May 29, 2025 • 57 mins
On this episode of Levels to This, hosts Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by Jennifer Rizzotti, President of the Connecticut Sun, for an inside look at the WNBA from a front office perspective. We get all the stories from back when Sheryl and Jen were teammates on the Houston Comets. Then, Jennifer pulls back the curtain on what really goes into roster decisions, the physicality of the league, and how the business of women's basketball is evolving. She also reflects on her own journey through the game, shares what excites her about this year’s rookie class, and explains why she's optimistic about the Sun’s restructured roster.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Levels to This 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. Hey, what's up, everybody, it's your girls,
Herica Foster Brasby.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Y'all know what time it is.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
This is your girl Cheryl swoops Hey, and this is
the levels to this podcast. This is the show where
we share that it is levels to the ship that
women go through and we really do have a fun show.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Today.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
We got an incredible special guest. I'm gonna be bringing
in somebody that's gonna give me all the tea on
Cheryl back in a day not possible.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I can't listen.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I am determined to get a guest on here that's
gonna be like, listen, I ain't really fuck with Schoel
for real. I'm gonna be like, yes, yes, give me
that tea, give me that you.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Know what, That guess is never coming on here.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's never coming ever, ever ever ever. Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
That is. See everybody left playing with me though, clearly
because I can't find a single person.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
It's like I hated playing with Trill, Like they don't exist.
Well they don't, they do.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I'm just not gonna tell you.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Who they are.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I'm just not gonna tell me because she knows, she knew.
I'm gonna be like, let me go up here make
a phone. Gosh, so messy for no reason. But anyway,
how was your week?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
So listen, I'm at home for a while, right, So
the things that I need to get done that I
never have time to do. I've scheduled eye doctor, dentist doctor.
So just trying to get all the things done before
I get back on the road.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Okay, trying to stay cool in this heat because it's
hot in Houston.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
How is yours? Well? I graduations? I did.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
My My bonus daughter graduated from high school. So I
took a trip to Boca Raton to to see her graduate.
It was literally like a twenty four hour like we
got there and literally just the next day left out
the same day.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
So it was really good.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
And it makes you feel so old because I'm like,
first of all, she's got.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
A boyfriend, and her boyfriend was like, oh, it's so
nice to meet you, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And I was like, ma'am, yes, ma'am, yes, that's what
he's supposed to say you are you are supposed to
say that, and so I was not upset. I was like, hey,
you know, I understand, like I appreciate the respect, but
she don't have to mam me because ma'am makes me
feel like I'm sixty, Like I say ma'am to my mama, Like,
don't don't say that to me just yet.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
So it was cool. It was very It was very cool.
It was great to see her in her elements. So
she's going to college this fall, so I'm excited for her.
She's going to be majoring in nursing. So yeah, it
was a good week.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Quick question for you before we take it to the
next level. Quick thoughts on the start of the WNBA
season child.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Let me tell you, girl, tell me help me.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Y'all can't see t but you know anytime a woman puts.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Her head down and this the eyebrowser raised and she's
scratching a heel, that's it means there's a lot in
there that.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Used to come out.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
We on week two shot and they already got me
stressed the hell out? Do you hear me stressed out
on week two? Like and it's more ship off the
court and own it like what, it's just too much.
So it's too much because I feel.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I feel like I feel like the media and fans,
certain fans are making shit bigger than it really is
every single time, and so it to me, it takes away.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
From the fun of watching the games.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I am starting and I never thought I would get
to this point, but I am starting to get to
the point where I'm just like, you know what, I'm
just not going to comment. I'm not going to get
I'm not gonna And I never thought I would get
to that point because it don't bother me, like, like,
I got time. You want to be on Twitter with
me going back and forth. Cool, I got time. But
it's like it's so exhausting because it's never the people
(04:12):
with any rational, logical sense, and because of that, I'm
just like whatever. But I will say I love the
start that I'm seeing from Washington.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
They started off to and oher.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
I mean, Washington's gonna be good. They're fine and had
a close one with Golden State. Yup, So I like,
I like what I'm seeing from Washington. I knew that
Dallas was gonna take a little time to jail. I
hope it don't take all first half. I mean, I
also want them to play Big T better because they
I really want y'all to put teer and I really
(04:43):
want y'all to play her differently. I really want you
all to figure out how to make her a starter.
But okay, we're gonna move on. We'll have a whole
episode about it. Let's just we're gonna have to have
a whole episode. But speaking of WNBA, we do have
a WNBA guest today.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
We are bringing on the.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
President of the Connecticut Sun Organization, technically my boss, so
I'm had to be on my best behavior because I
am trying to get fired today.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
I like I like being on the sideline for the Sun.
I like to continue to do that. Keep it cute,
keep it cute, keep it cute. Gotta keep it cute.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
But we will be Avia gen Rizzotti join us today,
and I just know she about to give me something
about you, as you two played together when she was
in Houston, won a couple of championships, that third and
fourth one when you guys were together. I'm excited to
have Gin on the show. I know you are too,
So with that, let's go ahead and take this thing
to the next level. So I'm always excited when we
(05:44):
have special guests. I mean, obviously I'm always excited when
we have guests come on our show, but I am
like extra like if this is the bar for excited,
like my bar for excitement goes well above the normal
bar whenever the guests are former teammates Yl. That lets
me know that the real ship is gonna come out,
(06:06):
and like, I'm here for all of that, right.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I was just like, only because you think you gonna
get some juicy shit or something, I really don't.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
I didn't see.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
I didn't see any Venmo payments from Cheryl before we
started recording, so.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I don't have them.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Jan Yeah, no blackmail payments.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
So you are all all good.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
We are excited to have a Connecticut Son team president
Jennifer Rizzotti basketball Hall of Famer champion with the Houston comments.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I mean, the.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
List goes on and on about all the amazing things
that Jennifer has done in her career. I'm gonna tread
lightly though, because I also called her boss.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
I ain't trying to get fired on my day.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Okay, at least one of you, one of you.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
You guys, you got fired on your day off, trying
to get fired on my day off.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But no, First off, thank you Jim for coming for
hanging out with us. We definitely appreciate it in advance.
But first and foremost, you know, you can start wherever
you'd like to start about how mean Cheryl was in
the locker room, how much of a competiti like, you
can start wherever, because we need all of this is
everyone who comes in the show, it's like, Cheryl is
(07:20):
so awesome, She's so great, she was such an awesome teammate,
and I'm like, there's got to be that one person.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
There's got to be that one person.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Who were like, you haven't found her and Jen and
her either Jenn Nope, but go ahead, Jim.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
All right, Well let me just say this. Okay.
Speaker 6 (07:36):
So I've been a part of three WNBA teams, the
Houston Comments, Cleveland Rockers, and now the Connecticut Sums, and
I will say I have had my share of dysfunctionally
functional teams in my day, and what I learned is
that if you have super, super competitive, really talented people
(08:01):
on your team, they're going to find a way to
win no matter what. And Houston was that, you know,
It wasn't always pretty. You know, there was definitely arguments.
I remember I got like elbowed in the face one
time in practice because I was guarding too hard one
of our players.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
It was not me, I see that look on your face.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
It was not Ryl.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
But what I will say is that that we all
had the same like common goal, right, was to win
a championship.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
And I was fortunate to.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
Join them, you know, in the right in the middle,
you know, after their first two for the second, the third,
and the fourth championship. So I got to witness like
all this craziness and you know, the high level of
accountability they had to winning, and they argued like I'm
not gonna lie. Like there was arguments in the locker room,
there was arguments van there was arguments in practice, but
(08:55):
the end goal always remained the same.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
They were going to win. They were going to find
a way.
Speaker 6 (08:59):
And if you watched us on the court, and you
watch the way Cheryl and Cynthia and Tina competed with
each other, like you you knew that that was like
the recipe, and we similarly Treka had that here in
Connecticut for a long time, right, Like wasn't always like
pretty locker room wasn't always nice, but we had competitors
(09:21):
like Alyssa Thomas and john Quell Jones and Dewana Bonner
and you know players that just like they wanted to
win and they were gonna find a way. And so
you know, it's kind of like fun to think about
all of my experiences between college and WNBA and how
different they were. And I know I was Cheryl's favorite teammate.
I will say that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I went shopping with her. I went out to the
bars with her.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, like, damn, Jim, that's enough, that's enough, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
No, No, don't be everything.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I don't think I've ever seen someone spend that much
money in one store before. At one point on the
road we were I don't even remember what store was, and.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
She came out sure, probably because you can get everything
a north from you can find it.
Speaker 6 (10:08):
I just know you came out with clothes, bags and
bags of clothes. And I don't think I bought one thing,
but I was there. I was a good teammate and friend. No,
we had we had some good times.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
First of all, you real raggedy shirl, How you gonna
make gin go shopping with you?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
When you ain't it. You ain't get this a bag.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
No, did not give me anything.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
I probably didn't want anything because the clothes she was
buying like barely covered anything.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So that was not my.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Wait, can I get to work, because tie, you're being
real mesry right now, we're all.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
First of all, I did not make her go shopping
with me.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
I just I asked, Jen, you want to go shopping
with me? So yep, let's go okay. Secondly, I ain't
got time to be shopping for gin. I was shopping for.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Me, so no, Jinn got nothing nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Third third, it's so crazy to think about what she
just said. Well, she was like because what I bought
was barely covering anyway, because today today when I go shopping,
I need to cover everything every day.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
I got it like that.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
I got it like that. No more. But oh my god,
how fun?
Speaker 5 (11:27):
How much fun was it back in the day?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It was well, you know, we also didn't have these podcasts.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
We didn't have social media, right, we didn't have like
facts as much as we were super popular, and we
sold out the arena and Houston.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Wait wait wait, I'm sorry, time out, time out, time out.
I just want to rewind I just need you to
say that one part, because people don't think we sold
arenas out back then.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh sold out?
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Okay, sold I just need you to Our home arena
was sold out, and when I played for the Comments,
almost every away arena was sold out coming out to
watch the greats in our league play. If we were
everywhere we went, everywhere we went, So it was it
was an honor to be on that team, to be
(12:14):
teammates with Cheryl and see the level that she could
bring women's basketball. And we didn't have the TV exposure
or social media exposure that they have now, but if
we did, it would be the same amount of attention
that these players are getting right now Cheryl and Tina
and Cynthia would have gotten back in the early two
thousands for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I just want to jump right in and ask this question,
because Jen, you hit on it right. Were we all
best friends?
Speaker 6 (12:39):
No?
Speaker 5 (12:40):
Did we always like each other during practice?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
No? Did we go at each other during practice? Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
But you know nowadays, people, I'll say, the new fans
all complain about like how physical the game is, right,
Can you let the people know that this is not new,
It's always been like that.
Speaker 6 (13:05):
Yes, I mean our practices were like that. Our shoot
arounds were like that.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
We used to play.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We used to play five on five, make it take
it every shoot around? Yes, and I well, I was
always on the white team. Cheryl was always on the
red team. So you can guess how many times we
actually got to.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Go because it was if they didn't score, it.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
Was because we got We fouled them right, so our ball.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
So it's basically just make it, make it for red.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
However, I will say for the game.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
Yes, we went at it, and like now I watched
shoot around, I'm like, why is everybody walking around like.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Nobody's even going game speed?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
But our games now now are competitive and.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
That's you know why.
Speaker 6 (13:49):
That's because these players grew up watching the physicality of
the game.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I mean the the Detroit Shock.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
I mean, my goodness, period Eveland, So that was our
rival for the three years that I was in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I mean, you couldn't get out.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
Of that place without some sort of floorburne or bruise
or something bloody. No, I've got like forty five stitches
on my face from yes, so I.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Bring that up all the time, Like folks don't know
my girls. Lanette used to hold it down for the squad.
Yeah right, right, So, but you know what else you
bring up though, that I think is interesting is the
fact that you and Sheryl are both like, hey, there
were moments where folks didn't get along, moments where we
didn't you know, folks didn't always like each other. And
(14:37):
there's this notion in the league now. And I don't
even think it's necessarily like the league. I just think
it's with women's sports that female athletes all have to
be besties.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
We all have to love each other.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
It's cool to be competitive, but afterwards, there's no way
that you guys can't like each other, love each other.
And I don't know why people think that is about women.
And first of all, if you know anything about women,
you know, ain't no hell you gonna have a room
full the women.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
Off and I like each other, right, But that's just general.
