Sue Bird | Ep 51 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball

WNBA superstar Sue Bird joins Matt and Stephen on episode 51 of All The Smoke to open up about her basketball career. Bird talks about being drafted #1 overall, Breanna Stewert, and compares women and men's sports. Plus, Bird discusses her relationship with Kyrie Irving and this year's #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu's future.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime. Welcome
back Man, season two of All the Smoke. We got
a real special guys, what's up with your Brodie? With
the virtual handshake? I'm gonna tell you something that I
never told No back, I want to smoke. Welcome back
season two All the Smoke. We have our first w

(00:23):
NBA player. We're very excited about that. But not only
is she a w NBA player, she's a four time champ.
Welcome Sue Bird to the show. So how are you doing.
I'm good, I'm good, Thanks for having me. What's up, Champ?
Thanks man, I'm good. I mean, you know how it
is after you win, you're still is the best? Right?

(00:45):
Get to enjoy you, get to enjoy it. Um, you
know we're you and I went to college the same time. Um,
you're in your seventeen coming up on forty years of age?
Is there a timetable left? Know? Tom Brady at forty two,
Vince at forty three? Just shut it down? What is
your what is your thinking? You've always been known to
keep your body in mind in great shape. Is the

(01:08):
finish line? Near. I don't think so. It's like, asked
me in a month, asked me in two months. Things
just change like that when you're this age. But as
of right now, I think I'm gonna go for it.
We'll see. We got the Olympics maybe coming up, so
there's that too, Yes, that would be what you're an
opportunity when you're fifth gold medal. Yeah, yeah, that's crazy.
You've got a lot of hardware, from college to the

(01:30):
League to the Olympics. You've got a lot of hardware.
Just trying to stack them up. That's all you can do. Man.
At the end of the day, you always are never
there's always more room. There's always room. Right now, You've
always been known to be a fairly private person, but
you've very outspoken on social justice issues, UM equality, female rights, UM,

(01:57):
racial discrimination. With the with the election around the corner,
what is your message behind all that vote? I mean,
the one thing I learned I think this this um.
I was about to say summer. I guess it is
the summer into the fall. It's just how important voting is.
I mean, the one quick story I can tell is
Chris Paul actually set up with with with the n

(02:18):
B a p A along with our p A a
call with Michelle Obama and to hear her all she
wanted to talk about was voting. And I know she's
dedicated her like post first Lady life to that, but
to hear her talk about like, yeah, you know, like
President Obama, he killed it in the election, but then
we lost all the midterm elections and now you see that, right,

(02:39):
Like you see how all these senators are the ones
controlling everything. So I think there's different ways we can
all have and make impact. But the one way we
can for sure have our voices heard is to vote,
and then not only that, for me, a step further,
like educate people on voting, get other people to vote,
not just so not just my vote, right, like trying

(03:00):
to get people out and encourage them. That to me
is has been the one thing that has stood out
the most. I think it's important. And when we say vote,
I'm because I'm on the same thing. It's obviously when
we tell people to vote, that's almost a loaded situation
because once you get there, there's so much stuff you're
supposed to already know, and it's really confusing if you
really don't go in there with the plan. But it's

(03:20):
not just on the federal level. It's on your local
and state level as well, because that's where the laws
you know, are created and passed and all that kind
of stuff. So I think for I think now more
than ever, people are paying attention and wanting to vote.
So there's just there's definitely a lot that comes with it.
But like I said, it's not just for the presidency,
it's for your community as well, and that's that's where

(03:42):
I think people can be really effective at as well
and see immediate turnaround. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean, like as
you guys like to bring up, I am turning forty
soon and like some of this stuff I didn't even
know until this year, you know what I mean. And
I think people might get embarrassed by that or whatever.
It's like whatever, Like if it means you're forty, if
your twenty, if you're fifty, who cares? Like now is

(04:03):
the time, So like go out of your way to
like get educated, to talk to whoever you need to
talk to kind of help guide you make a plan,
all that good stuff. Absolutely, the NBA did a great
job of of coming together with the bubble idea and
executing it. H you guys followed right behind. What was
the process? Where was your hand in kind of creating

(04:25):
the situation? Because I know you are obviously the uh
you know, a very outspoken in your league on a
lot of different fronts. But did you help with the
plan of this? Yeah, so I'm also on the executive
committee for our p A. And it was basically like
a bizarre cb A negotiation, you know, like obviously the
CBS where you talk about the money and then thissten
of that. This was that plus like all this other

(04:47):
stuff with safety and COVID and you know, one big
non negotiable was that the season was going to be
dedicated to In the moment, we didn't know Brianna Taylor
like specifically, but as it turned out, we were going
to dedicate that season to her, to her family, to
say her name all that. So it was it was
a lot I mean, low key. I wish there was
cameras on all these zoom calls when we were going

(05:09):
through all this, because as you guys heard on the
NBA side, like a lot of players had a lot
of different feelings about it, and so it was very
I mean crazy how similar A lot of the feelings
and and kind of emotions that people were going through.
It was the exact same on the w n b
A side as well. Once you guys decided to come together,
and you know, if you're in your inn and we

(05:30):
understand if you're not. You guys have really always been
at the forefront as far as being creative with messaging
and campaigns and and and things of that nature. And
I said back on ESPN about a month ago, I
was like, if any quote unquote white players can understand
the struggle of the Black community, it's the women of

(05:52):
the w n b A. Because ever since your inauguration,
you your fighting, your voice, and your message has always
been for equality, equal foot, equal pay, equal opportunity. So
to me, that's probably one of the main reasons I
thought you guys are so far ahead of even NBA
when it comes to ideas, what what what What's behind that?

(06:12):
In your opinion, Yeah, I think, um, you know, given
like where women and female athletes are in our society,
you know, just like how we're treated or how we
looked at, we kind of have had to have this
mentality of like fight right, like fight for what we
think is right, and a lot of times the people
in the locker room. We're not just obviously we're women,
but we're not just women. We're black women, we're gay women,

(06:34):
we come, we have like all different It's like a
melting pot in our league, similar to a lot of
sports leads, which is what makes them great. So we
just kind of it just kind of came naturally. I've
actually said before it's not even like we chose it
per se. It just kind of was brought to us.
We kind of had to defend ourselves and with that
we like develop this backbone. And you know, our league,
the beauty of it is it's it's big enough where

(06:56):
we affect, you know, have impact in a lot of
different communities. Like we have twelve teams, that's twelve major cities,
but we're small enough for four players where we can
do the organizing right. So like even in the bubble
very quickly, you know, once the Milwaukee Bucks were like
we're not playing very quickly, we were able to kind
of like figure out what we wanted to do to
support them. You know, sidebar wasn't even about support. It

(07:20):
was more just like this is some crazy ship and
it impacts people directly and they're being like retraumatized and
they need a fucking day off. You know, they need
two days off, They need moments. But then within those moments,
we had a small enough group where we could like
our guys, we wanted to do this, we want to
do that. Let's wear this T shirt, you know, so
we can present like united and I think that goes
a long way. Absolutely. One thing always too, like you said,

(07:44):
I think because the numbers are smaller, but you guys
are always very united on the same page. Like you said,
you may have heard different obviously, opinions, ideas, thoughts, but
you guys come together very quickly. Um, and this was
no different. Yeah, I mean, like I said, the lead
up was was crazy, some of the conversations, and you know,
players who didn't feel comfortable or just weren't in the

