June 3, 2024 • 38 mins
This week Kate and Megan had the pleasure of chatting with Chrysa Chin. From her trailblazing role as the first woman to hold a VP position in the NBA's Player Development Department to her visionary work with the NBPA, Chrysa Chin has dedicated over 20 years to supporting the personal and professional growth of basketball players. Guided by the principles of "Empower, Enlighten and Uplift," Chin has crafted a distinguished career, helping players like Chris Paul, Steve Nash, and Alonzo Mourning reach their maximum potential both on and off the court.
As the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for the NBPA, Chin directs the implementation of innovative player initiatives and programs designed to foster meaningful relationships between players and businesses. Her impressive resume includes spearheading the expansion of the league's 20 & Under Program, which provides fundamental skills for a successful adjustment to the NBA and equips young players with the essential tools to become prolific professionals.
Chin's impact extends beyond the court, as she co-founded Behind the Bench, the National Basketball Wives Association. This platform empowers NBA families, moving wives from behind the bench to the forefront of community involvement and philanthropy. By building a fortifying sisterhood, Chin creates a support system that helps NBA families navigate the unique challenges of a professional sports career.
Chrysa Chin's unwavering dedication to empowering, enlightening, and uplifting basketball players serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and industry leaders alike. Her trailblazing journey continues to pave the way for the next generation of basketball stars, both on and off the court.
As the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development for the NBPA, Chin directs the implementation of innovative player initiatives and programs designed to foster meaningful relationships between players and businesses. Her impressive resume includes spearheading the expansion of the league's 20 & Under Program, which provides fundamental skills for a successful adjustment to the NBA and equips young players with the essential tools to become prolific professionals.
Chin's impact extends beyond the court, as she co-founded Behind the Bench, the National Basketball Wives Association. This platform empowers NBA families, moving wives from behind the bench to the forefront of community involvement and philanthropy. By building a fortifying sisterhood, Chin creates a support system that helps NBA families navigate the unique challenges of a professional sports career.
Chrysa Chin's unwavering dedication to empowering, enlightening, and uplifting basketball players serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and industry leaders alike. Her trailblazing journey continues to pave the way for the next generation of basketball stars, both on and off the court.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, it's Chris Hitchin. I'm Chief Player Engagement Officer at the National Basketball Players
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Association. I have oversight of six departments, Player Health, Mental Health and Wellness,
Off the Court, Player Programs, Player Matters, and Career Development. And this is her table.
Now you see her.
You are magnificent!
Welcome to her table, the podcast that shines a spotlight on the badass women
(00:29):
who are redefining the game. Join host, Kate Foley, and Megan Martinez has paid on lock the
secrets of success in the brightest female pioneers in the industry.
Welcome back to another inspiring episode of her table. I am so excited to bring my dear friend
and longtime colleague in the NBA. Chris the Chen to the show. She is the EVP of the National Basketball's
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Player Association. She has had an amazing journey in her career in sports and professional
development over the last 20 years. Prior to joining the NBA, Chris has served as the Vice President
for Player Development for the NBA, where she was the first woman to hold a management position
in the Player Development Department, and the title of Vice President. She played active roles
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with the NBA's rookie transition program, USA Basketball, and the WMBA.
It's such an honor to have Chris here today all the way from New York. She is so inspiring,
has changed just so many lives and has some of the most iconic moments that I have seen in sports
in the last 20 years. Pull up a chair and welcome to her table.
I'm so curious too because Kate and I kind of talked about this briefly with the NFL,
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kind of the transition into like sports betting. I know Calvin Redley got suspended about two
years ago on the NFL Player. Now we have Dante Porter and his suspension after gambling. Kind
of like touch on that because I feel like sports gambling is the most prevalent that it's ever been.
I feel like and especially with like players and everything. How does the NBA deal with this?
(02:03):
Like these kind of situations that NBA is a whole and even the players and like their agents.
Like how do you guys work with them? Be like sorry, Dante Porter, like you're done. Like I just think
it's such a fascinating and interesting topic. Yeah, so it's sort of new-ish, right? So it's,
we've been dealing with gambling forever. Now we are looking at how we are going to educate our
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guys going forward given the issues. All of the sports betting and apps and access and all of that
is different. Before we only maybe we had to worry about casino gambling and
playing cards. We were on the plane Chris. Yes, yes, yes, yes. But even that, I mean now it's really about
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educating. You have to, you know, we're always changing depending upon what's trending, right? And
where we see the issues or what the players are asking for. And a lot of times we get that feedback,
you know, from our guys like, oh, we got an issue over here. Not everything is as public as what we
just saw, but it is something that we're focused on and it is something that we know has to be dealt
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with. And we are actively engaging and looking at ways to educate our players, our agents,
our everybody, everyone around this issue. But, you know, education is a nice word, right? We have to
educate them. But how we educate them is what's going to be important, the delivery of the presentation,
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how it resonates, how relevant is it? What does the content look like? So that those are things that
we're exploring to be revealed sooner than later for our players. But right now, we have the
resources. The resources are in place to help those who may be confronting an issue in any way.
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And that's for any problem that they confront. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be gambling
or anything else. But it is something. I mean, you have to, it's like when something new comes,
comes out, right? You have to, you know, when social media first launched, we had to tell guys,
you know, okay, here are some things that you may want to think about, not posting. You know,
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when I was at the league, I mean, you know, we had to sometimes guys had to be fine for some of the
things that they posted because they were, you know, they were inappropriate, but there were no real
guardrails or guidelines at that time. So it was an education process. And then even in my work with
the league youth, you know, I talk about that all the time. Okay, guys, you know, we do these exercises
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about, you know, what you should and shouldn't shouldn't post. And it's kind of funny, even the dialogue
around it and how people process, you know, what is right, what is wrong, what is okay to share, what
may be offensive. And that's important too, because I think, I always say this, you know, we sort
of act like our player population is 107. You know, these are young guys. They're, you know, and so they're
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they're, their exposure is different. So, you know, I'm expecting a 20 year old to respond
the way that a 45 year old would not, I'm not, I'm never, I always believe you have to meet people
where they are. And I try to look at our player population and think about, you know, where I'm
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contributing, what is most appropriate, what is going to resonate, you know, how do we make sure that
he understands it and gets it. And if he makes a mistake, what is it, you know, what is the pathway
back? How do we recover? So, it's an interesting thing because you've seen now, like the league is
selling sponsorships to these online. The sports betting is now implemented within the league and
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sponsorships and activations and marketing campaigns and, and then you have the restrictions on the players.
And it's interesting. I was talking to one of my rookies the other day and he didn't understand,
nor had he had the concept that you have, you can only wear game issue things. Something as simple
as this, like no, you cannot wear your favorite pair of underwear in a game, which is doesn't work.
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You have to wear game issue things and they were like, we don't understand. What are you talking about?
I'm like, I'm telling you right now, whatever you want to wear, there's an equipment person that will get
you what you need. If you need something different, they have to level up the conversation. Level up
the conversation. What you see is a curated or illustrated event. It is not self, there's no
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part one person making a singular decision within the VA that I'm aware of. I mean, even all the way up to
like, Adam, I mean, there's people that counsel them. He might be the facilitator, but there's that
group of executives that counsels gives advice. But like some of these young players, they don't have
the concept of it because I think one of the things I do think that is shifting, you're going to see
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a lot of these guys that are not old. They're just have been in the league this long, the 20 plus
years guys, but they're not old. No, no, no, no. And the wealth of knowledge that they have to then
pour back into the younger guys, I think a long time ago, 20 years ago, we are seeing guys just exit
the league and they move completely on. And now we're seeing guys take great pride in being able to
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say, hey, like, I'm not playing anymore, but I want to continue to contribute to the standard that
has been set for me and the expectation I have for the next me to meet it, right? Because what I'm
leaving behind, they're responsible for. And how have you seen that shift? I mean, you have guys,
obviously, at some of the highest levels within the PA now that were players. How important is that
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for you having gone from the PA side to the league side to outside? Yeah, yeah. But I mean,
like, it's so imperative because you have to be able to say, what is, if you were a player, how would
you take this? If you were doing, we do. You're the one person that can answer all of those questions.