Let's just generally speak.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, right, but there is this no shit, And I
bring that up because obviously I'm going to bring up
the elephant in the room is that with the rivalry
that is budding and building between Angel Reese and Caitlyn Clark,
there is this thing like, oh, she hates her, she
hates her, and like my response to that, it's always
like I don't think she does.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
But if she did, so what ya? I don't like
where is this?
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Like I don't see anybody talking about, Oh, Michael Jordan
was such a horrible person because he hated Isaiah Thomas,
like okay, or you know Magic and Larry they hated
each other, Okay, So like, why is there this negative
connotation that someone has to be a terrible person if
they if they hate an opponent, Like again, I don't
(15:50):
think that they do.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
I think there's mutual respect there. But if they did, like.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
So what exactly?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
And it's honestly more about the player's personal than anything, right,
because you watch some of these like other players in
the league, Like I mean we had dj and A
last year, and when we played Dallas when Marino was
on Dallas's team a couple of years back in the playoffs,
I mean, they were like going at each other. The
(16:17):
crap talking in the game was at an all time high.
They hated, they hated each other, and then guess what
happens Marina comes.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
And joined us last year.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Now it's like the respect they have for each other
is what is showcase so it doesn't mean that you
hate them as a person. But if you're a competitor, right,
and you're a trash talker or you're just aggressive, you're
not gonna like the person on the other side of
you because you want to win. And that was always
the case for all of us. I hated the Tennessee players.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I hated them when I was in court.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
And then I get drafted into the New England Blizzard
and Dana Johnson is sitting in the locker next to
me and we're talking to each other. We hate each other,
and all of a sudden, she goes, Wow, you're a lot.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Nicer than I thought you were. We you know, we're
all different and it's normal.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I heard I heard Sue Bird on her podcast with
with Megan talking about the same thing, right, and she said,
I can't tell you how many times I wanted to
punch Diana Trassi in the face when we were playing
against each other. Yes, now, mind you, Diana is her
best friend, she's like my best friend.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
But I wanted to punch the shit out of her
when we were playing.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
And my right and my.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Thing is it's so normal and t to your point,
and I can't remember which NBA guy it was, but
NBA guys talk about how they hate each other all
the time.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
I hate him, I hate him.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I hate him, and it's no big deal, no conversation.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
But I want to say this.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I think both Angel and Caitlin have both said they
don't dislike or hate each other. I for me, it's
more about the media, right, because that's a great storyline
to talk about, Well, these two do not like each other.
Well did they tell you that? Did Caitlyn say to
you or Angels say to you, I don't like her.
I don't like her like I just think here's my
(18:10):
thing and it's everybody's.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
It's a different viewpoint.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
I'm going with.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yes, it was a flagrant foul from Caitlin on Angel
one because the rest called it. The rest said it
was a flagrant foul, and as a former player, and
according to the rules at least what I saw, I
didn't think she went for the ball anyway, it's a
flagrant foul.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
They called it.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
We move off.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Angel's reaction to jump up like she did is a
very normal reaction. But I think it's because of who
it was, it got blown out of proportion, right, so
Caitlyn is just Caitlyn jen to your point, it's all
about who it is and the personality. Caitlyn knew it
was a hard foul, but she just walked off, right,
She's like, Okay, it's a hard foul.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
I'm walking off. And Angel's reaction is normal.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
You take the same type of a play, right, Djana
Flager fowl on Jessica Shuffer the other night.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
It's the same thing, Jeff Shepherd, she gets up right.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
The difference was Djona was still standing there like, yeah
I did on business.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Yeah yeah, fact.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So my thing is this, right, So look at it.
First of all, Angel and Caitlyn. You got a black
player and a white player, Dja and Jeff Shepherd. You
got a black player and a white player. But no
one's talking about Djona and Jeff Shepherd like they're talking
about Angel and Caitlyn.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Why.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Yeah, because Djona's flagrant, and it was absolutely a flagrant,
was worse than Caitlyn's flagrant on Angel to me, but
no one's talking.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
No one's talking about that.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Yeah, nope, nope, and they won't and they won't.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
It's not really fair. What Caitlyn's not allowed to have
a flavorite foul. Of course she is right. She's competitive too,
and she's not.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
She's competitive, and why can't Angel react the way she
did similar to what Jeff Shepherd did.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I mean, Cheryl, you did that. I did that.
Speaker 6 (19:57):
I remember, like someone found me hard. In college there
was a player on Motre Dame. I stood up like
I was gonna fight. I wasn't actually gonna fight.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Him, but normal reaction.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
You want to be a tough guy.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
You don't want to like take a hard foul and
act like it's okay, Like that's a normal reaction for any.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
What would Gino's respond had been had you actually got
into a fight on the courgin I don't.
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Know because none of I mean honestly, none of his
players have ever done that, right, Like I thought me
or Diana would have been the most likely.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yeah, actually right, throw a punch or something.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
But we, you know, we also like valued the competitiveness
of wanting to play, and we were smart enough to
know we could, you know, you know whatever, bump chests.
But we're not gonna take the next step.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Jane is sitting here talking about I wasn't really gonna fight.
Let let me, let me just go back for a
minute and just tell you.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
Because the stories are interchangeable.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
You know, Jennifer Risotti, she was a little feisty something.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
I ain't gonna lie to you.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
There were absolutely days in practice because sometimes you get.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Switched off and she would come guard me or whatever.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
There were sometimes in practice I was like, if this
little bit, don't move out the way. First of all,
was gonna talk shit, was gonna play hard, be physical,
had some dirty fouls. I'm just all the things happen.
So for her to sit and be like, I mean,
I wasn't really gonna fight. Don't let besides for you though,
(21:33):
But now, tim, but you know what, like those are
the types of teammates you want, now know how I
if she was on another team, it'd be different. But
knowing this is my teammate, and we went at each
other in practice, I don't care if you on red
or white. We went at each other and that's just
what it was. Yes, it's practice. We're trying to make
(21:55):
each other better, but at the end of the day,
we're trying to win another championship. And if you you
don't bring it to help us get there, then you're
hurting us.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I mean I think that's exactly what Like to your point, Jen,
about Djna and Marina as an example, I think that's
what helped to make them great teammates because they knew
what they were going to expect from each other, just
based off the experience that they had before they were teammates.
So I already know this one right here is gonna
ride for me. She was she was riding on Sunday.
(22:24):
I was like, wait a minute, now, a little bigger
than a no that I love it.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
I do.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I ain't got no problem with it me either. I
love the way the game is going, the way the
game is growing, and there's just I mean, there's just
so much buzz around the w You talk about ratings
being up, we talk about merch selling out, we talk
about college college players are becoming household names.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
We still haven't.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Seen Juju Watkins get in the league yet, so that's
a whole other monster that we're going to be excited about.
But like, what's been the biggest change that you've seen, Jen,
not just on the court, but also because you serve
as team president, like maybe from behind the scenes too,
Like some of the biggest changes you've seen.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Yeah, I mean Essentially, we're talking about this being a
big business, right. You know, you saw the news about
New York's Capital Rays and their team being valued at
four hundred and fifty million dollars. Like you've seen the
news about our owners exploring opportunities for investment. Because everybody knows,
now this isn't just about like having fun and owning
(23:29):
a basketball team. This is like investing in the WNBA,
investing in women. And the access to consume our game
is finally getting to where it needs to be because
all of our games are now accessible to our fans.
The consumption that people are able to have on social
media right or through sports betting is at an all
(23:50):
time high.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Right.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
And then you're talking about player expectations, you know, like
I think I made like twenty five thousand dollars my
first year in Houston, Right, you can't you can bear
like I can bury a shop with Cheryl because I
was making that little thing, right, But it was like
they were just on to be in the league. And
now these players are there's an expectation and they're coming
out with brands. These college players are coming out with
(24:13):
their own individual brands. They've learned how to market themselves.
They've learned how to create a business for themselves, and
they're bringing their fans with them, and so there's just
higher expectations across the board for what the WNBA needs
to mean to everybody. And I think that's why there's
so much discourse. And I don't know that it's like
always bad, that it's negative, because everybody wants to be
(24:35):
talking about the w's so they're just trying to find
an avenue, and whether it's talking about DJNA and Jeff
Shepherd's fight versus Caitlin and Angels Fighter, but it's talking
about I can't find the game on TV easy enough,
or these ticket prices are too high, or you know,
I'm an OG fan. That you can see the discourse
being very consistent, and it feels like, although the fandom
(24:58):
was there back in two thousand and two thousand and three,
the exposure to the mainstream, you know, consumers is finally
where it needs to be.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I totally agree, Jan I want to
switch subjects for one second. As team president, how involved
are you on roster decisions.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In Connecticut? I'm very involved.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
So it varies per organization some about probably about half
the organizations.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
It's completely separate.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
So you have like a president of basketball operations and
a president of business operations. Here in Connecticut, I actually
oversee both, and it's my preference because it's where my
background is, right. I don't want to give up my
tie to the basketball side, you know. Plus, I was
able to work really hard to get Morgan Tough ready
to be our general manager, and I want to make
sure I'm continuing to support her as she grows in.
(26:03):
She's a rising star, but I want to continue to
be able to support her with my expertise in the
game throughout the next few years. So in this organization,
I actually I don't micromanage Morgan's decisions, but we talk
regularly and we make decisions together with our coach.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Okay, so, and so here's why I asked that. So
if you go on social media, because you know that's
where everything is. Yeah, and I just want you to
kind of explain how this works because a lot of
people don't truly understand it. So, right, Diamond to Shield
when she got waved, So she went on social media
and posted, you know, she got waved, and she's trying
(26:41):
to get a rental card to get her stuff home.
And you know, she was very honest at the end
when she was like, what do you do when you
get waved? Because I've never been here, so of course
you go. Everybody has something to say, and people are like,
oh my gosh, how they are Connecticut not so much
that they wave her, but how can Connecticut not help
her get her stuff back home?
Speaker 4 (27:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
How when when you wave a player, what happens? And
what what is Connecticut responsible for?
Speaker 4 (27:10):
What? What is the.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Player responsible for? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (27:14):
So, I mean I think any every organization is going
to want to help any player.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
They wave to every extent that we can. Right.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
So the difference is sometimes player reactions are different than others, Right,
So some people are surprised, some people are angry, some
people are expecting it. Some people want to leave right away,
and other people want they want to stay as long
as you'll let them. Right.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
So, I think it's it's it's a case.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
By case scenario, but essentially, and I'm going to make
fun of Diamond for this, and I'll do this to
her face. She uber to a rental car plays without
knowing that they had a rental car available, so.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
She didn't do you have a rental car.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yeah, and so like you know, she she wanted to leave.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
You know, I would have wanted the same thing, right,
I want to I wanted to get out as fast
as possible. So instead of waiting for us to book
a flight or get her a car or make she
she went to go take care of it herself.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
And there was no cars. So you know, we're always
going to take care of our players.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
Like it's sometimes hard because you don't want to react,
you know, as an organization, and she did. Actually, I
think go on and say, of course Connecticut helped because
she's smart and she knows like you got to do
and say the right thing. But yeah, our responsibility is
to you know, they have to you know, leave the
apartment that we got for them.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
So we give them usually a few days.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
We talked to them about like where would you like
to go, how would you like to get there? If
they have a car, we reimburse them for their mileage,
or we may shift their car back home. We could
fly them. We're going to shift their boxes to them.
In her case, she had brought all of her stuff
in a car, so she was trying to figure out
(28:57):
how to get it back. So we would have obvious
taking care of all that within the confines of the CBA.
So we're not an organization that's going to throw somebody
out on the curb the three hours after we wave them.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
And that everybody's different, right, I know that.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
But I think it's great for those out there who
don't understand how it works, right for you to get
an opportunity to explain, this is what happened, and this
is how it works.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Yeah, no, it makes tons of sense. And let the
record show I inbox Diamond. I said, Diamond, First of all,
you up there and I don't know where Connecticut, Like,
second of ball is graduation week.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Everybody these cars this is But to your point.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Why would you ober to a rental car place without calling?
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Yeah, that's why I'm making I had So I had
Diamond when I first was my first head coaching position
for USA basketball was a U eighteen team. So she
came and played on that team and then she was
the youngest player. She was fifteen years old. And that's
how good she was as a young player. And she's
been through a lot, you know, Like I don't know
(30:08):
that people really know the story of what she's battled, right,
from and been able to be successful, and so we
wish nothing but good.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Health and good wishes for her.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
And you know, in a different year thing, you know,
it's so hard, like these roster spots are so valuable.
