The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - GOOD FOLLOW - Aneesah Morrow Talks LSU, Connecticut Sun, Athletes Unlimited, Her Fashion Identity, & More!

Episode Date: November 13, 2025

Ros Gold-Onwude sits down with Connecticut Sun’s Aneesah Morrow in Nashville for Athletes Unlimited. Together, they break down what Aneesah’s fashion identity is and where that has taken her. What was it like at New York Fashion Week? What was your hair journey playing ball? Then, Aneesah shares her initial reactions to Athletes Unlimited and what she hopes to achieve during the season. How did she take responsibility at a young age? How did her parents influence her career in basketball? What keeps her motivated? Next, Aneesah recounts her experience with the Connecticut Sun and the shift after playing for Kim Mulkey at LSU. What does she hope for LSU this year? What does she bring to her teams now? Last, Ros makes her DraftKings Pick of the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This Black Friday, you've got a whole month to catch all the exclusive offers waiting for you. See your local Nissan dealer or nison.ca for details. Conditions apply. You're listening to Draft King's Network. Hey, what's up, y'all? Welcome to Good Follow show, presented by Draft Kings. I'm Razgold on Wode, and we're coming to you. live from Nashville, Tennessee. We are here for athletes unlimited. It's kind of a preview to the season, but it's around the corner coming in February of 2026. And for today's show, we have a very,

very special guest. We have an All-American out of LSU, a rookie this season in the WNBA for the Connecticut Sun. She was the number seven draft pick in 2025. Anisa! Maro! What's up, Nisa? I'm doing, girl. Hey, I'm doing great. It's being great. It's being great having time to be able to talk to you and be here. Yeah, I'm so excited to talk to you. I see you in glimpses here and there and it's usually like, you look amazing. Thank you. Actually, let's start there because you are just fabulous. Thank you. Everyone came here. It's kind of like a preseason media day for athletes unlimited and everyone got to show up as themselves and present their style and you pulled up into fur.

Yes. Tell me about like who you are from a fashion perspective and also like putting the boots, the fur, like just the whole gland together. Yes, majority of the time when I'm doing my style, and I always like to refer back to my city in Chicago, and I feel like that's really where the fur is at, you know, like being able to express myself, but being versatile.

I know that my style has changed so much within the span of like three years, but just being able to show who I am, be a little bit tomboyish, but also be a little bit chic and feminine with all at the same time, and I'm able to put that all together and enjoy it, and it's fine. Yeah. You know, I feel like you're

fashion perspective is more bold and confident than a lot of young ladies your age. You know what I'm saying? Like, first of all, do you have a stylist? Yes, I do. Oh, okay. So who do you work with? I work with Tisha. She's doing really good right now with helping me. And honestly, like, the process has been great. She's very open to a lot of stuff that we do. And it's been good. Yeah, yeah. I know we have a whole basketball story to dive into. But one of the, the highlight I've seen recently from you, you were at New York Fashion Week with Coach. Like, we're talking the bags, the clothing, the lifestyle brand coach. What was that like for you to be on such a big stage with such a huge brand?

It was great. It was great. It was like playing dress up, honestly. I had so many outfits, getting glam done, hair done. It was amazing. Being able to be around a lot of people and make a lot of connections or also being there. but experience and, like, seeing that top fashion. And that is where I could see myself one day, like, being able to be in top fashion,

modeling, like, those are things that I want to do and be able to show, like, you can also be an athlete, but you can also show your feminine side and be true to yourself and be confident with it. Yeah, I feel like we're seeing the merge of these worlds more and more. We're seeing WMBA players walking down runways. You know, we're seeing brands, beauty brands paying attention to women's athletes, to WNBA players. So you think you have a passion and a future in fashion and beauty?

Yes, I do. Yeah. I mean, to wrap on this, too, it's also hair, you know? And I, you know, as a black woman, even playing ball, my journey with hair was a long one. And honestly, the story kind of was I mostly maintained braids throughout a season, you know, or put my hair in a ponytail. But you are always super laid. Thank you. And so what has your journey been with?

being a hooper and maintaining beautiful, fabulous, just amazing hair. Yeah, I would say, like, started off when you're younger, like, you typically start off with the braids and you wear it for, like, two to three months. Honestly, you take it out. You wear your ponytail, and you kind of just go back to it. That's typically how it was. And then you, you know, you start wearing wigs or you start getting more versatile. And I feel like when I was able to do that, I was able to change my hair up so often. Like, honestly, like, it was kind of my alter ego, you know? Like, being able to go into games, change my hair up, and have fun.