(08:05):
right mind mind frame to come play in the bubble,
that was cool. We still wanted to keep them connected,
you know what I mean. So, I mean, Natasha Cloud
is one Renee Montgomery. There there's a list, and we
just want to make sure whatever we did do they
were still connected to that because just because it didn't
feel right for them doesn't mean that they can't be
a part of what are like, I guess like long
term whatever messaging was because for us, I think we

(08:27):
all landed on being there. That is our platform. We're
different from the men's players, like our platform is together
it is when we're playing basketball. Um. But the best
part was that everybody kind of got to be a
part of it, whether they wanted to actually physically be
there or not. Well, that was one thing, you know,
because Jack and I had different point of views, and
and my point of view was your point of view. Um,

(08:47):
you know, you would hear from Lebron if the NBA
decided not to go back, because he's a superstar and
he has his reach reaches around the world, but what
you have heard from the next tier of players, or
would you have heard from Doc Rivers? You know. And
then Jack was on the other side, like you said,
you felt like, you know, when you guys decided to
follow the Bucks lead, the world needed a break, and
that's where Jack's focus was, just like, you know, we

(09:08):
kind of are straying away from the task at hand
if we start back with sports. So we kind of
both had our reasonings back and forth, and you know,
we both made good points and both understood where each
of us were coming from as well. Yeah, I mean
I heard I heard you guys talk about it. I
was listening, um, and it is it's vote valid points.
I think after going through it, it's just it's almost

(09:28):
like there's no wrong answer. And I think now that
the seasons have ended, what I'm kind of hoping is
the distraction, because I know that was a big part
of the argument, right like this is going to distract
from what you know, the movement, so to speak. But
now that it's gone, I think maybe we were able
to use the platform to kind of get some things
out there. And now that sports has gone, well not sports,

(09:50):
but basketball has gone again now, so now it's like
it's kind of like a great combination, right, like sports
rose it up to another level and now it can
continue to be pushed without actually having the distraction of playing.
But yeah, it was it was tough. I just hate
that it was so much pressure put on the w
n b A and the NBA to to to hold
it up. Like everybody has a responsibility, you know, everybody

(10:12):
has a job to do. We the NBA is not
gonna get it done by themselves. The w n b
A is not gonna get done. But I said, yes,
we have a job to do and we have big voices.
But a lot of people put a lot of pressure
on the w n b A and the NBA like
it was their job to make change. You know, it's
all our jobs. But it was just a blessing to
see y'all do your part, which we knew y'all would
because y'all always do. Thank you, man, I appreciate that.

(10:33):
What are some things, like you said, now that the
season is over, is there anything that you guys will
be doing moving forward? I know the NBA hasn't had
a bunch of postseason initiatives. There's anything you can discuss
right now or there, or there's things still in the works. Yeah,
I think it's more in the works. Like going through
the season, we organized so much and it's hard. I mean,
there's a reason I keep saying, like there's a reason

(10:54):
why some people this is their lives, their livelihood being
act And that's what I said. Their hold. They that
their whole life is from when they wake up till
they go to sleep to do this. But then, like
Jack said, your guys first job technically is to play basketball,
you know, So to add all that on top of
your plate and fix something that we didn't start. It
was a lot. Yeah, it really was. It really was.

(11:15):
And I saw that mostly with like my black teammates,
my black like counterpart, I guess is at the right
word in the in the executive committee, like seeing how
it impacted them. That's where I felt as a white person,
as a white player, I could try to like take
some of that burden off in like the organizing. Right,
So when it was time, I mean, it's a stupid example,

(11:35):
but it was an example. It's like, okay, guys, we
want to make sure we're wearing the same T shirt.
I was the one who was like, all right, let
me handle this because that was like one way because
the organizing part on top of trying to be a
professional athlete on top of being a black person in
this country, Like what, yeah, it's so much. Um. So
as far as like postseason, I think the cool part
was each individual team in the w B a kind

(11:56):
of started their own Like I don't know, I'm that
with like organization, I guess, I don't know. So ours
in Seattle's called force for change and so now there's
ways to actually do things in our community in Seattle.
So that's I think for for I know from my
team where we can put a lot of the emphasis.
But I told you guys, like voting, like even if
it's just you know, posting stuff on social media, doing

(12:18):
stuff with our our union until November three, that's going
to be the focus. With everything you just said, You've
been fortunate enough to win three prior championships leading up
to this year. How different was this bubble experience? But then,
like you said, the added pressure of knowing that basketball
wasn't really it's never really been your own job, and

(12:39):
now it's magnified that they still want to hear your
voices and you have to strategize about the world but
still try to win a w NBA championship. How was
that this season? Yeah? It was crazy. I mean people
always ask like, oh, why did athletes speak on We
have live mics in front of our faces all the time,
Like what do you mean why are we talking about
this stuff? So it wasn't I mean, it wasn't juggling act.

(13:00):
And it was like an emotional roller coaster kind of
like tied into that and it was hard, and I
think the hardest part, to be honest, was like you
couldn't in this bubble. You didn't have an escape. You
couldn't like whatever your escape is, like, you just didn't
have it. You were just in this world and you're
like constantly seeing people. I mean, shout out to all

(13:22):
the w B players and the coaches and the staff
and the refs. May I not see you for a year,
like I would be happy because you're just seeing everybody,
like you know, getting your food in the elevator, and
so you just could not get away. Now, on the
flip side, that ended up being a good thing in
like the tough moments, right, So when we did decide

(13:44):
not to play for those two days of games, we
had each other, So there was that. There was like
that positive part. But in terms of juggling at all,
not having escape, I found out I'm like, dang as
much as I like basketball, like I don't know if
I like it this much, Like I need to go
hang out with my friends. I need want to a
break breather because we're such That's why I say, we're

(14:04):
such creatures that have it, you know what I mean,
Like we all have because we got to this level.
We have routines and stuff. We go by and things.
We count on being there to kind of balance what
our what our basketball lives are like. And when then
that is completely taken away, you're putt in a in
an foreign situation, and now you're always seeing your your
enemies quote unquote you know the other teams and always

(14:26):
happen to because you're already around your teammates a lot
of normal life, but having to see them every minute
of every single day, and you can't just yell, shut
the funk up, I don't want to see you right
now to nobody, you know what I mean. So it's tough,
you know, And we talked about this earlier. I mean,
obviously the bubble was a safe situation, but it was
still a lot, you know. I talked to Chris Paul
about just his mental health of the whole aspect, you know,
Paul George came out and spoke on it. It was

(14:48):
it was really overwhelming, and I understood because, like you said,
you're being taken away from your comfort zone and your family,
your children if you have them. But then there's a
crazy ass world that's going around and you're in this
bubble and you're you're stuck. So you know, if you
get different perspectives and understanding when you kind of talk
to people who were in it. Yeah, I mean the
best part was the like being safe from COVID. That

(15:11):
was like the best part. You could like relax, there
was I mean, in every bubble, I think there's there's
always like some false positives. I mean, we're here about
it now with like the NFL and stuff. So those happened,
and I think both the NBA and the w B
a bubble. But once you kind of after the first
couple of weeks, you understood that was kind of it
wasn't scary. It was just like, all right, every now
and then there's gonna be false positive. You were like,

(15:32):
I'm kind of free. I can like, you know, go
hang out by the pool, we can go get dinner
with people. You can take your mask off and feel comfortable.
So there was that part that was like the one
stress free part. Actually, when we were leaving the bubble,
I was like, oh, I don't know if I'm ready.
I don't know if I'm ready for real world, like
worrying about everything. But so that was the wrong good part.