You know, we have the, we do have the benefits that at the PA and the NBA has it too of having
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former players like we have Andre Guadala now at the helm. You know, we have Pervis Shore,
we have Josh Powell, you know, we have Derek Anderson to McCormick, we're hence and we have all
of these former players that are employees of the players association. League similar, we has,
you know, Sriveth Burr-Hing, JD, you know, all of these great folks that are there. And then too,
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you know, we had an interesting situation last year at the Combine. We had a panel and it was great.
Chris came, Chris was there, Chris Powell, I had Isaiah Todd and Kevin Porter Jr. And it was just
incredible because Chris, you know, is a, like a vet, like you've not seen. I mean, we, you know,
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and what he was able to share and offer and what he continues to share and offer on the teams
that he goes to is just, it's amazing. And then you have guys that are, you know, just recently out.
I mean, similar to Andre, right? Andre just retired and he's come back to lead the, the, the PA,
even if it's not permanently, but he's here now and he's dotting the eyes and crossing the
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teams for this organization. But we constantly are getting calls, you know, from folks who,
you know, who want to give back, they have something to share. We, you know, we have,
jointly with the league, we have Eddie Curry and Eduardo Nahara and Antoine Walker,
who talk to our guys that our team awareness meetings, which are these mandatory meetings that
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players have to attend about finance. And they're sharing their stories and they're talking about
dues and don'ts, not lecturing, but just sharing experiences of what happened. And, and there's a
real desire to do that, you know, it's not for the money. It's because like we want these guys to know
we sat in your seats, we were in your shoes. This is what happened that was great. And this is
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what happened that was not great. And so I hope that answered the question, but that was, you know,
you, we do see it come full circle in many ways. And even, even now, I mean, we don't have a huge
veteran population in the NBA, right? The teams are so young. So that's why I brought up like when you have,
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you know, Chris Paul, you have, you know, LeBron or, or, or other guys, you know, it's great. You know,
you have Carmelo who's not playing now, but, you know, constantly around some of the younger
players mentoring and showing and teaching and introducing and, and, and, and, is available.
They're present. Like I think that's the most important part. It's they're accessible and they're present.
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And it comes from a place not of competition, not of like I'm better than you or I was in league for 20
years. Where you, you know, it's like, look, same place, same level. I want you to be better than me. And
I truly believe that that's why a lot of these guys contribute after the fact is because they want
to see someone be better than them or a culture or a team, right? Because some of them, we're, we're in a
(11:30):
right time, but how, how, how, how much are you involved in the culture of teams dynamics? And if
there's an issue, because there are some teams that get it really right. And there's things that get
it really wrong. Yes. That is true. Yeah. So it's, it's, it's the right thing. I always feel like an
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ego thing, right? And I think that's important for this conversation, especially, you know, one of the
the ways that if you got to decide what the priority is, if the priority is to have impact and be
the best that you can be, you gotta put your ego aside. Yeah. And so I never, by example, never walk in
the room and say, Oh, look at me. I'm Chris, I'm 32 years in. And you know, I'm ahead of this. And I do
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this, you know, that, I mean, that's just sort of not the way. I have lots of great relationships with
teams who will, who are trying to get it right or have run into a challenge. And their ego is not
in the way they call and they say, Hey, I need help. I need help. I'm having an issue with the situation
of that situation. Can you provide some insight? Not, you know, betraying any conferences of the
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player, but, you know, what resources, you know, can I use or what resources do you have or will you be in
market or, and I think that's important. But you have to, you know, it's like anything, you know,
you have to recognize that there is an issue and then decide that you want to address it. You can't
be afraid to reach out for help. And in the collaborative spirit cake that I think you referenced
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earlier, you know, there's not competition. Agents have a role. The PA has a role. The league has a
role. The sneaker companies have a role. Media like everybody has a role. I'm not, I'm never competing
with an agent because I don't represent anybody. You know, so, so, so it's how do we come together
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and work together to get to the end goal for the client. And for all of us, the client is the player.
Yeah, it's the player. So, you know, we have to do a better job. You know, I always, I make myself
available. You know, I do everything that I that I can with the other groups so that they know,
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like we're like, well, just the team effort doesn't matter who signed the contract.
Yeah, so yeah. What has been one of the most iconic moments for you in your career? Because you,
this is unbeknownst to anyone, but Megan, you have to go check this out. She, um, in her prior role,
correct, I'm wrong. Literally, she was like, you're drafted on draft night and the first person,
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like literally the first person you have contact with within the NBA was this pretty lady right here.
So you have to come, you hug your dad, you'd tap your coach, all of that. And then before you even get
to the stage, she is that first space you're seeing us sharing you into the next phase of your life,
which is so amazing and so awesome and so iconic. They don't do that anymore. It's annoying because I
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want to see you. I'm like, there's something. What? Yeah, you get back for, for, for, for, surprise,
little surprise throwback night. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What was one of those iconic moments for you?
You've been through so many drafts, so many high flows in that moment. What is that like? Because you
were at the, you know, the turning point, that pivotal hard right in their life career, all of that,
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year that person was that, what was that like? I can only imagine. With the hats you're talking about.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But just like, it's just fun. I mean, it's so fun to, to me, to ride over on the bus
with them, get there, everybody's getting situated at the tables. And I still do that part. But,
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but handing them the hat and knowing that at that moment, that moment, you are, you know, certified,
you're in. Yeah, you've crafted into the. Chris has changed in your life. Actually, is what happened
in the past? Chris, you need a hat that changed your life. Like the wizard about. I may be giving the hat,
but, but it is their work and the work of those around them that got them there. I was, I was not in on
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that, except for my work in Elite Youth Space, which, which is, you know, I'm passionate about, you know,
all of that, the EYBL and, and, you know, de-discation and all that. But, um, but I think it's just a neat
moment. I mean, there have been so many fun and funny experiences with that. Like, I, you know,
there's an old clip of, of me giving that hat to Matin Cleaves, by example, and we're walking
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to this stage and he like doesn't let me go. Like, no, you have to go. It's time. You gotta go.
So we, we actually still have, I've saw him not that long ago and we kind of let, we laughed about
that as funny. The thing that comes up a lot, there's so many moments, but the thing that comes up a lot is,
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is the Carmelo Anthony hat piece because people that were really watching always ask me,
what was I saying to Carmelo because I clearly was giving some sort of direction and it was funny
because Carmelo is hilarious. And so, you know, the rule always is that you have to put the hat on,
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keep it above your eyebrows. You know, you turn left, you turn right and, and, and, and, and you go.