And I feel like as an athlete, you look good, you play good. And that's the biggest thing for me. But just learning more about, like, hair, hair industries, vendors, and everything of that nature, and being able to go out there and play and have 40 inch bust down and still dominate, you know, like, you still have to show that feminine side of yourself and like be true to yourself while you're on the floor, but you don't have any limitations. Like I like to get my nails done. I like to wear my lashes.

I like to wear long hair. It could be short. It could be curly, but it just shows that versatility within me and my personality. Yep. You'll be on the court with a big old beautiful hairstyle and still set a rebounding record. Yes. Period. But, you know, part of the reason why, you know, you and all the other players here are so glammed up, it's athletes unlimited.

They're doing the media day. How has it been? This is your first season, first try to join the league. How has it been being around? There's been veterans here and also the other rookies. Yes, it's been great. Honestly, I would say AU opened and came with. like open arms to me. Honestly, all the players, but also the organization, there's a great

people, like very genuine people. And being here, like, it's been great, like getting to know your teammates or people that you'll be playing with for just more than, you know, competitors. And that's kind of how it is when you play in the W. Like, we compete. And I'll say, like, the first game that I was there, I'm like, we hugging. Like, I don't do this. Like, but now, like, you get to sense that community. And that's what it's all about. So with A.U., you get to see, you know, people from a different perspective and actually get to know them. But your persona on the court is typically like, I'm here to handle my business. I'll be friends with you off the court. Yes, for sure. But there are some girls who want to like hug on the

court. Yeah, there are. And how do you handle that? Um, honestly, like, I like to talk stuff. Like, I like to play around. If I know it's a teammate that, you know, I used to play with or that I played against in college, like, I'll still, like, chop it up with them and everything. But I feel like they know at the end of the day, like when I used to get on the phone, like, she's here to dominate and be able to be as competitive as she possibly can. She's going to laugh and joke here and there, but, like, the ultimate goal is to win. You about your business. Yeah.

That's actually why maybe A.U. is a great league for you because I feel like a lot of people come here and there's an agenda. There's a motivation. Everybody here is on a different storyline. There's players here who have changed the trajectory of their career, got back into the W. I just spoke with somebody who is trying to showcase, you know, I still got game or this is your first year in AU, you were just a rookie in the W. What are you trying to get out of playing

this season here? I would say, honestly, just continuing to make my legacy. I feel like everywhere I go, I win. And that's the mindset that I have to continue to make history wherever I go and be able to dominate, but also making connections. I feel like that's so underestimated in life. Like, you could be stripped from so many things. But if you have connection and good people around you, like, honestly, you're the richest person in the world. So I feel like that's the biggest thing for me and it's always been community, but I would definitely say, like, coming and playing your sport, you have to know your why. And I always say, like, that's my city, that's my family and loving them. And that's why I wanted to be here and be able to play. So they could be able to

experience my process with me. I am the first person in my family or on the south side of Chicago, on the women's side, to be able to be in the W and go professional and be able to do the things that I'm doing. So I have to embrace that because, you know, I'm one of one. So, you know, you have to walk a certain way. You have to talk a certain way. You have to talk a certain way and be true to yourself and embrace like the blessing that God gave you. You're very young to walk with that much responsibility on your shoulders. Is that hard for you? I would say at first it was, but like now I'm kind of at a point where I'm like I'm the chosen one and it's not easy for the chosen ones. You know, like you were put on this earth to be unique

and different. And that's why I say like throughout the whole process, like you have to embrace it. Like, I am very humble because I am blessed and I'm grateful for all the opportunities that I've been given. But at the same time, you have to embrace you. You have to be confident in it because one day you can have it, the next day you might not. So you have to enjoy it to your best ability. That's a bar. You know, you've got some poise beyond your years here. You mentioned family.

You mentioned putting on for Chicago and where you're from. Now, how important was it to you to have an opportunity to keep playing ball and not have to go overseas? It's very important. And I have little nieces and nephews that I want to be able to be around and watch them grow up. And I feel like in college and you don't really get to do that. And like in the W, after that, you know, college season, everything moves so fast and so, you know, quick. Like, I have to take advantage of the opportunities to be able to spend holidays with them and things of that nature and still be able to be proactive and chase my dreams. And I feel like when you receive an opportunity like that, you have to be grateful.

