all twelve.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I feel like a lot of people don't realize the
fact that the season for college and today. So it's
Sunday to day the sixth, yes, and then the draft
is on the fourteenth.
Speaker 6 (19:49):
Yeah, so eight days.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
And the players who are playing in the game today
have what forty eight hours to decide if they wanted
to clear for the draft or not if they're eligible.
So it's life happens past.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
It happens fast.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
I remember my senior year, we lost in the sweet sixteen,
so I had a little bit more time. I didn't
officially get invited to the draft until like after the
Final four ended, so I don't have an out.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I have nothing.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
I had no clothes I have, I don't know I
was gonna wear. So everything happens like really fast. I
had to take my finals early, I couldn't go to graduation.
So you get thrown into the fire immediately.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Like I say, could you speak to the fact that
when you get dropped that isn't your guarantee that you're
in the WNBA.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
No.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
I just read an article that said less than half
of the draft picks from last year made the teams.
So it's very hard to make a WNBA roster. And
even though your contracts are long.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
They're not guaranteed. So you could be the number.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
One pick, number two pick, and if you're not. Charlie
ar Yeah, she's a perfect example of that. If you're
not up to par, you can get cut in training camp. Baby,
we do not care.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
So it's like very cutthroat.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
But that's why I think everyone has so much respect
for last year's class because they.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Came in and they did their big one.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
They really did, and they had a lot of opportunities,
and they had a lot of pressure, and they had
a lot of eyeballs and they really rose to the occasion.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So I like really enjoyed watching them do that.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
What was the hardest thing about transitioning from college to
the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
The hardest thing for me, I have like a lot
more free time than I was used to, so it
was like still trying to stay productive and not get
too bored. And then once the season started, once I
found out like I wasn't really gonna play a lot.
It was like finding ways to stay motivated with all
that free time, Like you can only work out so
many times in a day, you can only watch so
(21:37):
much film, you can only do so much stuff. So
for me, from going from playing forty minutes a game
in college, being in the championship games, winning all these awards,
and you get to the league and you're like bottom
of the totem ball, you're kind of just like okay,
like what now.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
So that was like one of the hardest things for me.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
That's probably like humbling might be the wrong word, but
going from being one of the if you're in the
top ten, you were definitely playing in college, you were
one of the best players in college, you were one
of the best players in high school, and then you
get thrown into the professional league and everybody's like, listen, rookie.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, And I was the only rookie on my team,
so I didn't even have like a rookie buddy. So
I had all the rookie duties. I had to take
everybody's laundry loops. I had to drop off laundry loops
on the road trips.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
I had to do all that kind of stuff, and
it was.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Just me, was there a VET in your rookie season
that kind of took you under their wing? No?
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Wow, No, there wasn't. Unfortunate. Oh yeah, man, eight years ago.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I'm over it now, And if anybody was on my
team that year, they probably are like, yeah, we probably
should have treated her a little bit nicer.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
But again, business is business.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
We were teammates, but you're competing for minutes and stuff
like that.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
End of the day. The first VET that actually took.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Me under her wing was Samonaugustus when I got traded
to the Minnesota Links. So she was like my first
like real vet that really taught me how to.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Conduct myself be a professional.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I was kind of a little baby, so she kind
of got me out of that and I'm like really
grateful over her.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Well, now that you are part of the Seattle Storm
and y'all have one of the top picks in the draft,
your second pick, second pick, what.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
Are you looking forward to having it with that second pick?
Speaker 3 (23:12):
According to the mock drafts, we're picking a French player.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Her name is Dominique.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
She's six' six and she can, dunk SO i would
not be mad at that. Pick we definitely have very
good guards, already SO i WOULDN'T i wouldn't think that
we would pick a guard in the. Draft SO i,
MEAN i think it's gonna Between dominique and Probably.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
KIKI i think.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
They're both excellent. Players we got to Watch kiki this this,
year you, know breakout a little bit from after. Transferring
SO i don't, know BUT i would love to have
a teammate that can. Dunk i've never had one.