And so when I got to the table from mellow, he, you know, he wanted to, I think he was just wanting
to mess with me. So he was not going to put the hat on correctly. And so I said to him, turn a hat,
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put it on your mouth. And so, and he was laughing and I was trying not to laugh, but it was just so
funny. This is not the moment. David is looking at his watch and I have x number of seconds to get to
the stage. It's a library. Let me do my job. Give me a little, let me do mine. Yeah. It was, it was, it was funny,
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but you know, those are great moments. I mean, you know, you go all the way back in history. You know,
and you, there are so many moments, too many to count, so many great experiences and, and, you know,
it's, for me, it's all been a blessing. I mean, the game of the sport, our players, you know, have,
they have, you know, they sometimes they'll talk about the value I've added to their lives, but they
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added so much value to mine in the ability just to, to impact them and, and, and help them get wins
in other ways, you know, and I always, you know, Rod Strickland, by example, is my son's godfather,
right? And that's like you think about that. That's my only child, you know, and that's his godfather,
and he has been, you know, an incredible mentor. He's family, incredible friend, but I've been with
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him through his, you know, through his career, and watched him develop in, in ways that are, are, are
fabulous. And so, so there, there are so many proud, you know, you have these proud moments, you know,
know when guys accomplish things, when they get their next contract, you know, when you,
when a guy has to take a break and then comes back, you know, I think about you know,
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Coy Jones, who, you know, we certainly talked about, you know, the MVP, the MVP and, you
know, our work. And, like those are moments, you know, that you just don't like, you know,
we, we, not we with ego, but, you know, like we got, you know, as a team like we did this.
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So it's, it's incredibly important. And I'm grateful for the opportunity. I, you know,
I keep saying that I have to, I'll have to roll me out because I, you know, I got another
nine good years in me. So more than that, more than that, you got to be here as long as
I'm here because I'm not doing this unless you're doing it. So we'll figure out some, we'll
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figure that. We'll figure that out. If we bring you to the sunshine and the warmth, I think
maybe we can, you think that'll help. Yeah. First, you'll be a little bit more vitamin D.
You'll be like, this is much better, not cold. Before we let you go, I want to ask you,
what advice would you give to a younger you? Um, you know, I, I'm asking a question a lot.
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I think keep the main thing, the main thing, you know, like this is your, your work. Keep
a strong work ethic, continue to evolve and learn, understand your industry, um, know what
things are trending, you know, when and, and stay ahead of the game. You have to stay ahead
of the game, um, you know, meaning the business game. So, uh, uh, you know, that, that's it. I mean,
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professionalism, you know, is always was instilled in me to always be professional. Um, you
know, I always say to young people to younger people, this is your job. It might be cool.
It may have some fun aspects, but at the end of the day, it's work. And you have to treat
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it like that. It is work. It's not your friend group. This is not, you know, nice that you
meet people and you develop great relationships with folks along the way, but at the end of
the day, you got to keep the main thing, the main thing. Don't get excited because you're
going to all star, um, you know, and then not be able to take care of your business at
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all star. Um, those were not my issues, but I witnessed them and, you know, and had, had
to give counsel to many. And so I think, you know, I think there's that. I think you
have to, uh, you have to do that. Keep the main thing, the main thing and decide to whether
you want to be in or out because it takes a lot, you know, you have to, this is not a nine
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to five. It's not a nine to five job. It's not a nine to five career. You know, if you're
in these spaces and so you have to determine what the commitment is and you either have to
be all in or not in. So powerful. Yeah. So many people don't get it. You know what I mean?
I think they see ballers, they see these shows and it's like so cool. And it's like, it is
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whatever you think it is, it's the opposite of that. And there are these high moments, but
there's a lot of moments that people don't see that go unnoticed and hours, you're not getting
paid to work and hours that you question why you do it. And I think, you know, those are
moments people don't often share because it's easier to share the pretty parts than
it's to share the ugly cry parts, but it all comes with it. And it's when you believe
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in what you're doing and you believe in your purpose for doing it, right? It makes it easier.
It's not just a cool job to have. So you can go tell your friends, you have to actually
buy into it in order to be good at it. Because if you're just doing it because it's cool,
people will find that out and they will use it against you and you'll burn yourself
because they know that. Yeah, I think though, I think also like the people around you, oh,
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yes, the belief in you and it too. You know, like I had a, you know, some great calls recently
and like our our our executive director as well though too, but our president, you know,
our executive director is running our organization. So he's busy. He's got a tone on his
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plate. But our president who's in the playoffs right and actively playing, you know, all to
say, thank you, you know, for, or, you know, something that he saw read and, you know, and
acknowledged the work that was put in that meant a lot. Like I almost cried not because
(23:52):
I needed it, but the fact that he took the time to do that, you know, or that folks take
the time to say, hey, you know, I've maybe doing all these other things. I'm busy, but, you
know, I'm I want to acknowledge that. And so it, you know, I don't I don't need the accolades,
not looking for them ever, but the fact, you know, that the people that you, you know, you're
(24:16):
working the hardest for understand it and they, you know, they value it. They think about it,
you know, is important. So amazing. Okay. Well, we have to have a whole other episode because
I didn't even get to behind the bench and it deserves it. Not deserves its own episode.
And I would love to see if there's a world where you want to pick two or three people. And
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maybe we do like a little collab call with two or three people that have been impactful
for behind the bench with you. I think you got to do behind the bench and you have to do the
mothers of professional basketball players. Okay. Done done and done. I think both of those are so
important. And don't forget the dads. I mean, we can have a dad on one table too. I'm fine with it.
(25:00):
I'm fine with it. No, but I think but those are important to me because those are entities
you've created. You've cultivated, created, developed, right? And you're leaving behind the bench,
though. I just want to I'm going to be clear. Like I didn't I didn't I mean, I get a lot of credit for it.
But that really was the the
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brainchild of some really amazing, awesome women.
Deborah Williams, Joy Johnson, Sandra Short.
There were and there were others and you know, I really
was on the ground floor with them helping facilitate and just quickly because we have to go it was
(25:44):
necessary to they saw very smart women the need to create a community for for women and families.
Right? Because players get get get traded so to so to families along with it often if they're
accompanying their spouse. Right? And so, you know, where do you go to the doctor or or you know,
(26:05):
do these things in a city? Yeah, like no one tells you the process till you're in the middle of it.
You got to figure it out. So, but but I I I am a member. I am a founding member. I am in a
role part. I remain on their professional eyes report. I, you know, I'm still I'm still in there.
(26:30):
Well, I think that we have two more. So then I want to do that and then I definitely, you know,
want to do the professional mothers because I think there's just such a dynamic to that, right?
That's not told because so many again, this that's what's so cool about this show is it's not just
one lane, one person, one career path is there's so many women that are impacting sports in different
(26:52):
stages, ages, levels of life and being able to show what that is, celebrate them of what they're
doing and then let all these men that they're supporting lean back in and
celebrate them because there's not enough spaces for them to be celebrated a lot of times and it's
easy to feel like you're doing something that no one sees and so for me with her table, it's like
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who is it? What are they doing? How are they doing it? And then it gives hope to the next
you of like, wow, like that's that's what I want to achieve. That's where I want to go and my path
isn't going to be perfect but you know, I'm going to take the steps and the tools along the way just
keep going, just keep opening doors. That's that's the Christa, like this Christa, this is your story.
Just keep opening doors. Just keep just going down the hallway, pop in the next door, pop in.
(27:40):
And she's the door that she's still happy to do. She's got to do now. Exactly.
The whole building. The whole building. Well, we are going to close up this episode. You're so amazing.
Okay, but there's but there's one thing we're supposed to talk about who who else should be on
the show. Okay, doing what we've talked about. So I think you got I think you got to have Carmen Wilson.
(28:02):
Yes, I love Carmen. She's fantastic. Amazing. Okay, so I'm going to talk to you. I'll text her but I'm
going to have to have you lean in and push on her to I think she's in it. She and Alay still or not?
She's she's everywhere. Okay, she's everywhere. You got to call her to find out. I she's she's
absolutely one of my best friends. So I always say, okay, what time zone are we in? So I
(28:23):
because I talk to you. So or she or she does the same to me. So it's great. But I just think she would
she should be great. Leah obviously you got to hit the Terry's you know Terry Hines at Fox Sports.