(15:54):
Being a young girl, young Jewish girl from Long Island,
um first love being soccer. When did you fall in
love with basketball? Pretty cot Yeah, white girl from Long Island,
Come on, it had it's a birth it's a birthright,
it's a birthrate pretty quick though, Like I I mean,

(16:14):
I played both right away. Soccer probably came first, but
only because I don't know, I started in the summer
and then you know, once the fall and the winter came,
it was right into the basketball court. Um. So those
are like my favorite, like my two sports for sure
growing up. And then um, eventually I transferred high school,
so I ended up going to Christ the King and
Queens and yeah, you know, and then they didn't have

(16:37):
a soccer team, so that was that. There was no
soccer team, So that was it. What was that like, though,
going from a girl from Long Island to going to
Queens for school every day? Yeah, So my parents divorced
and my dad had an apartment in Queens, so I

(16:58):
basically just moved to Queens. And it was a basketball move.
It wasn't like it was it was told basketball's decision.
But like all my family stuff kind of played a
role in it. But yeah, I mean I have been
playing for an AU team out of Christ the King
called the Liberty Bells since like sixth grade. So like
all the girls on the team went to Christ the King.
I already knew some of the guys players just from

(17:19):
like basketball. Yeah, so I kind of it was almost
like going to college before college, because you know, you
get to college and know like homies with your teammates
and then you meet the other teams. It was kind
of like that. So it was the hardest part was
like wearing a uniform. It was a Catholic school. I
got all every confession. Every time we had confession, I
got the period free. I pulled that Jewish card out

(17:40):
real fast. That was the hardest part though. So your
senior year begins the journey of you win in hardware.
Your senior year, you guys go undefeated, you win a
state champion chip, and then you head onto Yukon Um.
Who would some of the other schools you possibly thought
about joining. Yeah, I visited Stanford, Vanderbilt, and then like

(18:05):
Duke of Notre Dame or like the kind of like
the fourth and fifth. I didn't even visit though. It
was really yukon from the start, Like, yeah, the other
ones kind of crept in, you know, because like they
want to dine you, but it was Yukon. What was it?
I mean, obviously at the long line of great men
and women there. What did it mean the first time
you actually got to put that uniform mom, It was

(18:28):
crazy because they still do really well in attendance. But
when I was in school, it was like gamble was
ten thousand so and we sold that out. And then
we would play in the arena and Hartford and that's
like sixteen thousand sold that out. And whether we were
playing like our art arch rival or we were playing
like I don't know, some D two teams in like

(18:48):
a preseason game, yeah, it didn't matter. So to me,
that was like the fans. That was the crazy part.
So you put the uniform on, you run out to
all these people. That was wild. That was that was
the wildest part. Do you do you think yo yo,
you conteing could be some w NB A teaing. I
mean yeah, because it's like five w A top five
picks for my senior year. Yeah, we were loaded. So

(19:16):
you had a little setback your freshman year, um tearing
your a c l um. What was that like for
the first time basketball being taken away due to injury? Yeah,
it was terrible. Um, although I also like talking about
the bubble and needing a break. I figured out quickly
even my freshman year, like I love basketball, but like

(19:36):
I can balance it, you know. So it was tough
that it was taken away because I didn't have a chance.
I hadn't proven myself yet, like I was, you know,
like there was no nothing to back it up. You
get hurt now or like later in your career, people
kind of know who you are and what you can do.
It's like, okay, she'll be fine. But this was like
I ain't done anything. So that was probably the hardest
part um. But it's probably the thing that like shape

(20:00):
to me now, like going through that, having to prove
myself kind of overcome something. You know, I'm back in
tearing your a c L. It was like a death wish.
Now it's like back then, yea, then it was scary scary.
Did you get one of those big old scars like
from your shin to the top of your they have
those scary Franken style. I remember because I had toe

(20:22):
surgery and it was supposed to I thought it was
a scope and there's like a scar on my toe,
like the size of my foot. I'm like, what the
fund was this like? And that was like surgery medical
that you know, the medical side was much different back then.
So you were you were able to establish you know,
winning two championships. They're playing with Diana and Swing Cash.

(20:42):
What was it like being able to win with your friends?
That was the best part we had. We had a
really it was like a it was a close group.
Like my class is super tight group chat still popping now.
But then even so in these class was two years
younger and they we had five in my class, Will
ended up four at the end, but and they had five.
So it's like these two like like in numbers, you

(21:04):
know what I mean, these two groups and they kind
of ride or die when we came together. We still
had so much fun. So it's like as like you
guys can It's like the memories aren't the winning. It's
nice that you win, but it's like all the other stuff.
Um so to do that and really, I mean you
mentioned two people for d and Swin, It's like I've
literally gone through everything with them starting in college. Swin

(21:25):
actually we played together in the w B A Me
and d played um me DA and Swin with the
national team that me and d went to Russia. It's
just like our careers are so intertwined and it's um
they're like sisters for sure, So it's it's always amazing
doing and winning with with your family. That's what's up
play for our legendary coach Gina r Ema, who wants

(21:45):
said you're the best point guard in the world. How
did this is the two part? How did that make
you feel? And then what is some of the best
advice he gave you during your time there? He definitely
didn't say that ship to my face? Do you know?
You know it's such a g man I love. I
never met him. I just saw I could just feel
his energy from the team. I've always fun with him,

(22:06):
even though I've never met him. He shoots it straight,
that's for sure. No, it's for him to say that
like I'm joking, but he he gives you compliments to
your face, but not when you're in college, not even
surely thereafter. So to have him say that, to know
who he's coach, who he's been around, it's obviously an
amazing compliment. I think the thing he taught me that
to this day I take with me is um It's

(22:28):
like a classic line of his basketball is not a
game of how to, It's a game of when to.
And that I think is like true for all players,
but especially for me at the point guard spot, Like
I'm kind of you know, I'm not out there. I'm
not gonna dazzy with my athleticism. I'm not going to
rely on those things, so I have to be really

(22:49):
it really is about when I'm doing this stuff, not
not how right, like everybody can shoot dribble past, but
it's like when and being really like smart about it
and calculated. And that's like my two two the number
one pick in the w NBA Draft. What do you
remember most about that that experience? Two things. One, um

(23:12):
just really realizing like how far Seattle was Like, I'm
East Coast. I went to an East Coast school. I
was like, holy shit, this is all the way on
the other side. Yeah, I wasn't. I wouldn't even I'm
not like a I don't get homesick like that. But
that was like a jolt when I finally went out there.
And then the other thing I remember about my rookie

(23:33):
year was we played against um the l A. Sparks,
who they had won the previous year. I mean, like
Lisa Leslie. They're like I can name names, but you
get it. They're the l A. They're like, it's l
A Sparks. And they had this one player, Nicky mccram
and I told the story recently actually, and she was
like picking me up full court, which is kind of
like there's like that point guard code code, you know,

(23:54):
it's like, really are we doing this? You're picking me
up full court? Okay? Fine? And she got me twice.
She written me twice like um, you know, and I
was like, dang. So come to find out after the game,
Michael Cooper put like a bounty on my head and
it was like, whoever she strips her whatever? It was
a strip. I was like, fuck, so that's what it is.
Number one pick you have the X on your back.