We're in a kind of a reset year. We're trying
to recreate our identity. We need players on the floor
and we need to kind of figure out our rotation,
and so some of these decisions are really hard, and
you look forward to the day where there's enough roster
(30:39):
spots for these vets to get taken care of and
you know, like to be able to provide the leadership
that I think some of these young players need coming
into this league. So I wish nothing but the best.
I've always loved Diamond. I'm always rooting for her and
who I always say to players like who knows our
paths may cross again, sometimes sooner, sometimes later, but I'll
(31:00):
look forward to that because we've known each other for
a long time.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Yeah, love that, love that.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
I want to come back to rosters, but I want
to go back to something that you said, because if
I don't ask this question, if I don't bring this up,
fans are going to have my neck.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
They're gonna say, Tarika, how dare you be on a
podcast and not ask her about So I'm gonna go
ahead and do it.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
There's been so much conversation and discussion when the news
was released that the team was exploring investment opportunities, and
I know that you've kind of been.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
Very clear about what the team means with that.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
But what I think is interesting is that immediately after
that news was released, all of the season tickets for
the Sun sold out, and so I got the press
release that was like, well, wait a minute. I guess
fans feel like, if this is going to be last,
I got to go and see them now.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
No, No, the season tickets was they were like pretty
much already sold out. So it wasn't like it wasn't
like we had one thousand season tickets left and they
all got bought up. I mean, it was like that
release was planned to go out regardless of.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
That news get ready already.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
But what I will say is that, like you know, immediately,
as Cheryl mentioned, social media can be a cesspool.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
It's like this.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
Negative discourse, right versus like this is a good thing. Right.
We have an ownership group that is recognizing where the
league is going, and they need to make a decision
on like how they're going to figure out how to
invest in it, because you can't survive in this.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
League without a practice facility.
Speaker 6 (32:43):
You can't survive in this league without a certain level
of organizational structure to support basketball and business anymore. So
that has been recognized over the past year by our
ownership group, Like this is discussions that are being had.
We're not like out in the media patting our back
all the time about what we're doing. It was just
not the time to talk about it. And so now
(33:04):
that it's out, it's kind of like, Okay, well, now
you can see that our owners actually do care, because
they wouldn't be exploring this, this option to take on
new investors or potentially sell the team if they didn't
know that it's what the players needed, right. I think
it's a real positive for the future of our organization,
whether we stay in Connecticut or not, that we have
(33:26):
committed owners that not only invested for twenty plus years,
but now they're investing in a way that's like makes
business sense for both them and both and for the WNBA.
And so you know, for me, it's just like business
as usual. Let's get through the season. Whatever happens happens.
But you know, I'm proud to work here and be
a part of the organization, and I'm excited for what's
(33:49):
to come, if I'm being honest.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
Yeah, And I guess my whole point is just like
and you kind of touched on it, which is just like,
how do you keep fans and even you know, players
and staff focused on being in a present? I know
there are people that I've spoken to that I've been like, hey, listen,
like you gotta be you gotta be where you are,
be where your feet are, handle what's in front of you, right,
and like, this is an incredible season and I think
that every body that enjoys and watches the w can
(34:13):
look forward to seeing because there are so many different
people in so many different places. Like I'm not worried
about what's going to happen at this point or that point,
Like I'm just kind of trying to be here.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
So I guess, like that's my question.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Also, it's just like, what's the message to fans who
may be concerned, Like, don't be concerned, right, Like.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
Yeah, well that message It's funny because remember remember at
the end of last year, when Phoenix did the whole
if it's her last, what.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Was the last?
Speaker 2 (34:39):
This is the last?
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Yeah, it was like, we.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Can, we can play off of Phoenix's Diana Tarazi retirement
and put out a campaign saying, well, if this is
the last season. But I joke about it because I don't.
I really don't know what's going to happen, right, But
what I will say is that whether it's outrage or
from fans or excitement for from fans, the fact that
(35:05):
there's that many people that want to have access to
a WNBA team, it's it's pretty remarkable. And we've had
a lot of loyal fans for a long time, and
what I would say to them is like, enjoy it
if for however long this team is here, enjoy it right,
like cherish it. We've got new stars and new faces
and new personalities, like a new identity.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Enjoy it.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
And whatever whatever happens at the end of the season,
we'll all deal with it together. But we're all going
to be like a part of this history being made, right,
Like whether it was the last six years of making
consecutive you know, semi finals six straight times, or it's
a rebrand and a reidentity for the team and a
bunch of young underdogs, Let's see what we can do.
(35:48):
It's exciting to have an opportunity to just be a
part of the fandom of the WNBA. And it's out
of our control, right, That's what I said to my
staff and my players. This is not in our control.
This isn't our control. Is how we show up every day.
So as if we're a player, how do we show
up and compete for our fans? If we're a coaching staff,
how do we prepare our team? If we're a ticket
(36:09):
sales staff member, how am I showing up on the phone?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
Like?
Speaker 6 (36:13):
So, my job is to equip all of them with
the tools to be successful, but to keep their focus
on the main thing, which right now, the main thing
is a twenty twenty five season and we're going to
go out and have the best season that we can.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
So jenn In saying that, I want to talk a
bit about the team, the roster, the construction, all of
the things.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
What are the main goals?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
I know it's always to win a championship. I know
that what are the main goals for the Connecticut Sun
this season?
Speaker 6 (36:41):
Well, I'll be honest, like our goal this year isn't
to win a WNBA championship, right, Like that's New York's goal,
and that's Minnesota's goal. And you know Vegas and the
they have the roster to make that their goal. Not
all thirteen of us can have that be our goal. Right,
it has been our goal. We went we kind of
went all in bus last year when we traded for Marina,
(37:02):
and so, you know, once we knew that Alyssa wouldn't
be coming back, I know, it was kind of like
timed and we we kind of had assumed that would happen.
You know, she gave us eleven great years, but it
was time. You know, we had tried different combinations around
her for six years, didn't work. She was ready for
something new. We were ready for something new, So it
was all good. So once we knew that, it was like, okay,
(37:24):
let's be creative and let's also have an eye to
twenty twenty six free agency.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
So what I'm not sure all.
Speaker 6 (37:30):
The fans realize is how many players are going to
be free agents in four months, right, So you're going
to have full rosters that have nobody under contract. You know,
we're going to have Snaya Anissa Raya Marshall, J. C. Sheldon, Olivia, Like,
(37:50):
we're going to have five or six players under contract
when everybody else in the league is available.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
So we just.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Didn't want to have two consecutive free agencies where we
would have to reimagine our entire roster. So we prioritize
draft picks right and players under contract in twenty five,
with sprinkling in a few veterans like Tina and keeping
Marina to so that in twenty six, you know, we
(38:18):
would not only have a bunch of younger, cheaper contracts
regardless of what happens with the CBA, but we would
have cap room to go out and attract some bigger
free agents when the salary cap potentially could you know,
again I can't talk about the CBA, but could potentially
be bigger.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So we really were strategic.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
We knew that this would not be a year that
we would be competing for a championship, but we also
knew that we wouldn't be able to put a roster
together that could beat some of the teams that are
ready to win. So what we'd think about is like,
all right, when their cycle is over, right, because everything
goes in cycles. The comments went in cycles, and then
LA and Minnesota had their cycle, and then it's Vegas
(39:00):
and now it's like New York and Minnesota. When those
cycles are winding down, who are the next organizations that
are ready and poised to take that top spot? And
so you have to do that. You have to build
that through the draft, and you have to build that
through strategic offseason moves. And so I thought Morgan did
a tremendous job of setting us up and having honest
(39:21):
conversations and giving Rashid a roster that although we'll be
young and inexperienced and probably lose quite a bit of games,
we're gonna be We're gonna get better as the season
goes on, and we're gonna be better for it in
the future because we built it this way.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
I love the alignment because it's speaking to Rashid. He
also is like, hey, you know, we're a young team.
We're figuring it out. Like there does not always have
to be this you know light at the end of
the tunnel that says if we don't do this, then
we've done nothing. Like essentially, it is all about ensuring
(39:57):
that we are building a culture here, that we are
we building trust with each other that we're starting to
put some things in place, and it seems as if
the players respond well to like what it is that
he's bringing there. Yes, just kind of talk to me
a little bit about what the decision was in Rashid
and like what you've liked from what you've seen from
(40:18):
him so far.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
And I know it's still an early sample size.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
But yeah, you know, we we kind of wanted to
make sure we cast a wide net in the coaching search.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
You know, there's always like.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
The pool of coaches that have put coached in the
league before, there's a pool of assistant coaches that may
or may not be ready right and then and then
there's like the you know, non traditional pool. And so
we explored all three of those pools and we we
let we leaned towards finding someone that had head coaching
experience already, you know, based on kind of what we
(40:51):
knew from the last few years, but also somebody that
was maybe going to be able to bring something a
little different because we need a differentiator in Connecticut. It
like we're not you know, we're not necessarily getting Asia
Wilson or Brown of Stewart to sign here, right, So
we need to have an advantage based on a creative roster, right,
(41:12):
and then also a coach that's going to maybe be
different than the coaches that are running all the same stuff.
And so what I've liked from him so far is
that he is holding the players accountable.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Right. You know again, Tarika, you've been here.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
So for my four years here, we basically had the
same core playing like you, our coaches were afraid to
take them out, right, and so we never tried anything different,
and it was hard. How do you take Alyssa Thomas
out of the game, right if she's missing shots?
Speaker 2 (41:43):
No, but or even like if Dowana is having a
tough shooting.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
Night, you just think she's going to make the next one, right,
So yeah, you always I think our coach is felt
a little handcuff that, like, Okay, I can't really have
a lot of flexibility, Rashid.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
He can do whatever he wants right now, like our
roster is totally different.
Speaker 6 (42:00):
He can bench Marina if he wants to, he can
bench Tina if he wants to. He can put the
three rookies out there together if he wants to. So
I like that he's not afraid to just kind of
experiment until he figures it out. And he makes them
practice right and we practice hard, which I like because
not all teams can do that. If you have veterans
(42:20):
that don't want to practice, it's hard to get work
done in practice in between games.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
And I know we.
Speaker 6 (42:26):
Can't do that all season, but I just like that
his focus is on everybody has an opportunity here. If
you're playing good, you get to play. If you're not
doing what I'm asking you to do, you're coming.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Out no matter who you are, no matter how.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
Many years of experience you have. If you don't defend
the way and I'm asking you to defend, if you
don't take the right shots, you equally have a chance.
What he said to me once was they can come
sit next to me on my friend the bench. You
knows he has that freedom now because there's a lot
less pressure on him than there was on Stephanie and
(42:59):
Kurt win a championship, and so I think in the
long run it will help him just be able to
be himself instead of coming in with an expectation that
you got to get to the w NBA Finals or bust.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Right.
Speaker 6 (43:11):
So yeah, we just have to be patient with this,
with this group and with this coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
But I really like what I see so far.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
I love that tell us something about these rookies that
we may not know and the reason why you were like,
oh no, we got to go get them.
Speaker 6 (43:26):
Okay, Well I didn't know this before we drafted her,
But Sanaia Rivers is the best hugger I have ever met.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
I agree, I mean right, I mean.
Speaker 6 (43:38):
She just like wraps you up with like the right
amount of like force that like makes it's so genuine.
Because of that, I will say, but I'm one of
those you know, I you know, we kind of knew
who would go one, two, three, four ish, you know,
in the draft. Once you got past those guys, Anissa
(44:01):
and Sanaia were.
Speaker 2 (44:02):
Our top two targets.
Speaker 6 (44:04):
Like, I can't imagine how often that it happens that
at seven and eight you get exactly who you want.
And you know, who was our number one target in
the second round, Raya Marshall. So like, we got exactly
who we wanted in the draft, and part of it
with Anissa, I mean, she speaks for itself, right, like
her tenacity, her competitiveness, her rebounding, her versatility. You know,
(44:27):
everyone wants to talk about how she's undersized, so what right,
Like she gets it done regardless.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Of her size.