Terry was she used to be at Jordan when I was like you. She was at Jordan. So all the Terry she
(28:46):
you have been fantastic. She's an energy amazing. Terry Terry Washington.
We may remember. And then Terry Carmichael Jackson who runs the W.
Okay, that one you're going to for sure have to help us because your your name gets the door open
(29:06):
or just outside at the line waiting to be loved. That's really her her office is down the hall
from mine. So so I can because what we share we share the same space. So yeah, so I think she would be
good. I mean, I just you know, there's obviously there's so there's so many and I think, you know,
in our organization, I would say Ricky Dean Ricky Dean is is the person that I I've mentioned
(29:31):
earlier who when I brought her she was with me before and then she went to the spurs and came back
and I tagged her to run Player Matters, which was another group that we were we're starting and so
she would be really good. I think for us it's it's funny because I was saying when I was
the new the other day with the team, how many women there are that work in the team setting? Yeah,
(29:58):
but none of them. All the guys are like, oh yeah, she would be great. I'm like, well, the one you
go tell her she would be great and encourage her right to put herself out there, but it's always
that like, I don't know if I should am I going to be looked at as like I'm being too loud or I'm being
you know trying to look like I'm I'm celebrating yourself. Like I had this conversation in the other
(30:19):
day. A guy can do the same thing I do and it looks like, oh yeah, he's just being an agent and calling
the GM six times a day. I have this innate fear of like, if I call more than three times, do I look
too pushy? Do I look like? No, you look like you're doing your job. Exactly, but as women or for myself,
I feel like I've just been trained to not do it, but a guy and a girl doing the same thing, right? He
(30:42):
doesn't care. He's called six times. He does not care. But for me, mentally, I'm like, I need to wait
another couple hours, but I'm like, my text is already down the number 42 on the list. So you got a
bump, but back up, you got to keep fighting the good fight, right? But it's getting yeah, and it's
getting rid of the preconceived notions that might have been put in my head or someone else's head
(31:03):
as they grew up. Don't be this. Don't be too much of that. And it's like, just be yourself. We
a kind person or really hard do your job, right? And the respect will come. But don't try and be
anything less than what you're created to be. And that's hard as women because there's a lot of women
in the men's sports, especially in the NBA, but I'd love to see a lot more in leadership positions that
(31:24):
pull women forward, right? And then they know that they try to do it. It's interesting, because there's
so many folks that are what I call kind of adjacent, right? Like if you look at Sandra Richards at Morgan
Stanley who runs the Sports and Entertainment practice or Nicole Pullen-Ross who, you know, does
something similar at Goldman Sachs and she's, you know, she's the, I think the mid-Atlantic
(31:49):
head, right? But also, you know, sports and entertainment. I mean, we have there are so many women
that are doing fabulous things and impacting the lives of athletes, not only in basketball,
but across sport. And I think, you know, they people either, you either know about them or you don't,
(32:10):
right? And so I never know. I don't know who knows about who, because I always feel like I'm sort of
in this little crew and I don't know anybody outside of the industry. So unless they're sported
adjacent, you know, like it fits. It's the folks. So maybe we'll have to team up and do a panel
(32:31):
for women impacting sports at Summer League. I think would be fantastic because I guess that it's
hearing these stories from these women, they're all at some point going through something similar
and for me to be able and mechanize it a lot of time. Like all of our guests, they're like,
we want to meet each other. We want to see each other and we're connecting them through the show
in ways they never even knew for themselves because they're all sports adjacent or in sports or
(32:56):
were in sports and they all have different things. And it's like, well, there's another one I want to
support. So you're building this community of women that want to just celebrate in champion.
Well, because they're just like, that's so cool. Like that's to me, it's like, yeah.
So let me do the show because I'm like, this is so dope. It is dope and the name is dope.
Her table. It's a little, I can thank Jay to Pinkett Smith for that because I love red table
(33:22):
talked, but it's pretty because every people here going through names, Chris, that everyone's like,
have it be like her court or court time. And I'm like, like, no, like, and of course, like,
our old producer, I love him, heart him, but like, he was a dude. And I'm like, this isn't going to be
a guide show with a woman's spin. Like, I want our set is, we have white couches. I wanted to
(33:45):
feel like I'm in someone's living room, having conversations, not being interrogated or interview.
Like, I want the Oprah feel, right? Like, I want something where you're just safe and it's cool.
And everyone's relaxed. But it's also me. It's like pink and purple and bright colors. And it's very
feminine. It's not a hard top table. And, you know, like the hockey guys can't have the same set
(34:06):
as us. You know, like, it's not right. That would have been. But we tried it. And I'm like, this is
too dark for me. Can't do it. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. And I love them. But they also don't want our set
either. So it's all that place. But yeah, I would love to see that would be a fantastic for us to do.
I would love to work with you on that and see what we can lead and bring in. Because especially as we
(34:27):
look towards what's the next generation of girls coming into sport and how to prepare them for it.
But also give them tools and knowledge and experience that we didn't have. I mean, I didn't have this
coming in here. There wasn't somebody saying, Hey, listen to this. Like they didn't have classes.
There were no like conferences. There were not. And so. And if there were, you might not have been
(34:49):
invited to them, right? So that's the only thing too, right? So, so I mean, that, that's the other thing too,
is you have to, I mean, that's a whole other episode of access. We're talking about access.
Yeah. You know, equal access. But yeah, is not feeling bad about asking for it either. That's the
other thing that's hard for me is like, just if that's what you need, ask somebody has a job and help
(35:09):
them figure out how to do it or find a way. But don't ever feel bad for asking for something that you
should have access to. That you just might be able to reach for you or you're just not sure how to
go about it. Ask somebody. But be curious is what I say. Be curious. Okay. Well, that's it for us.
Thank you so much for coming on. Chris, you're amazing.
(35:30):
Megan, Chris is so awesome. She is just a bright light in this day. I love that she is just a five-foot
tall ball of fun with in sports, but also just an amazing human. I think it's so refreshing and rewarding
to hear her stories about how she's been able to impact players. Sometimes at their highest
moments, sometimes at the lowest moments, and how she brings just her sense of calm, her sense of
(35:56):
purpose, and honestly, just her ability to compartmentalize what we need to do. And she kept saying over and
over again so that we can win again. And that looks different for everybody. So it's so great to see
a woman start in one place, gather more tools, and just continue on her path to destiny and find her
purpose. And I love the fact that she started in the legal system going to law school. She was
(36:20):
thinking that it was her direction. And then things changed. And the universe literally would
talk about how they had a different calling for her. And for her, it's just the fact that she is
EVP for the MBPA is such an incredible accomplishment, especially a woman like her. It's just incredible.
As we were speaking with her and learning about her relationships with the players that she's had
(36:41):
in the past, the players that she's, you know, has currently with Chris Paul and then with
Seedham, a cool woman, everything. It's just like, wow, that's amazing. And just as a young woman,
and you know, in sports, she's definitely someone to look up to and kind of see like, hey, I can be that
person too. So she was awesome. And I loved having her on the show. I feel like she has so many stories
(37:01):
that we just are untapped right now, like honestly, her story of like, the boys loved her out. They had
a boys club and they didn't invite her. And she took her shoe off and she knocked on that door
and said, oh, you're having a meeting? Pull up a chair. Like, I'm going to be here and I'm going to
have you guys have better, healthier habits of ways of working together. And what's funny is I
bet she impacted those men so much. And the way they work and the way they approach working with
(37:26):
women now, probably is significantly different because she had enough confidence and awareness to
realize that was an opportunity for her to lean in and teach and command not be offended. And so
that's inspiring because I think I would have been offended. And then I probably got to the other
side, but I would have started with offended. And then got there. I know she's incredible. Exactly.
(37:48):
No, but I feel like there's so much more we need to talk to her about whether that's behind the bench.