Speaker 6 (23:44):
Before, yeah after watching we were watching some of her.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Highlights after watching, Those i'm, like somebody needs to put
those on a reel and put them ON espn so
that everybody.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Shuts up about women's basketball players not?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Dunking is that fucking? Dunk it was very light, too like,
entrances just one hand.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
DUNK i don't know what they're feeding These french basketball
prospects because six to, six.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Can, dribble can.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Shoot she came out of The wimby.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Factory she came out of The wemby.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
FACTORY i love that gms and scouts are starting to
look more overseas to build the. Rosters we saw That
Golden state at it like seven international. Players but when
you look at The New York, Liberty laoni Pbch. Niarasapoli
those international players helped them win a. Championship, Right SO
i love that THE w is extending.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Globally, YEAH i JUST i.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
WANT i do want More european players to come over,
here but with the prioritization, rule it's just so hard
for them because they all are playing professionally.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Already SO i think that's another thing TO.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
CB i think we're going to try and get that
out because The european players are extremely. TALENTED i played
overseas for three, years so Like i've been over, There
i've seen the talent that's over. There they're super, intelligent
they really love. Basketball so a lot of the draft
picks that do happen from over, sees a lot of
them are drafts in, stash and a lot of them
don't even ever come.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Over because she said The sparks didn't even call her
the three years that she wasn't in the, league and
The New York liberty was the first team to actually
go overseas meet with. Her everyone just kept trading her
right to right to him FROM la To, chicago And
Jonathan cole got lucky and was like we need this
player and then break out the star in the. Finals
she helped them win a.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Championship so, yeah there's some gems. Overseas So i'm excited
and if we can a.
Speaker 6 (25:27):
NIGHT i, MEAN i think.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
The last like teenager young player Was Liz and when
did she get? Drafted, yeah she was young when she got.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
DRAFTED i THINK i, think, oh, yeah she Was, chicago
but she came and played for like three seconds and
then she came back To yeah it's too crazy over,
here BUT i Think liz is probably like the last
like foreign player that was drafted at a super young
age and actually came over and.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
Played SO i think it would be cool for her
to like start that back. Up you see it in THE.
NBA i would love for that to happen over here
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
MORE i was Watching fee the other day on First,
take AND i kind of hated this, question And i'm
about to ask it to, you BUT i just really
want to.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
Know what you.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Think who asked It Steven Stephen.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Smith oh, gosh so he asked her how she felt
about the NATIONAL tv. Schedule, OBVIOUSLY i think every SINGLE
fav games.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Is hit forty one out of forty four games.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
And NATIONAL tv or The Indiana fever and then there's
three you know that they dolved out to the.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Others so what do you think about? That the national? Team,
dude so all OF i.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Saw that one out of forty four games.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
On forty one out of their forty four or forty
one out of the forty four that are being the
TOTAL wnba national team games are The indiana faver?
Speaker 6 (26:44):
Games?
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Yes? Yeah oh, well.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
DID i just DID i break some?
Speaker 4 (26:48):
News i'm, Sorry, NO i saw, that BUT i came.
OUT i didn't really read into it BECAUSE i didn't.
Care BUT i mean it makes.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
SENSE i didn't, Care Like i'm, like let's not be,
dumb like who does everyone want to? Watch and they
have a really good team, NOW i mean they had
a good team last, year but they've made it very
clear what they're trying to do in free, agency so
it makes. SENSE i mean it's, good more, eyes more,
money more. Everything So i'm not mad at, it BUT
i think.
Speaker 6 (27:13):
We could have spread the love of the champs just
a little.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Bit, yeah but there are.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
Some of those games That i'm, LIKE i want to,
see like which?
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Ones what do you mean which? Ones like that WHEN i.
Speaker 6 (27:23):
See the championship, map like the championship match Of.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
New york and In.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
Minnesota, YEAH i think any from.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
A coverage, STANDPOINT i think it's disappointing because if you
want to grow the, game you have to tell a
variety of. Stories, right it's.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Lazy it's very. Late, yeah it's very. Lazy that's why we're.
Here that's.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Why, literally that's WHY i started my show BECAUSE i
feel like the coverage of women's sports is very. Lazy and,
yes it makes sense to put forty One fever games
on national, television but, again that's not how you grow the.