(24:15):
I should have asked this earlier, but we discussed this
with JJ. Redicko was against a couple of shows ago,
being a smaller, you know, a Jewish girl from Long
Island right away for you going to twice the King
and playing against a lot of black players, what was
that like? Because I remember like the thought process Jack
and I used to have and we would see like
one of these young up and coming. Don't let him

(24:38):
be like, you know, like a white boy. Rookie was
supposed to be nice, like we wanted a dog his ass.
So did you face a lot of that? You know,
through high school college in the w n B A.
I hope, I mean, I hope, not Loki. I'm the
same way. I'm like, oh my god, they put a
white gu Yeah, I think that about right. I love you.

(25:03):
You're being in Seattle, and you've been in Seattle for
a while. You know about a restaurant called Catfish Corner No,
oh wait cafe. It's a restaurant that my father was
as a restaurant that my my family owned on mar
Luther King at Cherry Street. It was called Catfish Corners.
It was opened all around that time because every time
I played the Sonics, we uhould go there and eat.

(25:27):
Familiar with that restaurant. I don't think it's still open now.
I think they moved. But mar Luth Martin Luther King
a Cherry was a prominent the area in Seattle for
a while. That's one thing though, I mean, obviously after
getting your footing in Seattle, I think Seattle's absolutely beautiful.
Amazing restaurants. I feel like an NBA team should definitely
be out there, maybe the Clippers, maybe Bomber takes the

(25:49):
Clippers and kind of set their own identity out there.
But how do you love the city now? Obviously being
there for so long, I know why you love it?
Man didn't mad Anto, No, No, I do love it.
It did take me a minute, though, and like it's
not surprising. I don't know a restaurant outside of like

(26:10):
the Seattle area because anything outside it feels like a
road trip. I don't really leave my little my little
nook um. People always make fun of be like, oh,
have you gone to Vancouver? I'm like, no, have you
gone to If I go to Bellevue, it's a road trip.
But I do love it. I do love it. It
has become I always say, like, when I land in
the Seattle airport, that feels like home, you know, like

(26:31):
that airport when you land, it feels like, Okay, I'm home.
That's what That's what that feels like. Now. It took
a minute, but I've I've grown to like, absolutely love
the city. Two thousand four, you get your first w
NBA championship, being one of eleven women to win an
Olympic gold medal w NBA championship. What did that moment
mean to you be able to get your first one

(26:52):
on the biggest stage. Um, I mean, looking back, I
don't think I like now I realized is how hard
it is, how special it is. Looking back, I kind
of was like I was young, I was fresh out
of college. Ride one twice I was like, oh, this
is supposed to happen, and I'm not even being It
wasn't like a cocky thing. It was just kind of like, Okay,

(27:13):
this is what we do. And then I mean, I'm
sure you got It's like we didn't get to the
finals for six years, so we won, and then we
didn't get there for six years and we had like
the same core group. So looking back, I should have
like cherished the moment more than I did. Its something
you learned, but you were lucky enough to win a

(27:33):
few more. You've had some great battles against Diana Tarassi
throughout your career, but on the w NBA level, what
are those battles meant for you too? Seeing that you
guys are so close. Yeah, I mean, Loky, I've been
trying to get her to like sit down with me
and like watch games. I think it'd be so dope
to have two people, not just me and here, but
like two people sit down watch a game they competed

(27:54):
in and be like, Okay, what were you thinking in
that time out or what happened after you did that shot?
Because for me and Are, there's like a lot of big,
big games that we've competed against each other. We've played
in the playoffs. I think like maybe like four or
five different series. I've gotten the best of her, She's
gotten the best of me. I'm like, thank God, I
don't have to guard her. Ask though, I'll tell you that,

(28:15):
so it's always somebody else's problem, um, because she's tough.
She doesn't lose in those moments, so it's tough. She's
a Beast's a beast for sure. Two thousand sixteen, you
guys draft me on the Stewart who later becomes not
only Rookie of the Year but m v P. In
two thousand and eighteen, what is it like being the
veteran now seeing these these young girls come in and

(28:38):
and and you got one of the best in the game. Yeah,
I mean I haven't said this to her face. I've
said it publicly, but like she like saved my career.
I'm not even being you know, dramatic about that. I
was at a point where it was kind of like,
you know, two thou sixteen, I'm thirty six, I've you know,
I've done a lot, but I've also had to like
endure a lot with my body, some injuries. And then

(28:59):
we kind of get with her and Jewel Lloyd who
got drafted the year before, these like youngsters. It was
like this breath of fresh air, and it just it
took over our franchise, It took over me. I had
this like new purpose which was to help them out, right,
Like I always say, you want to leave those friend,
or I want to leave this franchise, you know, in
great hands. So I want to help them as much
as I can. But it's like she could probably sit

(29:22):
here and tell you the ways in which I've helped her.
But the truth is she like legit, her and Jewel
both like legit save my career. And I'm probably playing
right now because of them coming to the store. M mmm.
Do with that said, you you know you got your
third ring, but help those two get there first. In
two thousand and eighteen. What was that like to be
to be able to get them to that place you've

(29:44):
been so many times. Yeah, that was crazy because it
was like happiness from like a personal standpoint, but it
was also this like looking at probably I don't have kids,
but I'm assuming it's like when your kids do something special,
you have this like other sense of pride. Yeah, so
you know, they're not my kids, but I feel like
in basketball life they kind of are. So it was

(30:04):
kind of like she's so it was dope. It was dope. Yeah.
One of your childhood memories was to win, uh, to
make the Olympic team, and then obviously you've been able
to succeed that and win four gold medals and and
and fingers crossed you'll be able to join them next
year to possibly win your fifth. Tell us what it's like, because,

(30:26):
like I said earlier, you've been winning for such a
long time. How different is winning for your country? Oh
that's crazy because especially like growing up for me, there
was no w n B A. So like you went
to college and you like heard about people playing in Europe,
but I don't know, you're like fourteen, I don't know
what the hell that is. That's not like what you're
dreaming to do. So I was like, all right, I
hope to go to college. And then it was the

(30:48):
Olympic team that was like it. And right around yeah,
right around when I turned fourteen fifteen, you had the
Olympic team who ended up winning in Atlanta ninety six.
They like did this year long tour. It's like all
the big names, and that was like, oh, I want
to do that. So that's that was always kind of
the dream. So even though playing professional basketball overseas in

(31:10):
the w b A is great, um, I mean it's
more than great. It's it's obviously epic, but being on
the Olympic team, that for me was the ultimate ultimate.
So to do that multiple times. Um, to go overseas
and no matter who you're playing, where you're playing them,
people just want you to lose, but you still find
a way to win. It's nice. Everybody. They love us.

(31:30):
They want to live in our country. I mean, I
hope still. I don't know about anymore, but the people
overseas like want to live here, but they want to lose.
They cheer up no matter who you're playing, they cheer
against you. There's no question but that that's to me,
that's always been that driving motivation. I'm sure it's on
another level for you when you're doing in the Olympics.