I would love to talk to her about the program, you know, mothers of professional athletes.
There are so many ways she's impacting sports, not only just through the players, but through her
programs that are allowing people to create communities to find support and awareness.
And just overall purpose because I think that's what we're all striving for. So I can't,
(38:12):
we're going to have to dive into those. We got more episodes coming with Chris Achen. Chris Achen,
you're coming back. You're coming back. There's going to be a seat at this table for you always.
But thank you guys so much for listening. This is another episode of her table. Make sure you guys
like, subscribe. Let us know who you guys want to see. We are so blessed that you join us every
week as we celebrate and elevate these amazing women. That's it for her table. We'll check you guys out
(38:33):
next time.
Hi, it's Chris Hitchin. I'm Chief Player Engagement Officer at the National Basketball Players
(00:04):
Association. I have oversight of six departments, Player Health, Mental Health and Wellness,
Off the Court, Player Programs, Player Matters, and Career Development. And this is her table.
Now you see her.
You are magnificent!
Welcome to her table, the podcast that shines a spotlight on the badass women
(00:29):
who are redefining the game. Join host, Kate Foley, and Megan Martinez has paid on lock the
secrets of success in the brightest female pioneers in the industry.
Welcome back to another inspiring episode of her table. I am so excited to bring my dear friend
and longtime colleague in the NBA. Chris the Chen to the show. She is the EVP of the National Basketball's
(00:51):
Player Association. She has had an amazing journey in her career in sports and professional
development over the last 20 years. Prior to joining the NBA, Chris has served as the Vice President
for Player Development for the NBA, where she was the first woman to hold a management position
in the Player Development Department, and the title of Vice President. She played active roles
(01:13):
with the NBA's rookie transition program, USA Basketball, and the WMBA.
It's such an honor to have Chris here today all the way from New York. She is so inspiring,
has changed just so many lives and has some of the most iconic moments that I have seen in sports
in the last 20 years. Pull up a chair and welcome to her table.
I'm so curious too because Kate and I kind of talked about this briefly with the NFL,
(01:41):
kind of the transition into like sports betting. I know Calvin Redley got suspended about two
years ago on the NFL Player. Now we have Dante Porter and his suspension after gambling. Kind
of like touch on that because I feel like sports gambling is the most prevalent that it's ever been.
I feel like and especially with like players and everything. How does the NBA deal with this?
(02:03):
Like these kind of situations that NBA is a whole and even the players and like their agents.
Like how do you guys work with them? Be like sorry, Dante Porter, like you're done. Like I just think
it's such a fascinating and interesting topic. Yeah, so it's sort of new-ish, right? So it's,
we've been dealing with gambling forever. Now we are looking at how we are going to educate our
(02:27):
guys going forward given the issues. All of the sports betting and apps and access and all of that
is different. Before we only maybe we had to worry about casino gambling and
playing cards. We were on the plane Chris. Yes, yes, yes, yes. But even that, I mean now it's really about
(02:54):
educating. You have to, you know, we're always changing depending upon what's trending, right? And
where we see the issues or what the players are asking for. And a lot of times we get that feedback,
you know, from our guys like, oh, we got an issue over here. Not everything is as public as what we
just saw, but it is something that we're focused on and it is something that we know has to be dealt
(03:16):
with. And we are actively engaging and looking at ways to educate our players, our agents,
our everybody, everyone around this issue. But, you know, education is a nice word, right? We have to
educate them. But how we educate them is what's going to be important, the delivery of the presentation,
(03:40):
how it resonates, how relevant is it? What does the content look like? So that those are things that
we're exploring to be revealed sooner than later for our players. But right now, we have the
resources. The resources are in place to help those who may be confronting an issue in any way.
(04:00):
And that's for any problem that they confront. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be gambling
or anything else. But it is something. I mean, you have to, it's like when something new comes,
comes out, right? You have to, you know, when social media first launched, we had to tell guys,
you know, okay, here are some things that you may want to think about, not posting. You know,
(04:22):
when I was at the league, I mean, you know, we had to sometimes guys had to be fine for some of the
things that they posted because they were, you know, they were inappropriate, but there were no real
guardrails or guidelines at that time. So it was an education process. And then even in my work with
the league youth, you know, I talk about that all the time. Okay, guys, you know, we do these exercises
(04:43):
about, you know, what you should and shouldn't shouldn't post. And it's kind of funny, even the dialogue
around it and how people process, you know, what is right, what is wrong, what is okay to share, what
may be offensive. And that's important too, because I think, I always say this, you know, we sort
of act like our player population is 107. You know, these are young guys. They're, you know, and so they're
(05:06):
they're, their exposure is different. So, you know, I'm expecting a 20 year old to respond
the way that a 45 year old would not, I'm not, I'm never, I always believe you have to meet people
where they are. And I try to look at our player population and think about, you know, where I'm
(05:29):
contributing, what is most appropriate, what is going to resonate, you know, how do we make sure that
he understands it and gets it. And if he makes a mistake, what is it, you know, what is the pathway
back? How do we recover? So, it's an interesting thing because you've seen now, like the league is
selling sponsorships to these online. The sports betting is now implemented within the league and
(05:54):
sponsorships and activations and marketing campaigns and, and then you have the restrictions on the players.
And it's interesting. I was talking to one of my rookies the other day and he didn't understand,
nor had he had the concept that you have, you can only wear game issue things. Something as simple
as this, like no, you cannot wear your favorite pair of underwear in a game, which is doesn't work.
(06:15):
You have to wear game issue things and they were like, we don't understand. What are you talking about?
I'm like, I'm telling you right now, whatever you want to wear, there's an equipment person that will get
you what you need. If you need something different, they have to level up the conversation. Level up
the conversation. What you see is a curated or illustrated event. It is not self, there's no
(06:38):
part one person making a singular decision within the VA that I'm aware of. I mean, even all the way up to
like, Adam, I mean, there's people that counsel them. He might be the facilitator, but there's that
group of executives that counsels gives advice. But like some of these young players, they don't have
the concept of it because I think one of the things I do think that is shifting, you're going to see
(07:02):
a lot of these guys that are not old. They're just have been in the league this long, the 20 plus
years guys, but they're not old. No, no, no, no. And the wealth of knowledge that they have to then
pour back into the younger guys, I think a long time ago, 20 years ago, we are seeing guys just exit
the league and they move completely on. And now we're seeing guys take great pride in being able to
(07:27):
say, hey, like, I'm not playing anymore, but I want to continue to contribute to the standard that
has been set for me and the expectation I have for the next me to meet it, right? Because what I'm
leaving behind, they're responsible for. And how have you seen that shift? I mean, you have guys,
obviously, at some of the highest levels within the PA now that were players. How important is that
(07:52):
for you having gone from the PA side to the league side to outside? Yeah, yeah. But I mean,
like, it's so imperative because you have to be able to say, what is, if you were a player, how would
you take this? If you were doing, we do. You're the one person that can answer all of those questions.
You know, we have the, we do have the benefits that at the PA and the NBA has it too of having
(08:16):
former players like we have Andre Guadala now at the helm. You know, we have Pervis Shore,
we have Josh Powell, you know, we have Derek Anderson to McCormick, we're hence and we have all
of these former players that are employees of the players association. League similar, we has,
you know, Sriveth Burr-Hing, JD, you know, all of these great folks that are there. And then too,
(08:44):
you know, we had an interesting situation last year at the Combine. We had a panel and it was great.
Chris came, Chris was there, Chris Powell, I had Isaiah Todd and Kevin Porter Jr. And it was just
incredible because Chris, you know, is a, like a vet, like you've not seen. I mean, we, you know,
(09:09):
and what he was able to share and offer and what he continues to share and offer on the teams
that he goes to is just, it's amazing. And then you have guys that are, you know, just recently out.