Speaker 6 (44:33):
Yeah, and then you know Snaia talk about versatility. I
mean she can play one through four and she showed
in her debut the other night she can guard anyone
as a twenty two year old, she can guard anyone
in this league. I've never seen anyone block Chelsea Gray's
fade away ever, So they picked her, yes, and then
Raya just had They all just have this energy.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
About them, like, let alone, they know how to do
the TikTok.
Speaker 6 (44:58):
Our TikTok following has like exponentially grown because of the
three of them.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
But they're just questionable. You know, they are are appreciative.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
So when you talk about resetting the culture from you know,
veterans with certain expectations to young players and free agents
that are just looking for a great opportunity to be
who they need to be and have a chance to play.
Like we have really kind of flipped the script. So
although we may lose some games, it's going to be
(45:30):
a very easy team to root for because they're all
for each other. I mean, nobody was cheering on that
bench harder than Anissa Morrow the other day when Snaya
and Reya had success. So all these teams that have
been successful in the league have had these cores that
have grown up together, right, and we were trying to
establish that core here that can grow up.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
And you throw J. C.
Speaker 6 (45:51):
Sheldon in that mix talk about what the h being
she is. I mean, we have the last young people
in this league and so just excited when they all
start to maximize what they can do on the court
as players. But the fact that they already have, like
our fans have noticed it, like how nice they are
and how engaging they are and how appreciative they are.
(46:13):
We have gotten more comments about how great our players
are in the last four weeks.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Than we have gotten in four years.
Speaker 6 (46:21):
So it's just it's nice and it's exciting, and it's
easy to root for and it's easy to be patient with.
Speaker 3 (46:28):
It's honestly really dope to see because for both of
the home games, as soon as the game is over
and everybody goes in the back, I'm getting my stuff
and the next thing I see Israya coming back out
and she's and she's running and she's and she's training
and she's like she's focused, right, and I'm just like
that is really how you continue to establish like building
(46:49):
the discipline and like honing in on your craft to
make sure that you can be really good and you
can and you can see it, like you can see
it each and every time.
Speaker 4 (46:57):
So I love that. I mean, I've again I'm biased.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
I love this team and like it's just always a
good atmosphere. The fans are good, the players are always
very personable, and like they want they want success and
they want success for each other, and that's just so
important when you're trying to build a good culture with
this ad is.
Speaker 6 (47:15):
And I would also be remiss to say that we
don't you know, we have great veterans, right, So yeah,
you know we brought Ria Hartley in for a reason.
I've always loved Lindsay Allen's game. And you know, like
I know, everybody wants to wanted to talk about me
and Marino for a while, but we're best friends.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
So don't worry about that either.
Speaker 6 (47:32):
You know, like you have somebody talk about competitive, right,
you need these rookies to see what being competitive is.
And I've never seen anyone more mad than Marina after
the way she played the last two games. She is
ready to go off on somebody.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
And you need that. You need a player that can
just you know, put the team on their back. And
then I mean, you can't.
Speaker 6 (47:49):
I can't say enough about Tina Charles, like she's just
been what a joy. The way she's infused confidence into
Olivia Nelson Adota, the way that she's embraced a role
where yeah, I need to be a score, but I'm
not going to take bad shots to do it. It's
just been a It's like they've all have these things
that are so easy to root for, and like I said,
(48:09):
you can tell I'm excited about this season and this team,
and it's it's easy to be excited and genuine because
they're just good people and they're really pulling for each
other right now. So when we get that first win,
I will be celebrating.
Speaker 4 (48:22):
I know.
Speaker 1 (48:23):
That's why you will never hear me coming.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
You will never hear me say anything negative about Olivia Nedoda.
That is my birthday, twin, and we are always gone,
and we have a game this year on our birthday.
Oh yeah, okay, So on August seventeenth, Olivia's gonna drop twenty.
Speaker 6 (48:38):
Five all right, and she's capable, so you see her
growth already, just the opportunity she hasn't had an opportunity
now and she's out there now doing her thing. Just
really proud of her for the patients, right, Like, not
everybody comes in the league and it's Cheryl swoops, right,
So sometimes you got to come in and earn your way.
Speaker 5 (48:56):
And Loria, yeah, no doubt, no doubt, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Before we get you out of here, Gym, we need
the audience to just know that, like, you are a
human being outside of Connecticut and outside of basketball.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
So just like let the people know, like what are
you what are you doing?
Speaker 3 (49:13):
Like what is your free time when you are not
surrounded by basketball?
Speaker 4 (49:17):
Like what are what are you watching?
Speaker 2 (49:19):
What's on the playlist?
Speaker 4 (49:20):
Like what's going on?
Speaker 6 (49:21):
All?
Speaker 2 (49:22):
Right?
Speaker 6 (49:22):
Well, the problem is I can't get away way from basketball.
So four years ago, when I moved back here to Connecticut,
Rebecca Lobo said, oh, hey, does your son Connor want
to play on my AAA team?
Speaker 2 (49:34):
And I said sure. So we go to practice.
Speaker 6 (49:36):
First game we play, she hands me the clipboard and
she goes, oh, by the way, you're also going to
coach the team.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
So I'm going on set you up.
Speaker 6 (49:46):
Oh yeah, now I have to runes.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
I got to coach all the games.
Speaker 6 (49:51):
So but it's been you know when you think about
like these college friends you have where you are with
them all the time, and then life happens and she's
got four kid kids, I got two kids. We're all
over the place, and then we come together to coach
our Sun's AAU team, which by it by itself is
a trip. When you watch us walk into a gym
full of men, right it is, like it's been. It's
(50:13):
been one of my most favorite things over the last
few years, just being able to spend that time with her,
connect with her and pour into our kids the way
people pour it into us and not to mention kick
everybody's ass on the on the kay.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Yeah, So that's every weekend right now.
Speaker 6 (50:29):
I'm coaching my son's A team, so I can't even
get away from basketball when I'm not here. So when
I'm not doing that, I do like love to binge watch.
I don't care if it's Netflix or Amazon Prime. I
will find a show and I will watch like the
whole thing through the weekend if I have time to
do it.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
Whenever I get a free day.
Speaker 6 (50:48):
I'm usually either you know, with my kids or with
somebody in my family. So I'm really fortunate to have
such a great support group.
Speaker 4 (50:54):
I love that so much.
Speaker 1 (50:55):
I love that too, But I need to know when
you feel in like, you know, showing a few damn
it's moves and all the things.
Speaker 4 (51:01):
What's your go to song?
Speaker 2 (51:03):
I don't have a go to song, Cheryl?
Speaker 5 (51:05):
Come on, Jan, you got something karaoke?
Speaker 4 (51:09):
What's your karaoke go to?
Speaker 6 (51:11):
Oh, You've got to have a karaoke So I'm like
an Indigo Girls karaoke girl.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
That's that's my go to That or a like Pearl
Jam or something.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
Oh yeah, I'm about to hit up Tom's right now
and be like, yeah.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
We need a karaoke night.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I gotta have a lot of drinks in me before
I'm ready to do that.
Speaker 4 (51:30):
Ka immediately tee.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
I have one question before you let Jan go, because
I know we're about to go and Jin. Because of
your heavy involvement with USA basketball, what are your thoughts
on Suebert's new position with USA Basketball.
Speaker 6 (51:46):
Yeah, I mean I think it's great. You know, I
know the men went to a managing director. I think
prior to the last Olympics with Grant Hill.
Speaker 2 (51:53):
You know, it's a hard job.
Speaker 4 (51:54):
I was.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
I was actually the chair of the last Olympic committee.
It's hard. It's a big commitment. It's a lot of
her decisions.
Speaker 6 (52:02):
You know, there's a lot of different people with a
lot of different agendas.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
You know.
Speaker 6 (52:06):
I think Sue's separation from her Olympic experience, coupled with
her long, extensive career, gives her a little bit better
lens than most people when it comes to how to
create the right makeup, right and the right kind of team.
As you know, it's not just about the best players,
(52:27):
it's positionally specialist. I think she's going to know that,
and she's not associated with the team, so there's no
agenda on her part, right, She's just gonna do and
she knows what it means to be contending for gold medal,
So she's gonna and now that it's on her right,
like this is her responsibility, she's going to do a
fantastic job of really doing it the right way, picking
(52:50):
the right people, talking to the right people, evaluating the
right way.
Speaker 2 (52:54):
So I think as a home run higher for USA basketball.
Speaker 1 (52:58):
Yeah, I thought it was great when I saw it.
I thought she was the absolute perfect candidate for that position.
Speaker 4 (53:04):
Absolutely same.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
All right, well, thank you so much for your time, Jin,
Thank you guys, thank you fun as to.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
Take it offline for the next part of the conversation, right.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Yeah, yeah, and drinks drinks on gin all right, fair,
I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (53:22):
Good black the season and stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
We'll do.
Speaker 4 (53:25):
You're welcome, Thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (53:36):
Well, that was great having a chance to chat with Jennifer.
I mean, I always love when people are able to
come on and just kind of say things in their
own words and get things out in their own words
so you can hear straight.
Speaker 4 (53:46):
From the horse's mouth.
Speaker 3 (53:47):
And there's just been a lot of conversation around a
lot of different things around in Connecticut.
Speaker 4 (53:52):
Why people were waved? Are they selling the team all
those good things?
Speaker 3 (53:55):
And so it was great to have an opportunity to
just kind of ask her directly about those things and
get her to weigh in on that. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (54:02):
I just I enjoyed the whole conversation.
Speaker 1 (54:04):
And you're a hater by the way you are, But listen,
Jen ain't got no juicy gossip for you about me.
Speaker 4 (54:13):
But I listen.
Speaker 1 (54:13):
But I do feel some type of way about her
and you talking about, oh, she went shopping with you
and you ain't get nothing.
Speaker 5 (54:20):
It wasn't about that, I know, it wasn't about that.
It was about I need to shop.
Speaker 3 (54:25):
If I'm in the store with you, you better give me
a pair of ear rings or something.
Speaker 1 (54:28):
I mean, I'm sure, I'm sure I bought her, like
something to drink or something.
Speaker 4 (54:35):
Something like that. Here's an ice cream bar for your time.
Speaker 5 (54:39):
Yeah, thank you, thank you, Jen.
Speaker 1 (54:40):
But such a great conversation. I'm also happy for her
in this role. And Jen is so good for our
game and just so grateful that she had some time
to come on the show today. Absolutely absolutely, So before
we get out of here, we want you to go
ahead and level us up.
Speaker 4 (54:56):
So what you got for us today's share?
Speaker 1 (54:57):
Well, okay, last time I said it, it wasn't long,
and then it ended up being long. You know, you
felt some type of way. I don't think this one's long.
It's a little longer, but you know, tease. Sometimes when
I find motivational quotes or inspirational quotes, whatever, it's not
always for the people. Sometimes it's for me, and this
one today is for me and probably maybe someone else.
(55:21):
All right, Never forget how far you have come, everything
you have gotten through, all the times you have pushed
on even when you felt you couldn't, all the mornings
you got out of bed no matter how hard it was,
all the times you wanted to give up but you
got through another day. Never forget how much strength you
have learned and developed along the way.
Speaker 4 (55:41):
I like that, That's all it says.
Speaker 1 (55:43):
But you know, there are some days that I need
to remind myself of, like the shit that I've been
through and I've gotten through, and today's one of those days.
So hopefully this lifts up someone because I needed it.
Speaker 4 (56:01):
Yeah, yeah, No, that was really good.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
It wasn't that long, but it was really good because
sometimes you just have to be reminded that you can
get through anything because you've already done it. You've already
gotten through everything, so you can get through anything.
Speaker 4 (56:13):
Absolutely love that.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
So yeah, I love that, And we love that you
guys keep listening to our show. We are going to
continue to come back next week with more Next Level Conversation,
and honestly, I just want to give a shout out
for all of the love that we've gotten, all the
episodes that we've gotten through so far. I mean we've
been we've got to be coming up on like some
type of milestone episodes like very soon.
Speaker 4 (56:36):
But the love that.