Game it makes sense number, wise like we know, that
but sometimes you got to do a little extra work
to grow things and make things. Work so shout out
(28:01):
to The. FEVER i hope everyone's coming for y'all's.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
NEXT i know, that, Right, yeah AND.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
I guess every that's a good point because every team
that plays, Them, yeah y'all, know like it's two way, thing.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Right we'll get that exposure as. Well SO i, mean.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
What was, It? Chicago don't they play them like five
or six? Times Crazy? Clark, yeah, Rivalry, YEAH.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
I THINK i, mean if it makes, sense but, again
LIKE i would rather see A Minnesota New york rematch
twice rather Than Kaitalen clark and The fever every.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Day but, well it's also the ticket sales and the
money that they make off of.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
THAT i think all of the almost every fever seeing that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Money, Right, no not, yet not, yet.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Not, yet but hopefully.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
If I'm Kaitlyn, Clark i'll be pissed at.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
That what not seeing that?
Speaker 6 (28:52):
Money what?
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Else why she didn't playing Rival, Yeah i'll be pissed at.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
That that's Why asian playing unrivaled like those are.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Those are our are cash cows one and.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Two so, yeah they're protecting their brand and doing what they,
do and they've earned that right to say no to
certain opportunities LIKE i.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Don't i'm not mad at them for being, like, no
this is my. NAME i earned. This, YEAH i don't
want to share what everybody.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Said i'm not doing a three point contest OF Nba
All stars just come To. Indianapolis this's really about.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
It if y'all about, it if y'all really, cared y'all.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Ridiculous so how about you have AN nba player come
shoot Against kaitlyn.
Speaker 6 (29:25):
At W why would she do?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
That?
Speaker 6 (29:27):
Agree to do that.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Because people think that she cares about like all these
opinions and views and da da.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Da she that girl really just wants to play.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Basketball AND i respect the hell out of her for
that because a lot of people really think that she
cares about all this outside. Noise and even WHEN i
was With erica the other, day she was telling, me
she was, like she does not care about none of,
That like she doesn't like, it she hates, It like
you can only stop so much everybody out here as
a grown as.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Person but, well and you don't start playing basketball as
a little girl because you're you want to do that.
STUFF i, mean that stuff is, fun having a, shoe
working With, nike being in, Commercials but at the end
of the, day the goal is the.
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Goal she probably dreamed of holding up a championship.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Trophy NOT i haven't been interested In caitlyn park story
from last year when she was getting. Drafted you, know
the day starts at like five am and you're doing
all the, things and we went to The Empire State
building and she was trying to hide in the back
because she was, like give the other players and drafts
a chance to be out in the. Front, yeah and
she's literally said up her. Mouse she was, Like i'm
going to stand back. Here can you get someone else
(30:29):
to light The Empire State? Building and Then kathy came
up and she was like. Okay camilla And caitlyn come
to the front and they were, like, Oh she's.
Speaker 5 (30:36):
Like, YEAH i want to do.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
It so she's literally, LIKE i just want to hoop.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
It, Yeah and THAT'S i, mean and that's respectable. WOMEN
i feel like there's a lot of players that feel that. Way,
yeah and it's. Okay AND i feel like once we
get you, know these increased salaries and more, endorsements, whatever
people can choose to just play. Basketball they don't have
to put it on all the type of the camera
and be appealing to this. Group in this, group they
can really just show up as their authentic cells and
(30:59):
who and that's it because the guys can do.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
It there's, like what we see what eight.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Eight of THE nba players and everyone else is just,
pooping making money and chilling Cho that's, true but.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
You also can fly under the radar in THE nba.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
And make a lot more, money you know What i'm,
Saying like that part of doing all that endorsement extra
stuff and putting yourself out there is part of your
brand and your.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Check so you kind of have to do all that extra.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Stuff, yeah and it's hard and it's not for. Everybody
So i've always felt not, pressure but like as, women
you just have to do, more like for all the extra,
Stuff like you can't just be a good basketball, player
like we don't.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
Make, obviously we don't make enough money for.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
That we do make good, Money LIKE i don't want
anybody to get me, wrong like we make great.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Money i'm very.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
GRATEFUL i love waking up every day playing professional, basketball
but SOMETIMES i WISH i could just go to the
gym and work out and go to my game and
go home and. Repeat yeah, sometimes BUT i mean this
is also a passion of mind doing stuff off the.