I mean, similar to Andre, right? Andre just retired and he's come back to lead the, the, the PA,
even if it's not permanently, but he's here now and he's dotting the eyes and crossing the
(09:32):
teams for this organization. But we constantly are getting calls, you know, from folks who,
you know, who want to give back, they have something to share. We, you know, we have,
jointly with the league, we have Eddie Curry and Eduardo Nahara and Antoine Walker,
who talk to our guys that our team awareness meetings, which are these mandatory meetings that
(09:57):
players have to attend about finance. And they're sharing their stories and they're talking about
dues and don'ts, not lecturing, but just sharing experiences of what happened. And, and there's a
real desire to do that, you know, it's not for the money. It's because like we want these guys to know
we sat in your seats, we were in your shoes. This is what happened that was great. And this is
(10:22):
what happened that was not great. And so I hope that answered the question, but that was, you know,
you, we do see it come full circle in many ways. And even, even now, I mean, we don't have a huge
veteran population in the NBA, right? The teams are so young. So that's why I brought up like when you have,
(10:44):
you know, Chris Paul, you have, you know, LeBron or, or, or other guys, you know, it's great. You know,
you have Carmelo who's not playing now, but, you know, constantly around some of the younger
players mentoring and showing and teaching and introducing and, and, and, and, is available.
They're present. Like I think that's the most important part. It's they're accessible and they're present.
(11:08):
And it comes from a place not of competition, not of like I'm better than you or I was in league for 20
years. Where you, you know, it's like, look, same place, same level. I want you to be better than me. And
I truly believe that that's why a lot of these guys contribute after the fact is because they want
to see someone be better than them or a culture or a team, right? Because some of them, we're, we're in a
(11:30):
right time, but how, how, how, how much are you involved in the culture of teams dynamics? And if
there's an issue, because there are some teams that get it really right. And there's things that get
it really wrong. Yes. That is true. Yeah. So it's, it's, it's the right thing. I always feel like an
(11:54):
ego thing, right? And I think that's important for this conversation, especially, you know, one of the
the ways that if you got to decide what the priority is, if the priority is to have impact and be
the best that you can be, you gotta put your ego aside. Yeah. And so I never, by example, never walk in
the room and say, Oh, look at me. I'm Chris, I'm 32 years in. And you know, I'm ahead of this. And I do
(12:19):
this, you know, that, I mean, that's just sort of not the way. I have lots of great relationships with
teams who will, who are trying to get it right or have run into a challenge. And their ego is not
in the way they call and they say, Hey, I need help. I need help. I'm having an issue with the situation
of that situation. Can you provide some insight? Not, you know, betraying any conferences of the
(12:44):
player, but, you know, what resources, you know, can I use or what resources do you have or will you be in
market or, and I think that's important. But you have to, you know, it's like anything, you know,
you have to recognize that there is an issue and then decide that you want to address it. You can't
be afraid to reach out for help. And in the collaborative spirit cake that I think you referenced
(13:10):
earlier, you know, there's not competition. Agents have a role. The PA has a role. The league has a
role. The sneaker companies have a role. Media like everybody has a role. I'm not, I'm never competing
with an agent because I don't represent anybody. You know, so, so, so it's how do we come together
(13:36):
and work together to get to the end goal for the client. And for all of us, the client is the player.
Yeah, it's the player. So, you know, we have to do a better job. You know, I always, I make myself
available. You know, I do everything that I that I can with the other groups so that they know,
(13:58):
like we're like, well, just the team effort doesn't matter who signed the contract.
Yeah, so yeah. What has been one of the most iconic moments for you in your career? Because you,
this is unbeknownst to anyone, but Megan, you have to go check this out. She, um, in her prior role,
correct, I'm wrong. Literally, she was like, you're drafted on draft night and the first person,
(14:22):
like literally the first person you have contact with within the NBA was this pretty lady right here.
So you have to come, you hug your dad, you'd tap your coach, all of that. And then before you even get
to the stage, she is that first space you're seeing us sharing you into the next phase of your life,
which is so amazing and so awesome and so iconic. They don't do that anymore. It's annoying because I
(14:51):
want to see you. I'm like, there's something. What? Yeah, you get back for, for, for, for, surprise,
little surprise throwback night. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What was one of those iconic moments for you?
You've been through so many drafts, so many high flows in that moment. What is that like? Because you
were at the, you know, the turning point, that pivotal hard right in their life career, all of that,
(15:14):
year that person was that, what was that like? I can only imagine. With the hats you're talking about.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But just like, it's just fun. I mean, it's so fun to, to me, to ride over on the bus
with them, get there, everybody's getting situated at the tables. And I still do that part. But,
(15:35):
but handing them the hat and knowing that at that moment, that moment, you are, you know, certified,
you're in. Yeah, you've crafted into the. Chris has changed in your life. Actually, is what happened
in the past? Chris, you need a hat that changed your life. Like the wizard about. I may be giving the hat,
but, but it is their work and the work of those around them that got them there. I was, I was not in on
(16:00):
that, except for my work in Elite Youth Space, which, which is, you know, I'm passionate about, you know,
all of that, the EYBL and, and, you know, de-discation and all that. But, um, but I think it's just a neat
moment. I mean, there have been so many fun and funny experiences with that. Like, I, you know,
there's an old clip of, of me giving that hat to Matin Cleaves, by example, and we're walking
(16:27):
to this stage and he like doesn't let me go. Like, no, you have to go. It's time. You gotta go.
So we, we actually still have, I've saw him not that long ago and we kind of let, we laughed about
that as funny. The thing that comes up a lot, there's so many moments, but the thing that comes up a lot is,
(16:53):
is the Carmelo Anthony hat piece because people that were really watching always ask me,
what was I saying to Carmelo because I clearly was giving some sort of direction and it was funny
because Carmelo is hilarious. And so, you know, the rule always is that you have to put the hat on,
(17:15):
keep it above your eyebrows. You know, you turn left, you turn right and, and, and, and, and you go.
And so when I got to the table from mellow, he, you know, he wanted to, I think he was just wanting
to mess with me. So he was not going to put the hat on correctly. And so I said to him, turn a hat,
(17:35):
put it on your mouth. And so, and he was laughing and I was trying not to laugh, but it was just so
funny. This is not the moment. David is looking at his watch and I have x number of seconds to get to
the stage. It's a library. Let me do my job. Give me a little, let me do mine. Yeah. It was, it was, it was funny,
(17:56):
but you know, those are great moments. I mean, you know, you go all the way back in history. You know,
and you, there are so many moments, too many to count, so many great experiences and, and, you know,
it's, for me, it's all been a blessing. I mean, the game of the sport, our players, you know, have,
they have, you know, they sometimes they'll talk about the value I've added to their lives, but they
(18:22):
added so much value to mine in the ability just to, to impact them and, and, and help them get wins
in other ways, you know, and I always, you know, Rod Strickland, by example, is my son's godfather,
right? And that's like you think about that. That's my only child, you know, and that's his godfather,
and he has been, you know, an incredible mentor. He's family, incredible friend, but I've been with
(18:45):
him through his, you know, through his career, and watched him develop in, in ways that are, are, are
fabulous. And so, so there, there are so many proud, you know, you have these proud moments, you know,
know when guys accomplish things, when they get their next contract, you know, when you,
when a guy has to take a break and then comes back, you know, I think about you know,
(19:09):
Coy Jones, who, you know, we certainly talked about, you know, the MVP, the MVP and, you
know, our work. And, like those are moments, you know, that you just don't like, you know,
we, we, not we with ego, but, you know, like we got, you know, as a team like we did this.