Speaker 3 (56:36):
We've gotten has just been really it's been really appreciative
on our end. Just you know, we love that y'all
show us love on social So if you haven't followed us,
please make sure you do on Instagram at ltcpod or
make sure you send us an email at Levels to
This Podcast at gmail dot com. Leave us a review
in Apple Podcasts. We just want to hear from you,
(56:58):
to make sure that you know you're bringing you what
you want to hear from us, and also making sure
that we're bringing real conversations. So until then, keep your
mentals ground level and we will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (57:11):
He Listen to Levels to This on America's number one
podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search
Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Treka Foster Brasby
and start listening
Levels to This 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. Hey, what's up, everybody, it's your girls,
Herica Foster Brasby.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Y'all know what time it is.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
This is your girl Cheryl swoops Hey, and this is
the levels to this podcast. This is the show where
we share that it is levels to the ship that
women go through and we really do have a fun show.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Today.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
We got an incredible special guest. I'm gonna be bringing
in somebody that's gonna give me all the tea on
Cheryl back in a day not possible.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I can't listen.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I am determined to get a guest on here that's
gonna be like, listen, I ain't really fuck with Schoel
for real. I'm gonna be like, yes, yes, give me
that tea, give me that you.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Know what, That guess is never coming on here.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's never coming ever, ever ever ever. Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
That is. See everybody left playing with me though, clearly
because I can't find a single person.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
It's like I hated playing with Trill, Like they don't exist.
Well they don't, they do.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I'm just not gonna tell you.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Who they are.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
I'm just not gonna tell me because she knows, she knew.
I'm gonna be like, let me go up here make
a phone. Gosh, so messy for no reason. But anyway,
how was your week?
Speaker 1 (01:29):
So listen, I'm at home for a while, right, So
the things that I need to get done that I
never have time to do. I've scheduled eye doctor, dentist doctor.
So just trying to get all the things done before
I get back on the road.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
Okay, trying to stay cool in this heat because it's
hot in Houston.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
How is yours? Well? I graduations? I did.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
My My bonus daughter graduated from high school. So I
took a trip to Boca Raton to to see her graduate.
It was literally like a twenty four hour like we
got there and literally just the next day left out
the same day.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
So it was really good.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
And it makes you feel so old because I'm like,
first of all, she's got.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
A boyfriend, and her boyfriend was like, oh, it's so
nice to meet you, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And I was like, ma'am, yes, ma'am, yes, that's what
he's supposed to say you are you are supposed to
say that, and so I was not upset. I was like, hey,
you know, I understand, like I appreciate the respect, but
she don't have to mam me because ma'am makes me
feel like I'm sixty, Like I say ma'am to my mama, Like,
don't don't say that to me just yet.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
So it was cool. It was very It was very cool.
It was great to see her in her elements. So
she's going to college this fall, so I'm excited for her.
She's going to be majoring in nursing. So yeah, it
was a good week.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Quick question for you before we take it to the
next level. Quick thoughts on the start of the WNBA
season child.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Let me tell you, girl, tell me help me.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Y'all can't see t but you know anytime a woman puts.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Her head down and this the eyebrowser raised and she's
scratching a heel, that's it means there's a lot in
there that.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Used to come out.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
We on week two shot and they already got me
stressed the hell out? Do you hear me stressed out
on week two? Like and it's more ship off the
court and own it like what, it's just too much.
So it's too much because I feel.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I feel like I feel like the media and fans,
certain fans are making shit bigger than it really is
every single time, and so it to me, it takes away.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
From the fun of watching the games.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I am starting and I never thought I would get
to this point, but I am starting to get to
the point where I'm just like, you know what, I'm
just not going to comment. I'm not going to get
I'm not gonna And I never thought I would get
to that point because it don't bother me, like, like,
I got time. You want to be on Twitter with
me going back and forth. Cool, I got time. But
it's like it's so exhausting because it's never the people
(04:12):
with any rational, logical sense, and because of that, I'm
just like whatever. But I will say I love the
start that I'm seeing from Washington.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
They started off to and oher.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
I mean, Washington's gonna be good. They're fine and had
a close one with Golden State. Yup, So I like,
I like what I'm seeing from Washington. I knew that
Dallas was gonna take a little time to jail. I
hope it don't take all first half. I mean, I
also want them to play Big T better because they
I really want y'all to put teer and I really
(04:43):
want y'all to play her differently. I really want you
all to figure out how to make her a starter.
But okay, we're gonna move on. We'll have a whole
episode about it. Let's just we're gonna have to have
a whole episode. But speaking of WNBA, we do have
a WNBA guest today.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
We are bringing on the.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
President of the Connecticut Sun Organization, technically my boss, so
I'm had to be on my best behavior because I
am trying to get fired today.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
I like I like being on the sideline for the Sun.
I like to continue to do that. Keep it cute,
keep it cute, keep it cute. Gotta keep it cute.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
But we will be Avia gen Rizzotti join us today,
and I just know she about to give me something
about you, as you two played together when she was
in Houston, won a couple of championships, that third and
fourth one when you guys were together. I'm excited to
have Gin on the show. I know you are too,
So with that, let's go ahead and take this thing
to the next level. So I'm always excited when we
(05:44):
have special guests. I mean, obviously I'm always excited when
we have guests come on our show, but I am
like extra like if this is the bar for excited,
like my bar for excitement goes well above the normal
bar whenever the guests are former teammates Yl. That lets
me know that the real ship is gonna come out,
(06:06):
and like, I'm here for all of that, right.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I was just like, only because you think you gonna
get some juicy shit or something, I really don't.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
I didn't see.
Speaker 6 (06:15):
I didn't see any Venmo payments from Cheryl before we
started recording, so.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I don't have them.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Jan Yeah, no blackmail payments.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
So you are all all good.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
We are excited to have a Connecticut Son team president
Jennifer Rizzotti basketball Hall of Famer champion with the Houston comments.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I mean, the.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
List goes on and on about all the amazing things
that Jennifer has done in her career. I'm gonna tread
lightly though, because I also called her boss.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
I ain't trying to get fired on my day.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Okay, at least one of you, one of you.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
You guys, you got fired on your day off, trying
to get fired on my day off.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But no, First off, thank you Jim for coming for
hanging out with us. We definitely appreciate it in advance.
But first and foremost, you know, you can start wherever
you'd like to start about how mean Cheryl was in
the locker room, how much of a competiti like, you
can start wherever, because we need all of this is
everyone who comes in the show, it's like, Cheryl is
(07:20):
so awesome, She's so great, she was such an awesome teammate,
and I'm like, there's got to be that one person.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
There's got to be that one person.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Who were like, you haven't found her and Jen and
her either Jenn Nope, but go ahead, Jim.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
All right, Well let me just say this. Okay.
Speaker 6 (07:36):
So I've been a part of three WNBA teams, the
Houston Comments, Cleveland Rockers, and now the Connecticut Sums, and
I will say I have had my share of dysfunctionally
functional teams in my day, and what I learned is
that if you have super, super competitive, really talented people
(08:01):
on your team, they're going to find a way to
win no matter what. And Houston was that, you know,
It wasn't always pretty. You know, there was definitely arguments.
I remember I got like elbowed in the face one
time in practice because I was guarding too hard one
of our players.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
It was not me, I see that look on your face.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
It was not Ryl.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
But what I will say is that that we all
had the same like common goal, right, was to win
a championship.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
And I was fortunate to.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
Join them, you know, in the right in the middle,
you know, after their first two for the second, the third,
and the fourth championship. So I got to witness like
all this craziness and you know, the high level of
accountability they had to winning, and they argued like I'm
not gonna lie. Like there was arguments in the locker room,
there was arguments van there was arguments in practice, but
(08:55):
the end goal always remained the same.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
They were going to win. They were going to find
a way.
Speaker 6 (08:59):
And if you watched us on the court, and you
watch the way Cheryl and Cynthia and Tina competed with
each other, like you you knew that that was like
the recipe, and we similarly Treka had that here in
Connecticut for a long time, right, Like wasn't always like
pretty locker room wasn't always nice, but we had competitors
(09:21):
like Alyssa Thomas and john Quell Jones and Dewana Bonner
and you know players that just like they wanted to
win and they were gonna find a way. And so
you know, it's kind of like fun to think about
all of my experiences between college and WNBA and how
different they were. And I know I was Cheryl's favorite teammate.
I will say that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I went shopping with her. I went out to the
bars with her.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, like, damn, Jim, that's enough, that's enough, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
No, No, don't be everything.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
I don't think I've ever seen someone spend that much
money in one store before. At one point on the
road we were I don't even remember what store was, and.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
She came out sure, probably because you can get everything
a north from you can find it.
Speaker 6 (10:08):
I just know you came out with clothes, bags and
bags of clothes. And I don't think I bought one thing,
but I was there. I was a good teammate and friend. No,
we had we had some good times.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
First of all, you real raggedy shirl, How you gonna
make gin go shopping with you?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
When you ain't it. You ain't get this a bag.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
No, did not give me anything.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
I probably didn't want anything because the clothes she was
buying like barely covered anything.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So that was not my.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Wait, can I get to work, because tie, you're being
real mesry right now, we're all.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
First of all, I did not make her go shopping
with me.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
I just I asked, Jen, you want to go shopping
with me? So yep, let's go okay. Secondly, I ain't
got time to be shopping for gin. I was shopping for.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Me, so no, Jinn got nothing nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Third third, it's so crazy to think about what she
just said. Well, she was like because what I bought
was barely covering anyway, because today today when I go shopping,
I need to cover everything every day.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
I got it like that.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
I got it like that. No more. But oh my god,
how fun?
Speaker 5 (11:27):
How much fun was it back in the day?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It was well, you know, we also didn't have these podcasts.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
We didn't have social media, right, we didn't have like
facts as much as we were super popular, and we
sold out the arena and Houston.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Wait wait wait, I'm sorry, time out, time out, time out.
I just want to rewind I just need you to
say that one part, because people don't think we sold
arenas out back then.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh sold out?
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Okay, sold I just need you to Our home arena
was sold out, and when I played for the Comments,
almost every away arena was sold out coming out to
watch the greats in our league play. If we were
everywhere we went, everywhere we went, So it was it
was an honor to be on that team, to be
(12:14):
teammates with Cheryl and see the level that she could
bring women's basketball. And we didn't have the TV exposure
or social media exposure that they have now, but if
we did, it would be the same amount of attention
that these players are getting right now Cheryl and Tina
and Cynthia would have gotten back in the early two
thousands for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I just want to jump right in and ask this question,
because Jen, you hit on it right. Were we all
best friends?
Speaker 6 (12:39):
No?
Speaker 5 (12:40):
Did we always like each other during practice?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
No? Did we go at each other during practice? Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
But you know nowadays, people, I'll say, the new fans
all complain about like how physical the game is, right,
Can you let the people know that this is not new,
It's always been like that.
Speaker 6 (13:05):
Yes, I mean our practices were like that. Our shoot
arounds were like that.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
We used to play.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We used to play five on five, make it take
it every shoot around? Yes, and I well, I was
always on the white team. Cheryl was always on the
red team. So you can guess how many times we
actually got to.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Go because it was if they didn't score, it.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
Was because we got We fouled them right, so our ball.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
So it's basically just make it, make it for red.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
However, I will say for the game.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
Yes, we went at it, and like now I watched
shoot around, I'm like, why is everybody walking around like.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Nobody's even going game speed?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
But our games now now are competitive and.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
That's you know why.
Speaker 6 (13:49):
That's because these players grew up watching the physicality of
the game.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I mean the the Detroit Shock.
Speaker 6 (13:56):
I mean, my goodness, period Eveland, So that was our
rival for the three years that I was in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I mean, you couldn't get out.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
Of that place without some sort of floorburne or bruise
or something bloody. No, I've got like forty five stitches
on my face from yes, so I.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Bring that up all the time, Like folks don't know
my girls. Lanette used to hold it down for the squad.
Yeah right, right, So, but you know what else you
bring up though, that I think is interesting is the
fact that you and Sheryl are both like, hey, there
were moments where folks didn't get along, moments where we
didn't you know, folks didn't always like each other. And
(14:37):
there's this notion in the league now. And I don't
even think it's necessarily like the league. I just think
it's with women's sports that female athletes all have to
be besties.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
We all have to love each other.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
It's cool to be competitive, but afterwards, there's no way
that you guys can't like each other, love each other.
And I don't know why people think that is about women.
And first of all, if you know anything about women,
you know, ain't no hell you gonna have a room
full the women.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
Off and I like each other, right, But that's just general.
Let's just generally speak.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, right, but there is this no shit, And I
bring that up because obviously I'm going to bring up
the elephant in the room is that with the rivalry
that is budding and building between Angel Reese and Caitlyn Clark,
there is this thing like, oh, she hates her, she
hates her, and like my response to that, it's always
like I don't think she does.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
But if she did, so what ya? I don't like
where is this?