Court BUT i hope that one day and the future
players won't have to extend themselves so much to like
make a lot of money being a professional.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
ATHLETE i do have to, say you were like one
of the FIRST wnba players to start a YouTube, channel
to have your own, show to start your branding outside of,
Basketball AND i know the league wasn't really supportive of
players doing. That that's it's not at ALL i remember
when her Name montgomery was playing in twenty eighteen and
she was, LIKE i want to do. ACTING i want
to be on broadcasts and she was, like BUT i
have to stick to basketball BECAUSE i get in trouble
(32:30):
by THE. Wnba and now how that has evolved and
they encourage players to build their. Brands about, that how
are you to?
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Build it's so crazy And i'm so happy that at.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Twenty eighth was not that long.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
Ago, no it.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Wasn't AND i remember WHEN i got. DRAFTED i was,
LIKE i had my YouTube channel set. UP i would
say do probably was one of the first colleges that
really invested.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
In their social. Media we got like a social media.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Person we had a content, lady her name Is. Selena
she's still there, now and we were like one of
the first women basketball programs that was like pushing out
content all the. Time so they helped me set up
my YouTube channel because me and my Teammate Rebecca greenwow
went to the three point. Contest so we've blogged, That
i've blogged the drafts and Then i've blogged like my
(33:13):
last few days on campus and then they.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
Were, like, okay be. Free we helped.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
You so then they let me keep the YouTube, channel
and THEN i just was blogging my rookie, season and
every TIME i brought the camera, out everyone was like
what are you, Doing like like why do you have,
this why do you have YouTube? Channel like why do
you want to be on camera all the, time blah
blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Blah AND i was, like it was just it was
just a hobby of.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Mine AND i saw the bigger picture as far As,
brandy BECAUSE i was on the team With cheney at
the time and she was, hurt and that's when she
first started doing HER espn stuff AND i was always
asking her about, it if she liked, it if she
could see a future doing it instead of just something
to pass the. Time so she was the first PERSON
i saw doing all that outside. Stuff but she was,
injured SO i was kind of, Like, okay maybe you
(33:53):
can't do it while you're, Playing BUT i continue to
do my YouTube. STUFF i Love.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Instagram TikTok wasn't around. YET i just can't imagine.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
How i've been on TikTok and college and our, team
like our team was. Fun and then WHEN i got
To chicago and was on the team with Candas. Parker
that's WHEN i finally saw that you could do, both
and people even when she was doing, that people were
just kind of like down like they WERE i don't,
KNOW i DON'T i don't like How candis was treated
the tail end of her. Career but she was, Like
(34:22):
she's the one that like really inspired me to be
able to chase both dreams at the same time BECAUSE
i watched her do, it AND i watched her do
it and win a championship while doing. It, yeah that's
a flex for. Her, yeah that was just as long
for the ride along for the. Ride NOW i want
to win my. OWN i want to actually.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Contribute do you sound Like Charles.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Barker's bus driver. THING i need to be the bus.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
DRIVER i do have a ring and it's a, blessing
BUT i, like they can't take that away from. It they,
cannot BUT i want, To LIKE i THINK i did
score a basket in the, finals so that was, FUN i.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Think. Yeah with the.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Team, yeah that whole summer was like just for, vibes
but it was a learning. Experience But i'm not gonna
like pretend LIKE i was like a major contributor to the.
Team but it was like a really good, experience AND
i learned a ton And i'm mad that we didn't
try and run it back like the whole.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Time ye like everyone just we traded all the.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Piss yeah before it was like my Ultimate mike, drop
like all, right Here's, chicago here's the.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Championship we're all gonna leave. NOW i feel, like if.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
You go to the, finals unless something really bad happens
in every, sport like if you get to the, championship, win,
lose or, draw you gotta try to run it back
because you could go back to back or you could
if you, lost you could.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Win the next. Time SO i don't, KNOW i never
understood that blowing the team up? Right who wanted to just?
Disperse mix of?
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Both, OKAY i think it was a mix of both
BECAUSE I candae, Stayed slute, stayed but every cost, stayed
so it was like a mix of. Both that, Season
LIKE i, said that season was very.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
INTERESTING i got. CUT i came in.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
LATER i didn't come until like the middle of the,
season so they had stuff going on THAT i knew nothing,
about so you, KNOW i was there to you, know
kind of set the tone vibe, wise energy, WISE i
was like the tone setter as far as like everyone if,
someone if we haven't a bad price of it's like
see make do some make someone?
Speaker 6 (36:20):
Laugh do?
Speaker 4 (36:21):
This do? That that was like my job on the,
team but just an important.