(31:53):
You were intricral in helping UM with the pay plan
for the national team and then also help changing the
c b A for players in the w n b
A because most people watching this note but you guys,
some people have always had to go overseas to make
ends meet because the pay was so minimum, you know.

(32:15):
So like I said, you were very intricral and obviously
getting the you know, the national team payment situation started,
and then devising the new CBA. Tell us how important
that was to you, UM, to be able to help,
because I know you're always about getting back and for
who's next. Yeah, that's really what it is, UM, because
really like the c b A. I might get to

(32:35):
play under it like another year or two, but it's
not really for me. It wasn't That's not what the
motivator was. It was for the kids coming up, the kids,
you know, in high school. I think something about women's basketball.
It's kind of backwards. It's like college gets all this rightfully,
so college should get love, but the w b A
should get equal, if not more love because for a

(32:58):
college kid, you're there four years, you have a ten
plus year career, So it's kind of backwards in this way.
And I just think a big part of it is, like,
you want to you want to have a league that's
going to motivate young kids to want to stay in
the sport, to want to play, to want to move on.
And I think we just had this like narrative around us,
and some of it was rightfully, so some of it

(33:18):
was kind of a stretch, but like that it was
like a shitty league, you don't get paid, why play?
This is stupid, all this stuff. So we wanted to
change that, and so a big part of that was
getting more money, you know, like changing just kind of
the the makeup of how the cap got divvied out.
Like we had a max salary, so once you were
maxed out, that was it. But there was also obviously

(33:39):
like but there's this hard cap with a number they
have to hit and I'm not gonna like bore you
with it, but eventually your best players weren't getting all
that extra money when the cap will go up right
like every year, because you were maxed out, that was it.
And this is it was like just the format was ridiculous,
so we got to change that. So now people can
make like in their w b A like basketball salary
over two in. But then there's offseason stuff they can

(34:02):
do too, So like there could be three or four
players staying home every year, making like close to half
a million dollars, which is huge and to your point,
maybe not have to go overseas anymore. Right, Yeah, because
you saw I want to ask because obviously, you know,
Brianna went over there and tore her a c L
and had to sit out for a season, but explained

(34:22):
to to our fans what your season would be like,
because you know, most people only think, hey, they they're
playing in the w n b A and then they
have all this off time. You guys go right from
that to overseas. So in a twelvemonth period, how much
basketball are you actually playing? I mean there, So if
you're lucky enough I guess to be like on you know,
on a WB team that goes deep into the playoffs

(34:43):
or just the playoffs, then you're on your overseas team.
And then if you throw the national team in there.
I mean there were years where I'm not even exaggerating
if I had like a week and a half off.
I was like, this is amazing, this is so long.
Where are we gonna go? Like it was just Bob
to Bob to Bob. And a lot of people's contracts
will say something like whatever day your WB season ends,

(35:04):
you have to report ten days after. So if you
lose in the first round, he was in the finals, whatever,
you get ten days and then boom and then a
lot of times you come back late to the w
B A training camp. So it's just a year round grind.
I mean, it's worth it because the pay is so
good overseas, so it's like, you gotta do what you
gotta do. And I think we would love to kind

(35:26):
of end that in that cycle so people can just
stay home and make that comedy. Last Februar year, you
officially resigned with the Storm. Um thoughts on being one
of those legendary players that stick with just that franchise
their entire career And did you ever think that at
one point you might possibly play somewhere else? Um? Like

(35:46):
plead the fifth n I did? I did? I did?
Because before we drafted Jewel, who was right before Stewie.
So it's like two dozen you know fourteen. It was
kind of like we didn't know that we were rebuilding,
and the franchise said, this is it, We're rebuilding. Got
rid of like all the other O G s if
you will, and so it was just me. I was

(36:07):
the only one, and it was kind of like, all right,
like I had some years left, do I want to
never play in the playoffs again? That resonated. Somebody said
that to me, like do you just never want to
play in the playoffs again? I was like, dang no, Yeah,
that really hit me. So it was in that moment
where I kind of juggled and I'll be honest, the
only places I really would have gone probably is the
only place was probably no. Hell no, never would you

(36:32):
have ever because you know, there was obviously joking, you know,
Diana would joke about it. Did you guys ever seriously
talk about playing together in your w NBA careers? So
this is interesting. So we did once, but it was
in Russia. There was like vodka on the table, and
it was it was just and we were kind of like,
but we both we both basically said if we ever

(36:53):
did it, we would have to go somewhere else like
not her Seattle or meta Phoenix, like we go, what's fun?
I wonder if like, because things are just different now,
Like the talk of it's different to talk about players
leaving is different. Our cb A is different now with
the money. Whereas before it was it was hard to leave.
We have we have like a core title which is

(37:14):
kind of like franchise players, so they can just keep
you no matter what. But things are different now. And
I wonder if d and I were like twenty six
now right like contracts just coming up, I wonder if
we would have ever done it? Do have been dangers
taking your talents to New York exactly? Um, Seattle's field

(37:36):
with rich sports history obviously the connection that Russell Wilson
has and King GRIFFI Jr. Shall Camp, Gary Payton. The
list goes on. How has that experience and interaction been
for you over the trajectory of your career and all
you've been able to accomplish. Yes, I think Seattle is
like special in that way because it's, um it's a
small it's a big enough city where it has all
this stuff, but it's small enough where it's really close

(37:58):
knit and all the sports teams they really support each other. Um,
I mean listen. Speaking of track, you know, backtrack two
thousand two. I get drafted, like two weeks later, I
fly out. The first thing I do is go to
a Sonics playoff game. So that was like my introduction
to the city was watching Gary Payton play, you know
what I mean, which was like insane and I'll never

(38:19):
forget it because every time he had an assist, the
announcer would just be like a little love from the
glove and I was like, oh my god, I'm gonna
like it here, I'm gonna like it here. Um. I
think it was like the next year where Ray out,
where they got he got traded and Ray came UM,
which again was like some great years of Sonic basketball.
Obviously I'm basketball biased, but it was so dope to
go to those games. I was at UM when they

(38:40):
lost to the Spurs in the playoffs that year with Ray,
Richard Lewis, Um, we were all at those games. You know,
I missed that. I actually really missed that. But the
same goes with the Seahawks, the Mariners, UM, the Sounders,
the rain you name it. There's tons of sports teams
in Seattle and we all we all just kind of
get along support each other. It's it's really cool, a special,
it's dope. Transitioning a little bit. Two seventeen, you came

(39:04):
out to the world that you were dating, Uh, Megan Rapino.
Obviously I've read an articles that your family and close
friends already knew what you were about. But no doubt,
no doubt. Was it a relief? Was it? What was
it feeling when you finally just came out? But like
I said, because like I said before, you know, everyone

(39:24):
close to you knew the situation, but kind of just
getting off your chest for everyone else to stop prime
pricking or wondering. Was there a sense of relief with that? Yeah?
There was definitely. Um, I think you said it. It's
like everybody in my life knew, and truly I didn't.
I didn't really fully appreciate what it was, what it
would have meant for me and others to actually just

(39:44):
say it publicly. I was just kind of like, what
I'm living my life. I don't hide anything, Like why
do I feel like say it to a journalist? But
then when it happened and I did, it was kind
of like, oh, this is nice. This is like I
always joked, like I don't have to come out thirty
thousand times anymore. There was just the one big one,
you know, and it was done. Um And I think
it helps other people to like the more people say

(40:05):
and express you know, who they love and what they're about.
It just I don't know it helps others. So that
part I didn't give enough weight too. That was one
thing that you know, when when when people ask why
sometimes athletes or celebrities share public information or public hardship
or whether situation. Maybe most of the time it's not
necessary for our benefit, but it because so many people

(40:26):
look up to us and understand that ship if Sue
Bird is going through this, if Steven Jackson is going
through this, I can get through this. You know, are
or I'm fine now? So I think you hit it
on the head right there. It's beautiful because, like I said,
our lives are people look at us like we're not normal,
when we're just as normal as everyone else, and we
go through the same ups and downs, bullshit, hardships, great times.