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Like I don't see anybody talking about, Oh, Michael Jordan
was such a horrible person because he hated Isaiah Thomas,
like okay, or you know Magic and Larry they hated
each other, Okay, So like, why is there this negative
connotation that someone has to be a terrible person if
they if they hate an opponent, Like again, I don't
(15:50):
think that they do.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
I think there's mutual respect there. But if they did, like.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
So what exactly?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
And it's honestly more about the player's personal than anything, right,
because you watch some of these like other players in
the league, Like I mean we had dj and A
last year, and when we played Dallas when Marino was
on Dallas's team a couple of years back in the playoffs,
I mean, they were like going at each other. The
(16:17):
crap talking in the game was at an all time high.
They hated, they hated each other, and then guess what
happens Marina comes.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
And joined us last year.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Now it's like the respect they have for each other
is what is showcase so it doesn't mean that you
hate them as a person. But if you're a competitor, right,
and you're a trash talker or you're just aggressive, you're
not gonna like the person on the other side of
you because you want to win. And that was always
the case for all of us. I hated the Tennessee players.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I hated them when I was in court.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
And then I get drafted into the New England Blizzard
and Dana Johnson is sitting in the locker next to
me and we're talking to each other. We hate each other,
and all of a sudden, she goes, Wow, you're a lot.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Nicer than I thought you were. We you know, we're
all different and it's normal.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I heard I heard Sue Bird on her podcast with
with Megan talking about the same thing, right, and she said,
I can't tell you how many times I wanted to
punch Diana Trassi in the face when we were playing
against each other. Yes, now, mind you, Diana is her
best friend, she's like my best friend.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
But I wanted to punch the shit out of her
when we were playing.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
And my right and my.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Thing is it's so normal and t to your point,
and I can't remember which NBA guy it was, but
NBA guys talk about how they hate each other all
the time.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
I hate him, I hate him.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I hate him, and it's no big deal, no conversation.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
But I want to say this.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I think both Angel and Caitlin have both said they
don't dislike or hate each other. I for me, it's
more about the media, right, because that's a great storyline
to talk about, Well, these two do not like each other.
Well did they tell you that? Did Caitlyn say to
you or Angels say to you, I don't like her.
I don't like her like I just think here's my
(18:10):
thing and it's everybody's.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
It's a different viewpoint.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
I'm going with.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yes, it was a flagrant foul from Caitlin on Angel
one because the rest called it. The rest said it
was a flagrant foul, and as a former player, and
according to the rules at least what I saw, I
didn't think she went for the ball anyway, it's a
flagrant foul.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
They called it.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
We move off.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Angel's reaction to jump up like she did is a
very normal reaction. But I think it's because of who
it was, it got blown out of proportion, right, so
Caitlyn is just Caitlyn jen to your point, it's all
about who it is and the personality. Caitlyn knew it
was a hard foul, but she just walked off, right,
She's like, Okay, it's a hard foul.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
I'm walking off. And Angel's reaction is normal.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
You take the same type of a play, right, Djana
Flager fowl on Jessica Shuffer the other night.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
It's the same thing, Jeff Shepherd, she gets up right.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
The difference was Djona was still standing there like, yeah
I did on business.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Yeah yeah, fact.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So my thing is this, right, So look at it.
First of all, Angel and Caitlyn. You got a black
player and a white player, Dja and Jeff Shepherd. You
got a black player and a white player. But no
one's talking about Djona and Jeff Shepherd like they're talking
about Angel and Caitlyn.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Why.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Yeah, because Djona's flagrant, and it was absolutely a flagrant,
was worse than Caitlyn's flagrant on Angel to me, but
no one's talking.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
No one's talking about that.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Yeah, nope, nope, and they won't and they won't.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
It's not really fair. What Caitlyn's not allowed to have
a flavorite foul. Of course she is right. She's competitive too,
and she's not.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
She's competitive, and why can't Angel react the way she
did similar to what Jeff Shepherd did.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I mean, Cheryl, you did that. I did that.
Speaker 6 (19:57):
I remember, like someone found me hard. In college there
was a player on Motre Dame. I stood up like
I was gonna fight. I wasn't actually gonna fight.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Him, but normal reaction.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
You want to be a tough guy.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
You don't want to like take a hard foul and
act like it's okay, Like that's a normal reaction for any.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
What would Gino's respond had been had you actually got
into a fight on the courgin I don't.
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Know because none of I mean honestly, none of his
players have ever done that, right, Like I thought me
or Diana would have been the most likely.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yeah, actually right, throw a punch or something.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
But we, you know, we also like valued the competitiveness
of wanting to play, and we were smart enough to
know we could, you know, you know whatever, bump chests.
But we're not gonna take the next step.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Jane is sitting here talking about I wasn't really gonna fight.
Let let me, let me just go back for a
minute and just tell you.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
Because the stories are interchangeable.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
You know, Jennifer Risotti, she was a little feisty something.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
I ain't gonna lie to you.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
There were absolutely days in practice because sometimes you get.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Switched off and she would come guard me or whatever.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
There were sometimes in practice I was like, if this
little bit, don't move out the way. First of all,
was gonna talk shit, was gonna play hard, be physical,
had some dirty fouls. I'm just all the things happen.
So for her to sit and be like, I mean,
I wasn't really gonna fight. Don't let besides for you though,
(21:33):
But now, tim, but you know what, like those are
the types of teammates you want, now know how I
if she was on another team, it'd be different. But
knowing this is my teammate, and we went at each
other in practice, I don't care if you on red
or white. We went at each other and that's just
what it was. Yes, it's practice. We're trying to make
(21:55):
each other better, but at the end of the day,
we're trying to win another championship. And if you you
don't bring it to help us get there, then you're
hurting us.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I mean I think that's exactly what Like to your point, Jen,
about Djna and Marina as an example, I think that's
what helped to make them great teammates because they knew
what they were going to expect from each other, just
based off the experience that they had before they were teammates.
So I already know this one right here is gonna
ride for me. She was she was riding on Sunday.
(22:24):
I was like, wait a minute, now, a little bigger
than a no that I love it.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
I do.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
I ain't got no problem with it me either. I
love the way the game is going, the way the
game is growing, and there's just I mean, there's just
so much buzz around the w You talk about ratings
being up, we talk about merch selling out, we talk
about college college players are becoming household names.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
We still haven't.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Seen Juju Watkins get in the league yet, so that's
a whole other monster that we're going to be excited about.
But like, what's been the biggest change that you've seen, Jen,
not just on the court, but also because you serve
as team president, like maybe from behind the scenes too,
Like some of the biggest changes you've seen.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Yeah, I mean Essentially, we're talking about this being a
big business, right. You know, you saw the news about
New York's Capital Rays and their team being valued at
four hundred and fifty million dollars. Like you've seen the
news about our owners exploring opportunities for investment. Because everybody knows,
now this isn't just about like having fun and owning
(23:29):
a basketball team. This is like investing in the WNBA,
investing in women. And the access to consume our game
is finally getting to where it needs to be because
all of our games are now accessible to our fans.
The consumption that people are able to have on social
media right or through sports betting is at an all
(23:50):
time high.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Right.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
And then you're talking about player expectations, you know, like
I think I made like twenty five thousand dollars my
first year in Houston, Right, you can't you can bear
like I can bury a shop with Cheryl because I
was making that little thing, right, But it was like
they were just on to be in the league. And
now these players are there's an expectation and they're coming
out with brands. These college players are coming out with
(24:13):
their own individual brands. They've learned how to market themselves.
They've learned how to create a business for themselves, and
they're bringing their fans with them, and so there's just
higher expectations across the board for what the WNBA needs
to mean to everybody. And I think that's why there's
so much discourse. And I don't know that it's like
always bad, that it's negative, because everybody wants to be
(24:35):
talking about the w's so they're just trying to find
an avenue, and whether it's talking about DJNA and Jeff
Shepherd's fight versus Caitlin and Angels Fighter, but it's talking
about I can't find the game on TV easy enough,
or these ticket prices are too high, or you know,
I'm an OG fan. That you can see the discourse
being very consistent, and it feels like, although the fandom
(24:58):
was there back in two thousand and two thousand and three,
the exposure to the mainstream, you know, consumers is finally
where it needs to be.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I totally agree, Jan I want to
switch subjects for one second. As team president, how involved
are you on roster decisions.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In Connecticut? I'm very involved.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
So it varies per organization some about probably about half
the organizations.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
It's completely separate.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
So you have like a president of basketball operations and
a president of business operations. Here in Connecticut, I actually
oversee both, and it's my preference because it's where my
background is, right. I don't want to give up my
tie to the basketball side, you know. Plus, I was
able to work really hard to get Morgan Tough ready
to be our general manager, and I want to make
sure I'm continuing to support her as she grows in.
(26:03):
She's a rising star, but I want to continue to
be able to support her with my expertise in the
game throughout the next few years. So in this organization,
I actually I don't micromanage Morgan's decisions, but we talk
regularly and we make decisions together with our coach.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Okay, so, and so here's why I asked that. So
if you go on social media, because you know that's
where everything is. Yeah, and I just want you to
kind of explain how this works because a lot of
people don't truly understand it. So, right, Diamond to Shield
when she got waved, So she went on social media
and posted, you know, she got waved, and she's trying
(26:41):
to get a rental card to get her stuff home.
And you know, she was very honest at the end
when she was like, what do you do when you
get waved? Because I've never been here, so of course
you go. Everybody has something to say, and people are like,
oh my gosh, how they are Connecticut not so much
that they wave her, but how can Connecticut not help
her get her stuff back home?
Speaker 4 (27:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (27:03):
How when when you wave a player, what happens? And
what what is Connecticut responsible for?
Speaker 4 (27:10):
What? What is the.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Player responsible for? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (27:14):
So, I mean I think any every organization is going
to want to help any player.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
They wave to every extent that we can. Right.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
So the difference is sometimes player reactions are different than others, Right,
So some people are surprised, some people are angry, some
people are expecting it. Some people want to leave right away,
and other people want they want to stay as long
as you'll let them. Right.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
So, I think it's it's it's a case.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
By case scenario, but essentially, and I'm going to make
fun of Diamond for this, and I'll do this to
her face. She uber to a rental car plays without
knowing that they had a rental car available, so.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
She didn't do you have a rental car.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yeah, and so like you know, she she wanted to leave.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
You know, I would have wanted the same thing, right,
I want to I wanted to get out as fast
as possible. So instead of waiting for us to book
a flight or get her a car or make she
she went to go take care of it herself.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
And there was no cars. So you know, we're always
going to take care of our players.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
Like it's sometimes hard because you don't want to react,
you know, as an organization, and she did. Actually, I
think go on and say, of course Connecticut helped because
she's smart and she knows like you got to do
and say the right thing. But yeah, our responsibility is
to you know, they have to you know, leave the
apartment that we got for them.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
So we give them usually a few days.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
We talked to them about like where would you like
to go, how would you like to get there? If
they have a car, we reimburse them for their mileage,
or we may shift their car back home. We could
fly them. We're going to shift their boxes to them.
In her case, she had brought all of her stuff
in a car, so she was trying to figure out
(28:57):
how to get it back. So we would have obvious
taking care of all that within the confines of the CBA.
So we're not an organization that's going to throw somebody
out on the curb the three hours after we wave them.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
And that everybody's different, right, I know that.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
But I think it's great for those out there who
don't understand how it works, right for you to get
an opportunity to explain, this is what happened, and this
is how it works.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Yeah, no, it makes tons of sense. And let the
record show I inbox Diamond. I said, Diamond, First of all,
you up there and I don't know where Connecticut, Like,
second of ball is graduation week.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Everybody these cars this is But to your point.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Why would you ober to a rental car place without calling?
Speaker 6 (29:46):
Yeah, that's why I'm making I had So I had
Diamond when I first was my first head coaching position
for USA basketball was a U eighteen team. So she
came and played on that team and then she was
the youngest player. She was fifteen years old. And that's
how good she was as a young player. And she's
been through a lot, you know, Like I don't know
(30:08):
that people really know the story of what she's battled, right,
from and been able to be successful, and so we
wish nothing but good.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Health and good wishes for her.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
And you know, in a different year thing, you know,
it's so hard, like these roster spots are so valuable.