Speaker 5 (36:24):
Job, well by the time we put this episode, out
the championship will have already. Happened BUT i do want
(36:45):
to hear you guys, predictions and then we'll check in
later in the week and you guys can hear our.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Reactions but do you first Happen yukon The yukon's Winning and,
OKAY i.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Had them winning in my, brackets so all, right SO
i had Self carolina at, first but after looking at
the Game, FRIDAY i think That yukon might run the.
Table And i'm not wearing blue BECAUSE i Think yukon
is going to win or, anything BUT i Have yukon winning.
Speaker 4 (37:10):
Today they just looked like a well oiled.
Speaker 6 (37:14):
Machine, yeah AND i think.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Because of the poise that they play, with people don't
understand how fast that they.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Play they played extremely.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Fast they were they KILLED ucla and, transition they were
shooting the. Ball i'm just really excited for this matchup
because it's really gonna be offense versus defense really the
taiale of two.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
Teams, Yeah i'm.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Excited yukon was a team that limped their way to
The final four last year half a team was, injured
and NOW i feel like the chemistrys there were starting
to turn the. Page Sarah strong is playing really so,
Good Asy fud as. Well paige is gonna Be. Paige, yeah,
SO i mean a well oiled.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Machine and they're young, though which is it's like you
don't see Young yukon team play like, This like they're
all playing like they've been in the At yukon, three
four or five. Years And, page you, know she's been
in college for so. Long it's like she's like everyone's little.
Sister we're like watching her like grow, up and everyone
is like so sad that this is her last. Season
i've really never seen fans so like emotionally connected to
(38:18):
a player, before and it's been like really cool to.
SEE i think it's a mix of you, know her
fandom from high. School you, know she was popping in
high school and she went through the. INJURIES i feel
like whether you're cheering For yukon or, NOT i feel
like everybody is like rooting For page AND i think
like it's such a beautiful.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
Thing, WELL i think that it's interesting how you said
we haven't really gotten to see them In March madness
all as a, unit healthy. Together i've read That asy
And page hadn't played together In March madness since the last.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Time yep Against South.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Carolina.
Speaker 5 (38:47):
Wow so it's like it'll be interesting to see them
get their get back and together after all they've been
through throughout their college.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Careers, yeah BUT.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
I do want to shout Out South carolina because this
is a team that's been here for the past four.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Years they've been five years in a, row, Right, yeah that's.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Crazy one of one. Championships the players have been to
the tournament what three of the four, years and they've
been in, school so this is an experienced. Team Don
staley is a GREAT exs and o's, Coach So i'm
excited to see how they battle it out as well
every game and the defending champs they deserve as.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Well every game in the.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Tournament like a Different South carolina players stepped up, Today
who is going to be that?
Speaker 1 (39:30):
PLAYER i Think rayven is definitely the leader of the.
TEAM i like WHAT i see From Tessa johnson when
she's lights out from.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Three she was hooping last. Game she was very.
Speaker 6 (39:45):
Light it was very light.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
Work i'm gonna go with my, Girl. CHLOE i like.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
THAT i feel like what makes.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
Them so dangerous, though is that they've found different ways
to win in each, step like whatever is needed at that.
Time they kind of play, around like they play with their,
food and then once they decide to, sign they, eat
they're like yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Bye liked an interview with Coach yo and. Two it's
just like when you're scouting For South, carolina you can't
plan for one or two. Players you got a plan for, everybody,
right you just don't know who's not gonna.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
BE i was talking to one of my friends and
they were saying that when when teams have like their,
superstars they're not easy to, scout but like you know
what to, expect you know where the ball's, going you
know what players are gonna be. Run when those star
players are, out they're much harder to guard because you
don't know where the ball's Go you don't know what they're,
doing but they're doing and not saying That South carolina
doesn't have any, stars but, LIKE i completely agree with,
(40:38):
You like it's very hard to scout for a team
where everybody contributes a little bit in different, ways and
someone can go for. Thirty this person can go for.
Thirty you got your two leading scorers coming off the.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
Bench, okay it's the.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Opposite they have a bunch of. Stars so it's like
you're looking around, like Oh, god what DO i?
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Do don is an evil with mad scientist over?
Speaker 5 (40:55):
There can we just talk About don VERS i was
talking to, YOU i think earlier about. THIS i have
never seen anything any fanfare like this for a. Coach
when you're, like, oh who are you rooting? For people are, like,
Oh i'm rooting For South. CAROLINA i Love.