(40:47):
So we're able to share some of our personal life
and encourage others. It really goes a long way. Absolutely,
And I noticed that like right out the gate, like
literally that the second article hit I just like most
of it on social medi obviously, but even in person,
I'd have everyone from like a fifteen year old going
out of their way to be like, thank you so
much to change my life to like year old would

(41:09):
be like, oh my god, you made me realize you
know what I mean. So it was pretty crazy. And
you know, Meg is kind of like me. We rocked
to the beat our own drum, and we where we
want to wear. Take me through the morning of hug
getting dressed. She'd be wearing a lot of crazy stuff. Yeah,

(41:30):
you know, she's like everyone else. We're like every now
and then, you know, like you plan the outfit in
your head and then when you put it on, you like, huh,
not quite that's gonna be. Yeah. She has those moments,
but for the most part, it's like anything right. It's
like just the confidence to like be who you are,
where would you want? Then it looks it look it's

(41:52):
gonna look good. And that's usually when she puts stuff on.
I have my moment stressed, but it has this look.
I'm like whoa, And then twenty minutes later I'm like, Okay,
I see where you were going with that, and it
actually works, right, that's what we love. Yeah, so the
person makes the clothes, not the clothes making the person.
I want to take it back a little further. Obviously

(42:12):
you guys are a power couple now, But how did
how did all this start? Um? So we actually so
she plays on the team in Seattle, which and we
have the same not the same agent, but the same agency.
So it's kind of like we knew of each other.
You know, of course you're gonna know names and whatnot,
but we didn't really meet until the Olympics two thousand sixteen.

(42:33):
Was like the first time. There was like a hello
before that, but it was really the first time we
like hung out, and I mean she was in a relationship,
so it wasn't even like that at first, but then
like very quickly it was kind of like we're texting
a lot, I don't know, and then we're both in Seattle,
and then from there obviously the rest of history. It works.
It's that she's someone who's been very vocal and advocate

(42:56):
for the leg bt Q community racial issue. She took
a knee with cap. What is it like seeing her
kind of strength? Obviously you have your type of strength,
she has her type of strength. But what is it
witnessing that firsthand? Unbelievable? UM. I mean we were, we
were we had just started dating when she took a knee,
you know, with with Colin, like in solidarity with Colin,

(43:19):
and just to see somebody. I've always said, it's like
it's one thing to to fight for what's right for
like you, you know, like when it directly impacts you.
That's kind of it's not it's never easy to speak up,
don't get me wrong, but that's easier because you're like
fighting for This was for her just she just believed.
I mean, if you ask her in that moment what happened,

(43:39):
She's like, I believe Colin. That's all it was. It
was just listening to him speak and seeing what he
was doing. She believed, and so and she knew, not new.
She wanted to support that, that's all it was. And
then to see the backlash, right, because here we have
like a cute little white girl and yeah she's gay,
but a cute little white girl on the U S
woman's national team receiving all kinds of hate, right, And

(44:02):
so to watch her kind of go through that and
handle it the way she did. Um, to continue to
be vocal about these things. It was just I mean,
we had just started dating, but it was it was amazing,
It really was. So yeah. Absolutely. She was also quoted
saying she wouldn't go to the White House if they won,

(44:24):
and then this bumbass president had some slick to say,
and then you wrote an open letter defending her to
the Player's Tribute, saying, so the president hates I thought that.
I thought that she was. So tell me what, tell
me what? Tell me what that was like kind of
pinning that and getting all your ideas together because normally

(44:46):
you guys aren't the ones quote unquote being attacked or
or hate being sent at you. Um, but you kind
of found yourself in the wildfire right there. What was
that experience like? Um, I mean it was what it
was like, Like looking back, I wouldn't have done anything different,
you know what I mean, like for all the good
and the bad that comes with it. To me, it

(45:07):
was two things like defending Megan but also simultaneously defending
like what she was standing for. And so it's like
I wouldn't go back and change it. So but it
was crazy. I mean, I will say there was more
in terms of that article. There I feel like a
lot more positive than negative reactions to it. Um. Of
course there's I mean, you guys, I'm sure like social

(45:29):
media is just whatever it's successiool. But aside from that,
like Megan I talked about all the time, it's like
never to our faces. That's the ship. It's like never
to our thing. She's actually only had and she could
tell you this story one day, like she's had one
person say something to her face and it was like,
I want to say, it was like a veteran of
some sort, like something involving the military. But that's it,
never to our faces. So to me, it's it's always

(45:50):
going to go further from like a positive standpoint. Um.
So I would I would always do again. And it
was fun writing it. I had a good time. I mean,
because there's like light parts to it, there's serious parts.
Do it do it now? You know? Cowards never they
always talked that ship behind the behind the keyboard or
behind the Instagram. They'll never say it to your face.
That's why you gotta just let it go. Um transitioning

(46:11):
into europe Athletic ambassador for her sister's CBD company. UM,
what I want to get your thoughts on CBD and
then also thhc UM and just thoughts on athletes and
professional sports being able to utilize that to you know,
to help recover them into their benefit. Yeah. I mean
obviously I'm you know, a big proponent of it. I'm

(46:32):
very much um into it. I guess I think it's
it's like, as an athlete for soul for so many years,
you see all the drugs that are kind of passed around,
whether it's like anti inflammatory sleep aids, whatever, and so
to me, obviously it's just the stigma, which is slowly
starting to change, but it's the stigma of it all

(46:53):
that gives it a bad rap um. But this Mendi's
the name of the company, and it's the Bent is
it's CBD. The there is some product which with THHD
in it, but yeah, but the Bent is towards athletes
and kind of like that recovery, whether you're a professional
athlete or like that weekend Warrior vibe. And I think
it was like three years ago Megan started talking to

(47:16):
me about maybe more than three or four years ago,
Megan started talking about CBD. Fast forward a year or two,
her sister starts this company and it was just I
don't know. So we kind of all went through the
process of trying different products and kind of like giving
our take on things. And I actually, um, because if
you've ever used like the oil on like you know,
your elbow her to throw some oil on it, it
gets like all over you. So we actually have like

(47:37):
a stick so you don't have to actually physically touch it.
It's at the Mendy stick. So I love using that
just for like different parts of your body. And then
there's gummies, and there's capsules, and then there's actually like
a chink shire too, so it's just like CBD to
me personally, I'm obsessed. This summer. We didn't have drug
testing in the Bubble, so it's a totally different experience.