And AU, like, has that opportunity for me. So just being able to take advantage of it and like how I said, they welcomed me with open arms and it's been great since I've been here for Welcome Week. Yeah. And you also come up speaking of family too. Like you come up in a family a hoop of athletes. Mom and dad were athletes at Nebraska. So dad played football. Yes.

And mom played basketball. What was it like coming up in a family where, you know, it's led by athletes and maybe how they influenced the way you are as a player in person? Yeah. I would say very competitive in anything. thing. But it was very healthy. Like, I would say, like, it was very, like, competitive and healthy. But also, like, growing up with, you know, an older brother and my little brother's way bigger than me now, and I have to let him know, like, I'm still your big sister. Like, it was always competitive, um, playing in the backyard. My mother would beat us almost every

game. Like, she was super competitive. She retired, you know? Like, she said she's going to retire a winner. So now that we've got older, she can't keep up for real. She's like, I'm done now. She left on top. Very strategic. Definitely. But it was great. Like the mindset, they're very driven.

Both of my parents are very driven. My mother is a Hall of Famer in Nebraska. My father won a Natty with the football team in 94. So just being able to see, like, you can win at the best, you know, levels and be able to make it out of your city. I feel like both of them kind of have that same story of being that underdog and kind of being looked over. And, like, me growing up and being born and raised in Chicago, I feel like I had that chip on my shoulder, like, anywhere that I go, like, I want to make something shaking. Because I feel like you have a lot of people that doubt you or might, like, kind of look over you. But everywhere that I've been able to go and put my mind to something, I've been able to accomplish.

So just continuing to do that. Mm, girl, yes. And in some ways, I mean, you certainly have had to overcome things on the basketball court. You're only six-one. Yeah. Technically, you know, for the position, you're smaller, but there's just something about you in a rebound. You know, there's just something about you and a rebound.

Like, what is it that makes you so dominant on the glass? I would just say, like, a lot of times, like, how you just say, like, I'm 6'1, I might be smaller for my, you know, my position. You always told in life, like, things that you can't do. And I feel like for me, it's not really proven, like, other people, like, wrong. But for me, it's, like, proven to myself that I've always right. And it's about like the heart. It's about the wheel to want to get something done.

It's going to take extra work. Like the unseen hours is what really matter. I also cross-train. Like I play volleyball in high school. So it's just being able to have that ability to be so versatile on the floor, but also in another sport. And just taking advantage of that opportunity. So it's been great.

But honestly, like, I just have a knack for rebounding. And I know that if I could rebound, like there's not a bad rebound. for a team. Like, it's being unselfish in a way, but it takes extra effort and work. You mentioned volleyball. So do you think you're faster off the ground than your opponent, or is it more about positioning early? Are you stronger than the opponent? I would say all of it. I would say it's a mixture of all of it. I know I just talked to Izzy and she was like, girl, you're strong. And I was like. From a vet like Izzy. Yeah. And I was just like, yeah, like, I've kind of been strong majority in my life. I would say like it's probably

my genetics from, you know, both of my parents, but also just being able to go in there have a mindset, you know, like coming in there as a rookie and playing against some of, you know, your peers that, or as superstars, best players in the world that you looked up to your whole life and being able to play against them. You're like, I got to hold my own. Like, I can't, I can't just come up in here and, like, be like, oh, you're just a rookie or get punked in the pain, especially being undersized. So that's been the biggest thing for me, like just playing with that grit and that competitiveness. Yeah. I also feel like you, won't let anybody punk you.

Yeah. Yeah. Where does, how does that manifest itself? Where does that come from for you? I would say how I was born and raised. Like, and I'm from the south side of Chicago. Like, you don't want, like, we don't, I don't do that. My parents are not going for that.

So it's just like, you got to be ready for, like, what life throws at you. But on the floor, like, it's bragging rights. Like, that's kind of what I was talking about with my brothers. Like, if they beat me, they could talk about it for a whole week until we get the play again. And I'm like, come on, come outside. Like, let's play. So I feel like it's more of like those bragging rights, but also holding your ground. All of your favorite NBA players are back.

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Minimum odds required. NBA League Pass auto renews until canceled. Additional terms at dkng.com slash audio. Limited time offer. Let's go back to the rookie year in your WNBA season here with the Connecticut Sun. Like by the end of the season, you really established a very nice role for yourself on this team. And also, like, kind of people could see the vision for what your career is going to look like. And in general, that's kind of how it looked for the Connecticut Sun and that the way you guys started the season was not the way the team looked when you finished it.