We're in a kind of a reset year. We're trying
to recreate our identity. We need players on the floor
and we need to kind of figure out our rotation,
and so some of these decisions are really hard, and
you look forward to the day where there's enough roster
(30:39):
spots for these vets to get taken care of and
you know, like to be able to provide the leadership
that I think some of these young players need coming
into this league. So I wish nothing but the best.
I've always loved Diamond. I'm always rooting for her and
who I always say to players like who knows our
paths may cross again, sometimes sooner, sometimes later, but I'll
(31:00):
look forward to that because we've known each other for
a long time.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Yeah, love that, love that.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
I want to come back to rosters, but I want
to go back to something that you said, because if
I don't ask this question, if I don't bring this up,
fans are going to have my neck.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
They're gonna say, Tarika, how dare you be on a
podcast and not ask her about So I'm gonna go
ahead and do it.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
There's been so much conversation and discussion when the news
was released that the team was exploring investment opportunities, and
I know that you've kind of been.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
Very clear about what the team means with that.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
But what I think is interesting is that immediately after
that news was released, all of the season tickets for
the Sun sold out, and so I got the press
release that was like, well, wait a minute. I guess
fans feel like, if this is going to be last,
I got to go and see them now.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
No, No, the season tickets was they were like pretty
much already sold out. So it wasn't like it wasn't
like we had one thousand season tickets left and they
all got bought up. I mean, it was like that
release was planned to go out regardless of.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
That news get ready already.
Speaker 6 (32:16):
But what I will say is that, like you know, immediately,
as Cheryl mentioned, social media can be a cesspool.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
It's like this.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
Negative discourse, right versus like this is a good thing. Right.
We have an ownership group that is recognizing where the
league is going, and they need to make a decision
on like how they're going to figure out how to
invest in it, because you can't survive in this.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
League without a practice facility.
Speaker 6 (32:43):
You can't survive in this league without a certain level
of organizational structure to support basketball and business anymore. So
that has been recognized over the past year by our
ownership group, Like this is discussions that are being had.
We're not like out in the media patting our back
all the time about what we're doing. It was just
not the time to talk about it. And so now
(33:04):
that it's out, it's kind of like, Okay, well, now
you can see that our owners actually do care, because
they wouldn't be exploring this, this option to take on
new investors or potentially sell the team if they didn't
know that it's what the players needed, right. I think
it's a real positive for the future of our organization,
whether we stay in Connecticut or not, that we have
(33:26):
committed owners that not only invested for twenty plus years,
but now they're investing in a way that's like makes
business sense for both them and both and for the WNBA.
And so you know, for me, it's just like business
as usual. Let's get through the season. Whatever happens happens.
But you know, I'm proud to work here and be
a part of the organization, and I'm excited for what's
(33:49):
to come, if I'm being honest.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
Yeah, And I guess my whole point is just like
and you kind of touched on it, which is just like,
how do you keep fans and even you know, players
and staff focused on being in a present? I know
there are people that I've spoken to that I've been like, hey, listen,
like you gotta be you gotta be where you are,
be where your feet are, handle what's in front of you, right,
and like, this is an incredible season and I think
that every body that enjoys and watches the w can
(34:13):
look forward to seeing because there are so many different
people in so many different places. Like I'm not worried
about what's going to happen at this point or that point,
Like I'm just kind of trying to be here.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
So I guess, like that's my question.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Also, it's just like, what's the message to fans who
may be concerned, Like, don't be concerned, right, Like.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
Yeah, well that message It's funny because remember remember at
the end of last year, when Phoenix did the whole
if it's her last, what.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Was the last?
Speaker 2 (34:39):
This is the last?
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Yeah, it was like, we.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
Can, we can play off of Phoenix's Diana Tarazi retirement
and put out a campaign saying, well, if this is
the last season. But I joke about it because I don't.
I really don't know what's going to happen, right, But
what I will say is that whether it's outrage or
from fans or excitement for from fans, the fact that
(35:05):
there's that many people that want to have access to
a WNBA team, it's it's pretty remarkable. And we've had
a lot of loyal fans for a long time, and
what I would say to them is like, enjoy it
if for however long this team is here, enjoy it right,
like cherish it. We've got new stars and new faces
and new personalities, like a new identity.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Enjoy it.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
And whatever whatever happens at the end of the season,
we'll all deal with it together. But we're all going
to be like a part of this history being made, right,
Like whether it was the last six years of making
consecutive you know, semi finals six straight times, or it's
a rebrand and a reidentity for the team and a
bunch of young underdogs, Let's see what we can do.
(35:48):
It's exciting to have an opportunity to just be a
part of the fandom of the WNBA. And it's out
of our control, right, That's what I said to my
staff and my players. This is not in our control.
This isn't our control. Is how we show up every day.
So as if we're a player, how do we show
up and compete for our fans? If we're a coaching staff,
how do we prepare our team? If we're a ticket
(36:09):
sales staff member, how am I showing up on the phone?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
Like?
Speaker 6 (36:13):
So, my job is to equip all of them with
the tools to be successful, but to keep their focus
on the main thing, which right now, the main thing
is a twenty twenty five season and we're going to
go out and have the best season that we can.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
So jenn In saying that, I want to talk a
bit about the team, the roster, the construction, all of
the things.
Speaker 5 (36:33):
What are the main goals?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
I know it's always to win a championship. I know
that what are the main goals for the Connecticut Sun
this season?
Speaker 6 (36:41):
Well, I'll be honest, like our goal this year isn't
to win a WNBA championship, right, Like that's New York's goal,
and that's Minnesota's goal. And you know Vegas and the
they have the roster to make that their goal. Not
all thirteen of us can have that be our goal. Right,
it has been our goal. We went we kind of
went all in bus last year when we traded for Marina,
(37:02):
and so, you know, once we knew that Alyssa wouldn't
be coming back, I know, it was kind of like
timed and we we kind of had assumed that would happen.
You know, she gave us eleven great years, but it
was time. You know, we had tried different combinations around
her for six years, didn't work. She was ready for
something new. We were ready for something new, So it
was all good. So once we knew that, it was like, okay,
(37:24):
let's be creative and let's also have an eye to
twenty twenty six free agency.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
So what I'm not sure all.
Speaker 6 (37:30):
The fans realize is how many players are going to
be free agents in four months, right, So you're going
to have full rosters that have nobody under contract. You know,
we're going to have Snaya Anissa Raya Marshall, J. C. Sheldon, Olivia, Like,
(37:50):
we're going to have five or six players under contract
when everybody else in the league is available.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
So we just.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Didn't want to have two consecutive free agencies where we
would have to reimagine our entire roster. So we prioritize
draft picks right and players under contract in twenty five,
with sprinkling in a few veterans like Tina and keeping
Marina to so that in twenty six, you know, we
(38:18):
would not only have a bunch of younger, cheaper contracts
regardless of what happens with the CBA, but we would
have cap room to go out and attract some bigger
free agents when the salary cap potentially could you know,
again I can't talk about the CBA, but could potentially
be bigger.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So we really were strategic.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
We knew that this would not be a year that
we would be competing for a championship, but we also
knew that we wouldn't be able to put a roster
together that could beat some of the teams that are
ready to win. So what we'd think about is like,
all right, when their cycle is over, right, because everything
goes in cycles. The comments went in cycles, and then
LA and Minnesota had their cycle, and then it's Vegas
(39:00):
and now it's like New York and Minnesota. When those
cycles are winding down, who are the next organizations that
are ready and poised to take that top spot? And
so you have to do that. You have to build
that through the draft, and you have to build that
through strategic offseason moves. And so I thought Morgan did
a tremendous job of setting us up and having honest
(39:21):
conversations and giving Rashid a roster that although we'll be
young and inexperienced and probably lose quite a bit of games,
we're gonna be We're gonna get better as the season
goes on, and we're gonna be better for it in
the future because we built it this way.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
I love the alignment because it's speaking to Rashid. He
also is like, hey, you know, we're a young team.
We're figuring it out. Like there does not always have
to be this you know light at the end of
the tunnel that says if we don't do this, then
we've done nothing. Like essentially, it is all about ensuring
(39:57):
that we are building a culture here, that we are
we building trust with each other that we're starting to
put some things in place, and it seems as if
the players respond well to like what it is that
he's bringing there. Yes, just kind of talk to me
a little bit about what the decision was in Rashid
and like what you've liked from what you've seen from
(40:18):
him so far.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
And I know it's still an early sample size.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
But yeah, you know, we we kind of wanted to
make sure we cast a wide net in the coaching search.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
You know, there's always like.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
The pool of coaches that have put coached in the
league before, there's a pool of assistant coaches that may
or may not be ready right and then and then
there's like the you know, non traditional pool. And so
we explored all three of those pools and we we
let we leaned towards finding someone that had head coaching
experience already, you know, based on kind of what we
(40:51):
knew from the last few years, but also somebody that
was maybe going to be able to bring something a
little different because we need a differentiator in Connecticut. It
like we're not you know, we're not necessarily getting Asia
Wilson or Brown of Stewart to sign here, right, So
we need to have an advantage based on a creative roster, right,
(41:12):
and then also a coach that's going to maybe be
different than the coaches that are running all the same stuff.
And so what I've liked from him so far is
that he is holding the players accountable.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Right. You know again, Tarika, you've been here.
Speaker 6 (41:26):
So for my four years here, we basically had the
same core playing like you, our coaches were afraid to
take them out, right, and so we never tried anything different,
and it was hard. How do you take Alyssa Thomas
out of the game, right if she's missing shots?
Speaker 2 (41:43):
No, but or even like if Dowana is having a
tough shooting.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
Night, you just think she's going to make the next one, right,
So yeah, you always I think our coach is felt
a little handcuff that, like, Okay, I can't really have
a lot of flexibility, Rashid.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
He can do whatever he wants right now, like our
roster is totally different.
Speaker 6 (42:00):
He can bench Marina if he wants to, he can
bench Tina if he wants to. He can put the
three rookies out there together if he wants to. So
I like that he's not afraid to just kind of
experiment until he figures it out. And he makes them
practice right and we practice hard, which I like because
not all teams can do that. If you have veterans
(42:20):
that don't want to practice, it's hard to get work
done in practice in between games.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
And I know we.
Speaker 6 (42:26):
Can't do that all season, but I just like that
his focus is on everybody has an opportunity here. If
you're playing good, you get to play. If you're not
doing what I'm asking you to do, you're coming.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
Out no matter who you are, no matter how.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
Many years of experience you have. If you don't defend
the way and I'm asking you to defend, if you
don't take the right shots, you equally have a chance.
What he said to me once was they can come
sit next to me on my friend the bench. You
knows he has that freedom now because there's a lot
less pressure on him than there was on Stephanie and
(42:59):
Kurt win a championship, and so I think in the
long run it will help him just be able to
be himself instead of coming in with an expectation that
you got to get to the w NBA Finals or bust.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
Right.
Speaker 6 (43:11):
So yeah, we just have to be patient with this,
with this group and with this coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
But I really like what I see so far.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
I love that tell us something about these rookies that
we may not know and the reason why you were like,
oh no, we got to go get them.
Speaker 6 (43:26):
Okay, Well I didn't know this before we drafted her,
But Sanaia Rivers is the best hugger I have ever met.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
I agree, I mean right, I mean.
Speaker 6 (43:38):
She just like wraps you up with like the right
amount of like force that like makes it's so genuine.
Because of that, I will say, but I'm one of
those you know, I you know, we kind of knew
who would go one, two, three, four ish, you know,
in the draft. Once you got past those guys, Anissa
(44:01):
and Sanaia were.
Speaker 2 (44:02):
Our top two targets.
Speaker 6 (44:04):
Like, I can't imagine how often that it happens that
at seven and eight you get exactly who you want.
And you know, who was our number one target in
the second round, Raya Marshall. So like, we got exactly
who we wanted in the draft, and part of it
with Anissa, I mean, she speaks for itself, right, like
her tenacity, her competitiveness, her rebounding, her versatility. You know,
(44:27):
everyone wants to talk about how she's undersized, so what right,
Like she gets it done regardless.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Of her size.
Speaker 6 (44:33):
Yeah, and then you know Snaia talk about versatility. I
mean she can play one through four and she showed
in her debut the other night she can guard anyone
as a twenty two year old, she can guard anyone
in this league. I've never seen anyone block Chelsea Gray's
fade away ever, So they picked her, yes, and then
Raya just had They all just have this energy.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
About them, like, let alone, they know how to do
the TikTok.