Speaker 4 (41:09):
DON i Love don every. TIME i have not heard
a single player's name this entire.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
Like she's the star player of the.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Team, YEAH i mean that's, Amazing like THAT'S i love
that For. Donna just watching how she's Built South carolina
from the ground, Up like it's been amazing to. Watch
BUT i want some fans to talk about some of
the players.
Speaker 6 (41:27):
SOMETIME i, mean what do you think that's?
Speaker 5 (41:28):
Like as a player in the locker, room we're, like,
well y'all walking in ready to, play and everyone's like.
Speaker 1 (41:32):
Talking Like.
Speaker 4 (41:36):
Don, please she's a little, superstar but she's earned. It
BUT i. DON'T i thought that was hilarious all weekend.
Speaker 6 (41:42):
Long wait yesterday when my.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
Sister were at the pool and you, know we're chilling,
whatever and we see The South carolina team up in
the window going to get their, lunch and everybody at
the pool's like, done and she's up there.
Speaker 6 (41:54):
Waiting like she's like. Princess, guys.
Speaker 4 (41:58):
She's a.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
President she's like the. President I'm Matti resident of women's,
basketball And i'm so grateful for.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Her she's.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Amazing i'm excited for some really great basketball. Today hope
you guys are going to, watch maybe go to the
arena to watch the game as.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Well tampa's been.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
Lit tampa has been. Lit we've had a great time.
Here we've had a great time before we.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Go what it's been your favorite thing about being here
In tampa this?
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Weekend my favorite.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Thing my favorite thing is seeing how much women's college
basketball has. Grown Like mariah, said my Second Final four
was In tampa and it was an amazing. Experience but
like the level of, everything how it's been elevated FROM i.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
Think that was twenty.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
FIFTEEN i want to say, yeah twenty, fifteen how so
much has. Changed it's been like such a humbling and
amazing experience just to be in it from a different,
perspective but just be able to Have my mom sent
me a picture of me on the side of.
Speaker 4 (42:53):
The arena WHEN i was playing, here and she was
like losing her mind this.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Weekend she's, LIKE i can't believe you're going there to
work now played there and it just you're still involved
And i'm so proud of. You so things like, That
moments like that like that was probably my favorite part
of the.
Speaker 6 (43:06):
WEEKEND i came To.
Speaker 5 (43:08):
Tampa the last TIME i was here was for The
Volleyball National championship In final, four AND i think that
it's amazing seeing, here like there's such a good market
for women's sports, here but also just watching the arenas
fill up for women's sports is so. Incredible everybody's, sharing
everybody's paying, attention everybody's going, crazy even like the fanfare
For Page it's LIKE i only have seen that kind
(43:30):
of fanfare for Like Steph, curry you know What i'm.
Saying so it's really exciting seeing that in, person because
ON tv it's.
Speaker 6 (43:36):
Hard to really feel.
Speaker 5 (43:37):
That, yeah but when you're in the arena and everybody
has their posters and it's going, crazy it's so. Fun
BUT i mentioned the volleyball thing and The Final four
this year because there's such a great market for women's sports.
HERE i don't think it would hurt to have an
expansion team.
Speaker 4 (43:50):
Here, Yeah i'm just Said i'm here For.
Speaker 1 (43:51):
FLORIDA i would have to say for, me my first
time In tampa was in twenty nineteen for the women's
Basketball Final, four and just to, see as you guys,
said like how everything evolved over the, years even the
media coverage doing things like, This it's come full, circle
come full. Circle definitely enjoy being here and just seeing
how much the sport is. Wrong but all the, stakeholders
(44:13):
all the people who have covered the, game just them
elevating as.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Well, yeah women are.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
LIT i mean the shooting, contest we had little boys being,
like WH, wba they're so, cute let's please sign my.
Speaker 6 (44:26):
Basketball it's so.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
CUTE i love.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
It it's been a great. Time we've had a great weekend.
HERE i appreciate you guys coming. Out thank you appreciate.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
It in case you missed, it With Christina williams is
An iHeart women's sports production in partnership With Deep Blue
sports And. Entertainment you can find us on The iHeartRadio,
App Apple, podcasts or wherever you get your. Podcasts
Host
Khristina Williams
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