(48:01):
It was, it really was. It was just like I
slept amazing the whole season, you know what I mean.
Like I was literally taking the gummies the second the
seat the games were over, because I was like, all right,
I'm probably like in the hotel like an hour and
a half. This will hit at the right time, because
as you know, sometimes it's hard to sleep half the games. Um.
So yeah, it's just to me, it's been life changing

(48:21):
as an athlete. Um and I think the THHC part
of it, like like for people who smoke or whatever.
I mean, I don't see that being any different from
like I said, all the drugs that have been kind
of like pushed for all these years. So it sounds like,
um Jack that she might need to come to a
smokeout once she retires and we'll teach her how to

(48:41):
uh row some joints and enjoy the enjoy the other
side of it as well. I would be on my
smoke team. There you go, smoke buddies. What are your
thoughts on people that say the female game is not
fun to watch, They're not athletic, they're not this, they're
not that. What are your thoughts to people who have

(49:04):
that point of view on your guy's sport? Yeah, I mean,
first and foremost adventure to say, like a lot of
people who just come out and say that haven't even watched.
So it's like you got to take that opinion with
like a grain of salt because a lot of people,
for a long time it was just kind of easy.
We were the easy target, you know. And I've always said,

(49:24):
like like hockey, I've been to like a Rangers game,
Islanders game in my life. Like, I'm not a huge
hockey fan, although there is one coming to Seattle, so
I should probably get on board. But but I even
though I don't necessarily like hockey, I don't go out
there and shipped on it. But there's something about where's
basketball where it's not enough to not like it. It's
always been this easy target. So that's like it's kind

(49:45):
of hard to take the comment not seriously, but it's
kind of hard to have a reaction to because I
feel like a lot of people just haven't watched. The
other part of it is we're also this we fall
into this weird I don't know category where we get
compared to our male counterpart. And I'll be first one
to tell you, like, we can't jump as high, we
can't dunk, we can't run as fast, we can't do
these things. But why does that make the game worse?

(50:07):
Why does it make it any you know? And I
think the one thing when people say, like when NBA
players will come out and support and support of us,
and Kobe Bryant was was obviously a big you know,
WNB a fan and for his daughter, And I think
when I look at Kobe and I think what he
saw on GIG was this player who loved the game

(50:28):
and wanted to be great at it and was going
to put in the work. And that's all we are.
We're just athletes who love what we do. We put
in the work and we try to do our best
and win championships and like have impact on people's lives.
And it's the same. It's only when you start comparing
like the jumping, like not just jumping, but like the
physical attribute, just the athleticism. You know, when you break
it down to just pure skill, you guys are neck

(50:50):
and neck when it because you guys have to be
Like some NBA players can get away with being a
freak athlete or super strong and they can lack some skill,
but on your guys level, the skill level has to
be elite to be there. Yeah, absolutely absolutely, And like
I like, I'm just I've definitely had like some come
to Jesus moments with all this talk about it, you know,

(51:10):
because it's just like in terms of I used to
like fight it, I would argue, but now I'm like,
if you like the men's game, that's cool, Like you
don't have to like the women's game just because you
know what I mean. That's cool. But my thing is,
did you ever even really give it a chance? Like
did you ever actually watch it? Did you ever actually
get into it into the storylines the way that you

(51:31):
do with with maybe the NBA or wherever um, Because
it is different and we do have to rely, like
you said, Matt, like we have to rely on other things.
So we have to play together. We have to. We
can't just go one on one. You'll never see a
Houston Rockets in our league. It just won't happen. But
a lot of but a lot of people, a lot
of people that do that they don't understand. In order
that like something, you don't have to demean the next.

(51:52):
And one thing we understand a boy athletes is me personally,
Like I know that the w NBA game is finally need.
I have five daughters and I wish my daughters played basketball.
But have the guys have the people that say that
they mad one reason they because they can't beat you all,
and they probably they probably anybody make they boys and
girls junior team. So they really just hate because they

(52:16):
wish they can do what y'all can do, and as
good as y'all can do it. You know, I saw
something really cool though, because through you know my kids.
You know, Derek Fisher coaches the Sparks and that's my
kids stepdad. So my kids never I used to add,
what do you guys think about? Girl? It's okay, they're
eleven now, but they started going to games because he coaches,
and they fucking love it. They FaceTime me from the

(52:38):
game and they're so Like you said, I just think
it's actually experiencing it. You'll really see how And like
I said, for my boys, are you know, Jack knows
my boy boy hardheaded boy boys, you know what I mean.
But they really enjoyed that. You know they CANDUs did
this tonight and so and so did that to not
like they broke the game down, and just actually giving
it a chance is most importan because like you said,

(53:00):
most people are going to pre judge it before you
actually give it a chance. Yeah. And also like that's
an interesting point because your kids are eleven, so they've
now like grown up with a world that has a
w n B A like it's yeah, of course it's normal.
Whereas like I think, for a long time it was
new and we kind of had to break into people's mindsets,
you know, so that's pretty cool, especially for young kids. Yeah. Yeah, Um,

(53:24):
thoughts on the Hall of Fame class obviously Kobe kg
duncan Uh and then Tamika Catching is also up for that. Um,
to me, from from a male's point of view, one
of the greatest Hall of Fame classes ever to go in.
What are your thoughts with that group? Yeah? I mean

(53:44):
every I feel like every year there might be like
one or two names where not not like what are
they doing there? But maybe you didn't know them, you know,
like they're a little bit older or you just didn't
watch them. These are all names that are like everybody,
these are household names, so that, I mean, that's a
cool class to to go into. Obviously, shout out to
to make a Catchings. She was my teammate with the
USA basketball. She's she's that player that, like, no matter what,

(54:07):
in scrimmages and in practice, you were like please, yes,
You're like, please be on my team because she's going
to get all the rebounds, like all the on top
of everything else. You're just like, please be on my
team so I don't have to like, you know, guard
you or mess with you at all. She went hard
all the time I was in Indiana. I was in

(54:28):
Indiana at the same time she was out there, and
she goes hard. Bro, I seen it with my own eyes.
She definitely goes hard. Yea. And those people I go
hard in the game, I don't go that hard and practice.
Those kind of people that go hard and practice is
scary because you're gonna have to raise your level. You're
gonna end up getting yas ran over. We called the
game speed. We called those who practice hard, we get

(54:50):
ready to scrimmage, you guarden game speed. I'm not no.
I got like a one quick story. Ryan Hollins was
ultimate game speed. So we're in the first uh this
mother We're doing motherfucking walk through for the playoffs against
okay see, and he's on the scout team, and this
motherfucker jumps a walk through pick and roll with Chris

(55:10):
and needs him in his thigh, Like Chris almost is
not able to play, like yo, Like I almost had
to funk him up. Like, Bro, you're about to take
our fucking point guard out in a walk through playoff
shoot around? What the fund you doing the shoot around
the worst? Like I know who you think you are?
Right now? The game of the game. Hey, we gotta

(55:34):
play a seven thirty tonight. I don't know what the
you're doing right now at noon and we gotta play later.
Who was the toughest player you've ever had to guard
or who guarded you in your career? Both? Um, So,
just because it's you know this this season is like fresh.
Um is no joke. I just I just said, we'll

(55:57):
never have a Houston Rockets. If there was gonna be
that height, it would be whatever team she's on. So
she's on Dallas right now. Like, that's the kind that's
the kind of player. You can give her the ball
and be like, go ahead, it's yeah, she's if unable,
So guarding her, I was like, and then guarding me,

(56:18):
I mean there's been I'll have a shout out to
another O. G. Jenny Z was always tough. She's older
than I am. Jenny was tough. She was most memorable
play or experience in your w NBA career. Um, So
I've seen teammates shooting in the wrong basket, So that's

(56:40):
as a professional, that's actually the most memorable. Lauren Jackson
shot and made it in the wrong basket. I was like,
this is that supposed to stop when you're like, I
don't know eight. So that happened for me personally though.
In two thousand eighteen, in our playoff run, we went
to game five. We played five game series, so it's
five in the semis against Phoenix, and I had probably

(57:02):
like the best six minutes of my life. I scored
like a bunch like fourteen ars on my points in
the last six minutes and we won the game. We
won Game five against Diana, so it's like on all levels,
that will by far be Yeah, I'm most memorable I got.
I got a quick question, Well, my my actually favorite
female players don Stately, who is your favorite of all time?