(19:29):
So it's, it's incredibly important. And I'm grateful for the opportunity. I, you know,
I keep saying that I have to, I'll have to roll me out because I, you know, I got another
nine good years in me. So more than that, more than that, you got to be here as long as
I'm here because I'm not doing this unless you're doing it. So we'll figure out some, we'll
(19:52):
figure that. We'll figure that out. If we bring you to the sunshine and the warmth, I think
maybe we can, you think that'll help. Yeah. First, you'll be a little bit more vitamin D.
You'll be like, this is much better, not cold. Before we let you go, I want to ask you,
what advice would you give to a younger you? Um, you know, I, I'm asking a question a lot.
(20:15):
I think keep the main thing, the main thing, you know, like this is your, your work. Keep
a strong work ethic, continue to evolve and learn, understand your industry, um, know what
things are trending, you know, when and, and stay ahead of the game. You have to stay ahead
of the game, um, you know, meaning the business game. So, uh, uh, you know, that, that's it. I mean,
(20:44):
professionalism, you know, is always was instilled in me to always be professional. Um, you
know, I always say to young people to younger people, this is your job. It might be cool.
It may have some fun aspects, but at the end of the day, it's work. And you have to treat
(21:06):
it like that. It is work. It's not your friend group. This is not, you know, nice that you
meet people and you develop great relationships with folks along the way, but at the end of
the day, you got to keep the main thing, the main thing. Don't get excited because you're
going to all star, um, you know, and then not be able to take care of your business at
(21:27):
all star. Um, those were not my issues, but I witnessed them and, you know, and had, had
to give counsel to many. And so I think, you know, I think there's that. I think you
have to, uh, you have to do that. Keep the main thing, the main thing and decide to whether
you want to be in or out because it takes a lot, you know, you have to, this is not a nine
(21:49):
to five. It's not a nine to five job. It's not a nine to five career. You know, if you're
in these spaces and so you have to determine what the commitment is and you either have to
be all in or not in. So powerful. Yeah. So many people don't get it. You know what I mean?
I think they see ballers, they see these shows and it's like so cool. And it's like, it is
(22:13):
whatever you think it is, it's the opposite of that. And there are these high moments, but
there's a lot of moments that people don't see that go unnoticed and hours, you're not getting
paid to work and hours that you question why you do it. And I think, you know, those are
moments people don't often share because it's easier to share the pretty parts than
it's to share the ugly cry parts, but it all comes with it. And it's when you believe
(22:38):
in what you're doing and you believe in your purpose for doing it, right? It makes it easier.
It's not just a cool job to have. So you can go tell your friends, you have to actually
buy into it in order to be good at it. Because if you're just doing it because it's cool,
people will find that out and they will use it against you and you'll burn yourself
because they know that. Yeah, I think though, I think also like the people around you, oh,
(23:04):
yes, the belief in you and it too. You know, like I had a, you know, some great calls recently
and like our our our executive director as well though too, but our president, you know,
our executive director is running our organization. So he's busy. He's got a tone on his
(23:27):
plate. But our president who's in the playoffs right and actively playing, you know, all to
say, thank you, you know, for, or, you know, something that he saw read and, you know, and
acknowledged the work that was put in that meant a lot. Like I almost cried not because
(23:52):
I needed it, but the fact that he took the time to do that, you know, or that folks take
the time to say, hey, you know, I've maybe doing all these other things. I'm busy, but, you
know, I'm I want to acknowledge that. And so it, you know, I don't I don't need the accolades,
not looking for them ever, but the fact, you know, that the people that you, you know, you're
(24:16):
working the hardest for understand it and they, you know, they value it. They think about it,
you know, is important. So amazing. Okay. Well, we have to have a whole other episode because
I didn't even get to behind the bench and it deserves it. Not deserves its own episode.
And I would love to see if there's a world where you want to pick two or three people. And
(24:40):
maybe we do like a little collab call with two or three people that have been impactful
for behind the bench with you. I think you got to do behind the bench and you have to do the
mothers of professional basketball players. Okay. Done done and done. I think both of those are so
important. And don't forget the dads. I mean, we can have a dad on one table too. I'm fine with it.
(25:00):
I'm fine with it. No, but I think but those are important to me because those are entities
you've created. You've cultivated, created, developed, right? And you're leaving behind the bench,
though. I just want to I'm going to be clear. Like I didn't I didn't I mean, I get a lot of credit for it.
But that really was the the
(25:23):
brainchild of some really amazing, awesome women.
Deborah Williams, Joy Johnson, Sandra Short.
There were and there were others and you know, I really
was on the ground floor with them helping facilitate and just quickly because we have to go it was
(25:44):
necessary to they saw very smart women the need to create a community for for women and families.
Right? Because players get get get traded so to so to families along with it often if they're
accompanying their spouse. Right? And so, you know, where do you go to the doctor or or you know,
(26:05):
do these things in a city? Yeah, like no one tells you the process till you're in the middle of it.
You got to figure it out. So, but but I I I am a member. I am a founding member. I am in a
role part. I remain on their professional eyes report. I, you know, I'm still I'm still in there.
(26:30):
Well, I think that we have two more. So then I want to do that and then I definitely, you know,
want to do the professional mothers because I think there's just such a dynamic to that, right?
That's not told because so many again, this that's what's so cool about this show is it's not just
one lane, one person, one career path is there's so many women that are impacting sports in different
(26:52):
stages, ages, levels of life and being able to show what that is, celebrate them of what they're
doing and then let all these men that they're supporting lean back in and
celebrate them because there's not enough spaces for them to be celebrated a lot of times and it's
easy to feel like you're doing something that no one sees and so for me with her table, it's like
(27:15):
who is it? What are they doing? How are they doing it? And then it gives hope to the next
you of like, wow, like that's that's what I want to achieve. That's where I want to go and my path
isn't going to be perfect but you know, I'm going to take the steps and the tools along the way just
keep going, just keep opening doors. That's that's the Christa, like this Christa, this is your story.
Just keep opening doors. Just keep just going down the hallway, pop in the next door, pop in.
(27:40):
And she's the door that she's still happy to do. She's got to do now. Exactly.
The whole building. The whole building. Well, we are going to close up this episode. You're so amazing.
Okay, but there's but there's one thing we're supposed to talk about who who else should be on
the show. Okay, doing what we've talked about. So I think you got I think you got to have Carmen Wilson.
(28:02):
Yes, I love Carmen. She's fantastic. Amazing. Okay, so I'm going to talk to you. I'll text her but I'm
going to have to have you lean in and push on her to I think she's in it. She and Alay still or not?
She's she's everywhere. Okay, she's everywhere. You got to call her to find out. I she's she's
absolutely one of my best friends. So I always say, okay, what time zone are we in? So I
(28:23):
because I talk to you. So or she or she does the same to me. So it's great. But I just think she would
she should be great. Leah obviously you got to hit the Terry's you know Terry Hines at Fox Sports.
Terry was she used to be at Jordan when I was like you. She was at Jordan. So all the Terry she
(28:46):
you have been fantastic. She's an energy amazing. Terry Terry Washington.
We may remember. And then Terry Carmichael Jackson who runs the W.