Speaker 6 (44:58):
Our TikTok following has like exponentially grown because of the
three of them.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
But they're just questionable. You know, they are are appreciative.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
So when you talk about resetting the culture from you know,
veterans with certain expectations to young players and free agents
that are just looking for a great opportunity to be
who they need to be and have a chance to play.
Like we have really kind of flipped the script. So
although we may lose some games, it's going to be
(45:30):
a very easy team to root for because they're all
for each other. I mean, nobody was cheering on that
bench harder than Anissa Morrow the other day when Snaya
and Reya had success. So all these teams that have
been successful in the league have had these cores that
have grown up together, right, and we were trying to
establish that core here that can grow up.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
And you throw J. C.
Speaker 6 (45:51):
Sheldon in that mix talk about what the h being
she is. I mean, we have the last young people
in this league and so just excited when they all
start to maximize what they can do on the court
as players. But the fact that they already have, like
our fans have noticed it, like how nice they are
and how engaging they are and how appreciative they are.
(46:13):
We have gotten more comments about how great our players
are in the last four weeks.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Than we have gotten in four years.
Speaker 6 (46:21):
So it's just it's nice and it's exciting, and it's
easy to root for and it's easy to be patient with.
Speaker 3 (46:28):
It's honestly really dope to see because for both of
the home games, as soon as the game is over
and everybody goes in the back, I'm getting my stuff
and the next thing I see Israya coming back out
and she's and she's running and she's and she's training
and she's like she's focused, right, and I'm just like
that is really how you continue to establish like building
(46:49):
the discipline and like honing in on your craft to
make sure that you can be really good and you
can and you can see it, like you can see
it each and every time.
Speaker 4 (46:57):
So I love that. I mean, I've again I'm biased.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
I love this team and like it's just always a
good atmosphere. The fans are good, the players are always
very personable, and like they want they want success and
they want success for each other, and that's just so
important when you're trying to build a good culture with
this ad is.
Speaker 6 (47:15):
And I would also be remiss to say that we
don't you know, we have great veterans, right, So yeah,
you know we brought Ria Hartley in for a reason.
I've always loved Lindsay Allen's game. And you know, like
I know, everybody wants to wanted to talk about me
and Marino for a while, but we're best friends.
Speaker 2 (47:29):
So don't worry about that either.
Speaker 6 (47:32):
You know, like you have somebody talk about competitive, right,
you need these rookies to see what being competitive is.
And I've never seen anyone more mad than Marina after
the way she played the last two games. She is
ready to go off on somebody.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
And you need that. You need a player that can
just you know, put the team on their back. And
then I mean, you can't.
Speaker 6 (47:49):
I can't say enough about Tina Charles, like she's just
been what a joy. The way she's infused confidence into
Olivia Nelson Adota, the way that she's embraced a role
where yeah, I need to be a score, but I'm
not going to take bad shots to do it. It's
just been a It's like they've all have these things
that are so easy to root for, and like I said,
(48:09):
you can tell I'm excited about this season and this team,
and it's it's easy to be excited and genuine because
they're just good people and they're really pulling for each
other right now. So when we get that first win,
I will be celebrating.
Speaker 4 (48:22):
I know.
Speaker 1 (48:23):
That's why you will never hear me coming.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
You will never hear me say anything negative about Olivia Nedoda.
That is my birthday, twin, and we are always gone,
and we have a game this year on our birthday.
Oh yeah, okay, So on August seventeenth, Olivia's gonna drop twenty.
Speaker 6 (48:38):
Five all right, and she's capable, so you see her
growth already, just the opportunity she hasn't had an opportunity
now and she's out there now doing her thing. Just
really proud of her for the patients, right, Like, not
everybody comes in the league and it's Cheryl swoops, right,
So sometimes you got to come in and earn your way.
Speaker 5 (48:56):
And Loria, yeah, no doubt, no doubt, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Before we get you out of here, Gym, we need
the audience to just know that, like, you are a
human being outside of Connecticut and outside of basketball.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
So just like let the people know, like what are
you what are you doing?
Speaker 3 (49:13):
Like what is your free time when you are not
surrounded by basketball?
Speaker 4 (49:17):
Like what are what are you watching?
Speaker 2 (49:19):
What's on the playlist?
Speaker 4 (49:20):
Like what's going on?
Speaker 6 (49:21):
All?
Speaker 2 (49:22):
Right?
Speaker 6 (49:22):
Well, the problem is I can't get away way from basketball.
So four years ago, when I moved back here to Connecticut,
Rebecca Lobo said, oh, hey, does your son Connor want
to play on my AAA team?
Speaker 2 (49:34):
And I said sure. So we go to practice.
Speaker 6 (49:36):
First game we play, she hands me the clipboard and
she goes, oh, by the way, you're also going to
coach the team.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
So I'm going on set you up.
Speaker 6 (49:46):
Oh yeah, now I have to runes.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
I got to coach all the games.
Speaker 6 (49:51):
So but it's been you know when you think about
like these college friends you have where you are with
them all the time, and then life happens and she's
got four kid kids, I got two kids. We're all
over the place, and then we come together to coach
our Sun's AAU team, which by it by itself is
a trip. When you watch us walk into a gym
full of men, right it is, like it's been. It's
(50:13):
been one of my most favorite things over the last
few years, just being able to spend that time with her,
connect with her and pour into our kids the way
people pour it into us and not to mention kick
everybody's ass on the on the kay.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Yeah, So that's every weekend right now.
Speaker 6 (50:29):
I'm coaching my son's A team, so I can't even
get away from basketball when I'm not here. So when
I'm not doing that, I do like love to binge watch.
I don't care if it's Netflix or Amazon Prime. I
will find a show and I will watch like the
whole thing through the weekend if I have time to
do it.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
Whenever I get a free day.
Speaker 6 (50:48):
I'm usually either you know, with my kids or with
somebody in my family. So I'm really fortunate to have
such a great support group.
Speaker 4 (50:54):
I love that so much.
Speaker 1 (50:55):
I love that too, But I need to know when
you feel in like, you know, showing a few damn
it's moves and all the things.
Speaker 4 (51:01):
What's your go to song?
Speaker 2 (51:03):
I don't have a go to song, Cheryl?
Speaker 5 (51:05):
Come on, Jan, you got something karaoke?
Speaker 4 (51:09):
What's your karaoke go to?
Speaker 6 (51:11):
Oh, You've got to have a karaoke So I'm like
an Indigo Girls karaoke girl.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
That's that's my go to That or a like Pearl
Jam or something.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
Oh yeah, I'm about to hit up Tom's right now
and be like, yeah.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
We need a karaoke night.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I gotta have a lot of drinks in me before
I'm ready to do that.
Speaker 4 (51:30):
Ka immediately tee.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
I have one question before you let Jan go, because
I know we're about to go and Jin. Because of
your heavy involvement with USA basketball, what are your thoughts
on Suebert's new position with USA Basketball.
Speaker 6 (51:46):
Yeah, I mean I think it's great. You know, I
know the men went to a managing director. I think
prior to the last Olympics with Grant Hill.
Speaker 2 (51:53):
You know, it's a hard job.
Speaker 4 (51:54):
I was.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
I was actually the chair of the last Olympic committee.
It's hard. It's a big commitment. It's a lot of
her decisions.
Speaker 6 (52:02):
You know, there's a lot of different people with a
lot of different agendas.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
You know.
Speaker 6 (52:06):
I think Sue's separation from her Olympic experience, coupled with
her long, extensive career, gives her a little bit better
lens than most people when it comes to how to
create the right makeup, right and the right kind of team.
As you know, it's not just about the best players,
(52:27):
it's positionally specialist. I think she's going to know that,
and she's not associated with the team, so there's no
agenda on her part, right, She's just gonna do and
she knows what it means to be contending for gold medal,
So she's gonna and now that it's on her right,
like this is her responsibility, she's going to do a
fantastic job of really doing it the right way, picking
(52:50):
the right people, talking to the right people, evaluating the
right way.
Speaker 2 (52:54):
So I think as a home run higher for USA basketball.
Speaker 1 (52:58):
Yeah, I thought it was great when I saw it.
I thought she was the absolute perfect candidate for that position.
Speaker 4 (53:04):
Absolutely same.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
All right, well, thank you so much for your time, Jin,
Thank you guys, thank you fun as to.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
Take it offline for the next part of the conversation, right.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Yeah, yeah, and drinks drinks on gin all right, fair,
I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (53:22):
Good black the season and stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
We'll do.
Speaker 4 (53:25):
You're welcome, Thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (53:36):
Well, that was great having a chance to chat with Jennifer.
I mean, I always love when people are able to
come on and just kind of say things in their
own words and get things out in their own words
so you can hear straight.
Speaker 4 (53:46):
From the horse's mouth.
Speaker 3 (53:47):
And there's just been a lot of conversation around a
lot of different things around in Connecticut.
Speaker 4 (53:52):
Why people were waved? Are they selling the team all
those good things?
Speaker 3 (53:55):
And so it was great to have an opportunity to
just kind of ask her directly about those things and
get her to weigh in on that. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (54:02):
I just I enjoyed the whole conversation.
Speaker 1 (54:04):
And you're a hater by the way you are, But listen,
Jen ain't got no juicy gossip for you about me.
Speaker 4 (54:13):
But I listen.
Speaker 1 (54:13):
But I do feel some type of way about her
and you talking about, oh, she went shopping with you
and you ain't get nothing.
Speaker 5 (54:20):
It wasn't about that, I know, it wasn't about that.
It was about I need to shop.
Speaker 3 (54:25):
If I'm in the store with you, you better give me
a pair of ear rings or something.
Speaker 1 (54:28):
I mean, I'm sure, I'm sure I bought her, like
something to drink or something.
Speaker 4 (54:35):
Something like that. Here's an ice cream bar for your time.
Speaker 5 (54:39):
Yeah, thank you, thank you, Jen.
Speaker 1 (54:40):
But such a great conversation. I'm also happy for her
in this role. And Jen is so good for our
game and just so grateful that she had some time
to come on the show today. Absolutely absolutely, So before
we get out of here, we want you to go
ahead and level us up.
Speaker 4 (54:56):
So what you got for us today's share?
Speaker 1 (54:57):
Well, okay, last time I said it, it wasn't long,
and then it ended up being long. You know, you
felt some type of way. I don't think this one's long.
It's a little longer, but you know, tease. Sometimes when
I find motivational quotes or inspirational quotes, whatever, it's not
always for the people. Sometimes it's for me, and this
one today is for me and probably maybe someone else.
(55:21):
All right, Never forget how far you have come, everything
you have gotten through, all the times you have pushed
on even when you felt you couldn't, all the mornings
you got out of bed no matter how hard it was,
all the times you wanted to give up but you
got through another day. Never forget how much strength you
have learned and developed along the way.
Speaker 4 (55:41):
I like that, That's all it says.
Speaker 1 (55:43):
But you know, there are some days that I need
to remind myself of, like the shit that I've been
through and I've gotten through, and today's one of those days.
So hopefully this lifts up someone because I needed it.
Speaker 4 (56:01):
Yeah, yeah, No, that was really good.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
It wasn't that long, but it was really good because
sometimes you just have to be reminded that you can
get through anything because you've already done it. You've already
gotten through everything, so you can get through anything.
Speaker 4 (56:13):
Absolutely love that.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
So yeah, I love that, And we love that you
guys keep listening to our show. We are going to
continue to come back next week with more Next Level Conversation,
and honestly, I just want to give a shout out
for all of the love that we've gotten, all the
episodes that we've gotten through so far. I mean we've
been we've got to be coming up on like some
type of milestone episodes like very soon.
Speaker 4 (56:36):
But the love that.
Speaker 3 (56:36):
We've gotten has just been really it's been really appreciative
on our end. Just you know, we love that y'all
show us love on social So if you haven't followed us,
please make sure you do on Instagram at ltcpod or
make sure you send us an email at Levels to
This Podcast at gmail dot com. Leave us a review
in Apple Podcasts. We just want to hear from you,
(56:58):
to make sure that you know you're bringing you what
you want to hear from us, and also making sure
that we're bringing real conversations. So until then, keep your
mentals ground level and we will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (57:11):
He Listen to Levels to This on America's number one
podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search
Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Treka Foster Brasby
and start listening
Hosts And Creators
Terrika Foster-Brasby
Sheryl Swoopes
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