(57:24):
I know, I know you know of Don Stay, who
is your favorite of all time? Of course I played
with her against her. She's my coach with my favorite
of all time, I have to So one is Jenny
Easy because she's like a little white girl with brown ponytail.
So I was like, oh, that was like my c
a b. At moment, I was like, oh, she's doing

(57:44):
it like I could do this, and she's probably like
five plus years older than I am. Um, but Shimiko
holds man Killer when she signed it, when she signed
a Jordan Brand. I don't know she gets on the
Jordan Brand Jack, I don't think. I'm not sure, man,
I'm not sure. But that was like Christley King dominated

(58:07):
Tennessee dominated, like her proker and probably earlier than it
should have. But like man, problem, she was a class
the New York Liberty uh drafted uh Sabrina I I
in school. I don't always butcher her last name. And

(58:27):
I started, Yeah, I started following her obviously because like
you said earlier, you know, Kobe's attention to the w
n B. I always liked the w n B A.
But when Kobe really you know, we talked a lot
and he really started supporting it. I started watching it more,
and you know, discovered her. She's a monster. What are
your thoughts obviously getting hurt this season, we'll be your
thoughts on you know, her future in the w n

(58:48):
B A. Yeah, her getting hurt this season was a
huge bummer for so many reasons. Um, you know, but
I'm sure for her as a player, it's like I
can only imagine, right, like you have all this hype,
all this talk value, you like dominated in college, you're
the number one, and then you get hurt, like three
games in it's just now you have to live with
that for like a full year until you're probably gonna

(59:09):
get back out there. So I felt for her on that,
but um, she showed a lot in those first couple
of games in the w b A because it is
an adjustment, and she showed a lot. Um I think
for her what I see or what I saw, she's
already paying attention to her body and like taking care
of herself and trying to be in like amazing shape.
And that's like, you know, as a younger player, if

(59:31):
you're already doing that at a young age, I mean
that that can really help you out. Um, But just
the way she she can do so much. I mean
she obviously she stripled Double Queen from college, but you
can see she she impacts the game like every part
of the game offensively, defensively than like, she just has
an impact on the game. And you saw that already.

(59:52):
So I'm really excited I've said this, like, even though
I hope I have a year or two left, this
is this is the one player, the first player in
a long time, really a couple of the players in
her class too, where I'm just like, as a fan,
I'm just excited to see how it plays out. Like
I'm like, I'm excited to watch her and see how
it goes. You know, I never felt that way, like
even three or four years ago, I was like whatever,
but this is like I'm actually excited to see Yeah,

(01:00:14):
so it'll be fun to watch. Yeah. Absolutely, they have
a chance to carry the torch for the league and
take it to new level. So that's always inspiring. Your
all time w n B A starting five, um, starting five.
So we'll go Lisa Leslie mandatory mentor Lauren Jackson. God,

(01:00:40):
it's tough, God, Maya Moore because I want to say,
Tina Thompson to Tina Thompsons, fucking so good, Maya Moore,
Diana Trassi, and then I'm tempted to put myself but
I won't, and I'm gonna get yourself just for just
for fun, I'm gonna go Becky Hammond. Hey, Becky had

(01:01:05):
a gang. She is she's a little bit older, she
around our age, a little bit older. She's like a
little like three or four years Yeah. Yeah, soo we
mentioned earlier. You know, the NBA guys supporting your guys
a sport does a lot for your guys. A sport,
you're personally a big fan of Kyrie. Jack is really
close with him. Any memorable stories moments with Kyrie. Yeah,

(01:01:29):
So the first time I really got to like meet
Kyrie and then hang out was at the Olympics in
two thousand and sixteen, And it was just cool because
he's like a huge fan of basketball, like the guy
like watches YouTube videos of like all different kinds of
players and he's constantly trying to like learn um and
I just really enjoyed like talking to him, and because

(01:01:50):
he doesn't look at things, I feel like this he
wants to look at things differently because then he implements
that into his game. Right, He's not just going to
go do a workout that someone's always done, like shoot
five from five spots. He's like, no, I'm going to
shoot him from the other five spots. Like He's just
gonna do it a little differently, and you can see
that creativity in his game. So just kind of talking

(01:02:11):
to him, hearing how he looks at things basketball wise,
it was a lot of fun. But the first time
we actually met, I was just like at the hotel
or both the men's and the women's team were there
and it was just cool because like I'm much older
than he is, and he came up to me and
was like, oh my god, Sue, like, yeah, I've been
like dying to me. And it's just like yeah, in

(01:02:33):
the back of my yeah, in the back of my head,
I'm like, I've been done to me. You too, you
know what I mean. But it was just cool to
have that like mutual respect. And then again, like I said,
getting to know him not just in basketball terms like
talking about basketball, yes, but like off the course stuff too.
It was fun because we were together for like our
teams were together for like a legit month when we're
over in the Olympics. So it's just really cool. And

(01:02:56):
then the friendship has continued. He we check in every
now and then. He's been so with like he took
me up with some like with the Nike shoes and
he did to keep so fresh, like collapse thing. He's
just yeah, he goes out of his way and that way,
and it's just been, um, it's just been really special
and of course I loved watching him do his thing
on the court. Hopefully we'll see him back, definitely a

(01:03:19):
real one. It's gonna be fun seeing what him and
k Do can do together next year and Steve Nash
after him, that's gonna be there, gonna be a fun
team to watch. Well, super thank you for your time.
We appreciate it. Um and happy birthday, Thank you, and
enjoy your championship. Enjoy your birthday. And uh, we're excited

(01:03:40):
to hear you're not. You got some more in the
take and pop a couple of them gummies for me too.
And remember when you retire, your Smoke team is come
funk with us. Once you retired, we'll get you right,
I'll be on my way, don't right. Thank you guys
so much for having me. I'm a big fan, can
appreciate it. Thank you, appreciate player, so we appreciate you.

(01:04:04):
That's a rap. Thank you to our special guest, future
Hall of Famous Sue Bird Than You can catch all
the smoke on Showtime Basketball, YouTube and the I Heart platforms.
Good show, Jack, the show, my boy, Thank you again.
So have a great offseason. So thank you. This is
all a smoke a production of The Black Effect and

(01:04:25):
Our Heart Radio in partnership with Showtime