How was that for you going from a very dominant college team in LSU and you get drafted and picked up by a rebuilding young team with a new coach in the Connecticut Sun? Yeah. It just showed me that I had to adapt. And I had to change my perspectives on a lot of things very quickly. Like what? Giving myself grace, I would say that's the biggest thing. Like when you come from winning and being able to get on the floor and play all these minutes. and be able to be so productive for your team right away, it's like you have to adjust and you had to grow up and I had to change my perspective just about the game and try to learn from different ways,

being able to talk to players or vets and ask them just simple things. It doesn't even have to be about basketball. It could be about life. And being able to do that really helped me a lot, like giving myself grace, understanding it's my process. It doesn't matter how long that it take. And if I put the work in, the unseen hours, they will show when I get the opportunity. Yeah.

You also had a great veteran leader on the team and Tina Charles. You know, we're talking about somebody who's the all-time leading rebounder in the history of the WNBA. She's also here at AU for Athletes Unlimited. What did you have the chance to learn from playing alongside Tina Charles? Yeah, I would definitely say she's very efficient. Like, sometimes we always talk about pro is slow and I would give her a hard time because I'm like, sometimes you move it's so slow. It's efficient. She's able to get past her opponent.

She's able to get to the basket. She's able to do the things that she need to get done. And I feel like that's the biggest thing. And that's one thing that I've really been working on for my game is like taking my time. I know that I have a motor. And I could, you know, knowing when to use my speed, knowing when to slow down, knowing when to jab step, knowing when the ball fit. You know, just trying to play around with your defender.

And I would say, like, that's one thing that she does a great job. I often hear Tina Charles, you know, talking to players about slowing down. And that's a tough concept when you're young and just coming out of college. But let's, you know, kind of round this out talking a little bit of college, too. You know, when you were at LSU, you were the winner of the Katrina McLean Award. This is for the best power forward in NCAA. I just want to give a couple accolades here. Finish with thirdmost rebounds in D1 history.

I mean, we're talking record books here. And it's interesting, too, because you started at the poll, but you finished at LSU. So what was it and how did you know that you wanted to go and be coached by Kim Mulkey and that she could be the right person to take you to that next step of your career? Yes. I would say I stayed at DePaul because I wanted to be close to my family and during that time it was COVID and you never knew when you was going to be able to see your family at that time. But honestly, like wanting people to stay at home for school, you know, everybody kind of leaves and go away and play elsewhere. but being able to go there and make history being named National Freshman of the Year and be able to get that done. It was great because my family was there. I was able to have that support right then and there.

But when things happened and the portal was open and there was more opportunity for me, like I wanted to take advantage of that and going into the portal and being able to talk to Moki and also Angel, like she really set in my visit the whole time, like we need you here. And the tradition and I would just say to love around. around LSU and that brand is tremendous. And I didn't really see myself getting that from any other school. And that's why I decided to, you know, choose LSU. And it was a great opportunity for me.

I was able to learn a lot. I feel like Moki taught me a lot about, you know, getting prepared for the real world. And it helped me a lot, challenging me to be, you know, like a better teammate, a better person and not being so, like, closed in and so introvert and trying to, you know, use my voice to be able to, guide my teammates, although I am a physical, like, leader. But just, Moki's seen a lot more in me than I've probably seen it myself. And those are the great people to be around, and they want to see you be successful. So I would say that's how I knew, like, LSU is the pick for me. That's amazing.

You want a coach that sees that in you, and then, you know, you go get it. So you like the transfer portal. I mean, obviously it worked out for you, but there's a lot of critique of it. You know, do you think there needs to be a little regulation? around it. I feel like being able to go to so many schools, I kind of feel like over time it's going to kind of get a little messy. I do love the opportunity for us athletes, especially as women athletes, being able to make money very soon before having an opportunity to go pro because there aren't as many spots, you know, within the league. But I would say my experience

for the portal was great. So that's really all that I'm going to look at it from is, you know, my experience. I felt like I made the best decision for me and my family to be able to be successful but also just be able to have fun at that like the sport that i love for sure and especially at the collegiate level in college age you know you also mentioned angel reese was influential and you deciding to come there's very easy for me to say there's some comparison there on how the the tenacity and how y'all rebound yeah i mean is that somebody that you look up to or you know just kind of admire her game i would say that we always were competitive in practice like all the time to points where we was like going back and forth,