Okay, that one you're going to for sure have to help us because your your name gets the door open
(29:06):
or just outside at the line waiting to be loved. That's really her her office is down the hall
from mine. So so I can because what we share we share the same space. So yeah, so I think she would be
good. I mean, I just you know, there's obviously there's so there's so many and I think, you know,
in our organization, I would say Ricky Dean Ricky Dean is is the person that I I've mentioned
(29:31):
earlier who when I brought her she was with me before and then she went to the spurs and came back
and I tagged her to run Player Matters, which was another group that we were we're starting and so
she would be really good. I think for us it's it's funny because I was saying when I was
the new the other day with the team, how many women there are that work in the team setting? Yeah,
(29:58):
but none of them. All the guys are like, oh yeah, she would be great. I'm like, well, the one you
go tell her she would be great and encourage her right to put herself out there, but it's always
that like, I don't know if I should am I going to be looked at as like I'm being too loud or I'm being
you know trying to look like I'm I'm celebrating yourself. Like I had this conversation in the other
(30:19):
day. A guy can do the same thing I do and it looks like, oh yeah, he's just being an agent and calling
the GM six times a day. I have this innate fear of like, if I call more than three times, do I look
too pushy? Do I look like? No, you look like you're doing your job. Exactly, but as women or for myself,
I feel like I've just been trained to not do it, but a guy and a girl doing the same thing, right? He
(30:42):
doesn't care. He's called six times. He does not care. But for me, mentally, I'm like, I need to wait
another couple hours, but I'm like, my text is already down the number 42 on the list. So you got a
bump, but back up, you got to keep fighting the good fight, right? But it's getting yeah, and it's
getting rid of the preconceived notions that might have been put in my head or someone else's head
(31:03):
as they grew up. Don't be this. Don't be too much of that. And it's like, just be yourself. We
a kind person or really hard do your job, right? And the respect will come. But don't try and be
anything less than what you're created to be. And that's hard as women because there's a lot of women
in the men's sports, especially in the NBA, but I'd love to see a lot more in leadership positions that
(31:24):
pull women forward, right? And then they know that they try to do it. It's interesting, because there's
so many folks that are what I call kind of adjacent, right? Like if you look at Sandra Richards at Morgan
Stanley who runs the Sports and Entertainment practice or Nicole Pullen-Ross who, you know, does
something similar at Goldman Sachs and she's, you know, she's the, I think the mid-Atlantic
(31:49):
head, right? But also, you know, sports and entertainment. I mean, we have there are so many women
that are doing fabulous things and impacting the lives of athletes, not only in basketball,
but across sport. And I think, you know, they people either, you either know about them or you don't,
(32:10):
right? And so I never know. I don't know who knows about who, because I always feel like I'm sort of
in this little crew and I don't know anybody outside of the industry. So unless they're sported
adjacent, you know, like it fits. It's the folks. So maybe we'll have to team up and do a panel
(32:31):
for women impacting sports at Summer League. I think would be fantastic because I guess that it's
hearing these stories from these women, they're all at some point going through something similar
and for me to be able and mechanize it a lot of time. Like all of our guests, they're like,
we want to meet each other. We want to see each other and we're connecting them through the show
in ways they never even knew for themselves because they're all sports adjacent or in sports or
(32:56):
were in sports and they all have different things. And it's like, well, there's another one I want to
support. So you're building this community of women that want to just celebrate in champion.
Well, because they're just like, that's so cool. Like that's to me, it's like, yeah.
So let me do the show because I'm like, this is so dope. It is dope and the name is dope.
Her table. It's a little, I can thank Jay to Pinkett Smith for that because I love red table
(33:22):
talked, but it's pretty because every people here going through names, Chris, that everyone's like,
have it be like her court or court time. And I'm like, like, no, like, and of course, like,
our old producer, I love him, heart him, but like, he was a dude. And I'm like, this isn't going to be
a guide show with a woman's spin. Like, I want our set is, we have white couches. I wanted to
(33:45):
feel like I'm in someone's living room, having conversations, not being interrogated or interview.
Like, I want the Oprah feel, right? Like, I want something where you're just safe and it's cool.
And everyone's relaxed. But it's also me. It's like pink and purple and bright colors. And it's very
feminine. It's not a hard top table. And, you know, like the hockey guys can't have the same set
(34:06):
as us. You know, like, it's not right. That would have been. But we tried it. And I'm like, this is
too dark for me. Can't do it. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. And I love them. But they also don't want our set
either. So it's all that place. But yeah, I would love to see that would be a fantastic for us to do.
I would love to work with you on that and see what we can lead and bring in. Because especially as we
(34:27):
look towards what's the next generation of girls coming into sport and how to prepare them for it.
But also give them tools and knowledge and experience that we didn't have. I mean, I didn't have this
coming in here. There wasn't somebody saying, Hey, listen to this. Like they didn't have classes.
There were no like conferences. There were not. And so. And if there were, you might not have been
(34:49):
invited to them, right? So that's the only thing too, right? So, so I mean, that, that's the other thing too,
is you have to, I mean, that's a whole other episode of access. We're talking about access.
Yeah. You know, equal access. But yeah, is not feeling bad about asking for it either. That's the
other thing that's hard for me is like, just if that's what you need, ask somebody has a job and help
(35:09):
them figure out how to do it or find a way. But don't ever feel bad for asking for something that you
should have access to. That you just might be able to reach for you or you're just not sure how to
go about it. Ask somebody. But be curious is what I say. Be curious. Okay. Well, that's it for us.
Thank you so much for coming on. Chris, you're amazing.
(35:30):
Megan, Chris is so awesome. She is just a bright light in this day. I love that she is just a five-foot
tall ball of fun with in sports, but also just an amazing human. I think it's so refreshing and rewarding
to hear her stories about how she's been able to impact players. Sometimes at their highest
moments, sometimes at the lowest moments, and how she brings just her sense of calm, her sense of
(35:56):
purpose, and honestly, just her ability to compartmentalize what we need to do. And she kept saying over and
over again so that we can win again. And that looks different for everybody. So it's so great to see
a woman start in one place, gather more tools, and just continue on her path to destiny and find her
purpose. And I love the fact that she started in the legal system going to law school. She was
(36:20):
thinking that it was her direction. And then things changed. And the universe literally would
talk about how they had a different calling for her. And for her, it's just the fact that she is
EVP for the MBPA is such an incredible accomplishment, especially a woman like her. It's just incredible.
As we were speaking with her and learning about her relationships with the players that she's had
(36:41):
in the past, the players that she's, you know, has currently with Chris Paul and then with
Seedham, a cool woman, everything. It's just like, wow, that's amazing. And just as a young woman,
and you know, in sports, she's definitely someone to look up to and kind of see like, hey, I can be that
person too. So she was awesome. And I loved having her on the show. I feel like she has so many stories
(37:01):
that we just are untapped right now, like honestly, her story of like, the boys loved her out. They had
a boys club and they didn't invite her. And she took her shoe off and she knocked on that door
and said, oh, you're having a meeting? Pull up a chair. Like, I'm going to be here and I'm going to
have you guys have better, healthier habits of ways of working together. And what's funny is I
bet she impacted those men so much. And the way they work and the way they approach working with
(37:26):
women now, probably is significantly different because she had enough confidence and awareness to
realize that was an opportunity for her to lean in and teach and command not be offended. And so
that's inspiring because I think I would have been offended. And then I probably got to the other
side, but I would have started with offended. And then got there. I know she's incredible. Exactly.
(37:48):
No, but I feel like there's so much more we need to talk to her about whether that's behind the bench.
I would love to talk to her about the program, you know, mothers of professional athletes.
There are so many ways she's impacting sports, not only just through the players, but through her
programs that are allowing people to create communities to find support and awareness.
And just overall purpose because I think that's what we're all striving for. So I can't,
(38:12):
we're going to have to dive into those. We got more episodes coming with Chris Achen. Chris Achen,
you're coming back. You're coming back. There's going to be a seat at this table for you always.
But thank you guys so much for listening. This is another episode of her table. Make sure you guys
like, subscribe. Let us know who you guys want to see. We are so blessed that you join us every
week as we celebrate and elevate these amazing women. That's it for her table. We'll check you guys out
(38:33):
next time.
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