you know, talking to our talk. But I love playing the Brown, you know, like people like her, like she's a dog. And you know, like you're, you know what you're going to get from her every night. And I feel like that's great because for me, like my biggest thing is to be that dependable teammate. You know what you're going to get from Anisa. If not that, you're getting more. Yeah. And you know, like you want your teammates to know that. You know, you want to go in and be reliable. Even if you having a tough, a tough game, like, what else? else can you do to help the team? And I would say, like, that's one thing that she does. If she's not able to get a board, like she's making the right passes to pass to her teammates

and not being selfish on the floor, you know, being able to be that all-around player. Yeah. What can people depend on Anisa to bring to the game every single time? Energy. I got a motor that I'm blessed with, honestly. I could run for time and time and time. I would just say energy. I feel like anytime I step on the floor, like the dynamic of the game changes in a positive manner. I'll get you out on this, a little fun, because now you've left the college ranks. You were pro now. We did the WNBA. You're heading into AU, but you're still looking back at your sisters and the girls now at LSU, who also had Malaysia full Wiley, by the way. So you guys just got stronger. You got Flaugé, you got Michaela.

What are your expectations for your alma mater this year? say we want to go past, you know, L.E. 8. That was the goal for me trying to get to the final four. So I would love to see them do better than, you know, I would, I did when I was there. So final four and win that natty. What's the message you would give that team? I know that I just went to a practice and I was just telling them, yeah, I was just telling them like, y'all had to rebound. And they was like, oh, we know. What are they going to do without you? Dang. You go, we know.

but it's the little things like I feel like I just talk to them and told them like it's the little things you have to set good screens you hard screens you know like run the floor just rebound it's it's the basic things it might be a little bit hard it might be tough but like it's the extra work that you put in the extra effort and I feel like this year they're going to be really good yeah yeah hands full in that SEC yes well it has been a pleasure to get to know you and your journey and it's honestly just getting started so I look forward to following you and also follow in the fits. Yes.

Thank you so much. It's a pleasure for having me. And for everyone watching, that'll do it for this episode of Good Follow show with Anissa Morrow, coming to you live from Nashville, Tennessee, where Athletes Unlimited is around the corner. Hey, what's up, guys? Welcome back to Good Follow show. That was an awesome opportunity to talk with Anisa Morrow. Great interview from her.

And now as we wrap up the show, I'm going to take you to our Draft Kings pick of the week, presented by Draft Kings. Let's take it to college basketball while we're here. This week, I got my eye on the. epic matchup between Southern Cal and South Carolina being held at Crypto.com Arena, the battle for who is the real SC. All eyes are going to be watching the freshman Jazzy Davidson on USC. She recently called the game for the Trojans against NC State. And as a freshman, she's showing off her offensive and defensive skill and high basketball IQ. On the South Carolina side, I'll be

keeping an eye on the senior to Nia Latson, who transferred in from Florida State. She's one of the best scoring guards in the nation. Point blank, period. I'm calling South Carolina to come out on top here because I think experience matters, having veteran players matter, especially early in the non-conference schedule at this point of the year when teams are meshing and they're figuring things out. So the Gamecocks, I got them claiming the title of who's the real SC. But, you know, making a splash right now, people were wondering what happens to Southern Cal, the Trojans, if Juju Watkins is out with the ACL injury. Well, they don't plan on falling off a mess. And Jazzy Davidson at 6'2 is long and can handle and can get to the cut.

But I'm most impressed with her defense. And the way that she was blocking shots and active on the ball, she's got quick feet, long arms, quick hands. She had 21 points, five blocks, four rebounds, four assists, four steals in the game against NC State where Southern Cal, the Trojans, they were the underdog. That's a huge win for them. I also want to shout out London Jones off the bench, UCLA. transfer. 19 points. She made four threes in the game. So we've got a top 10 matchup coming

into this matchup, the battle for the real SC at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. South Carolina at the moment of taping this sitting at the number two spot. And on the other side, it's the Gamecox. Last season made it all the way to the national championship game. Fell short. But at the start this season, they are ranked number two. We have a top 10 matchup coming up on Saturday from crypto.com arena with the Trojans. They moved all the way. way up to number eight in the nation at the time of this taping. So all eyes will definitely be on that game. And so will the eyes of good follow. All right, guys, this segment is presented by Draft Kings. Draft Kings, the crown is yours. Thanks for pulling up with us this week. We'll

see you next time.