The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Draymond Green Show - Lisa Leslie

Episode Date: February 29, 2024

Lisa Leslie joins 'The Draymond Green Show' to discuss how defense is like a relationship, growing up in Compton, how to grow the WNBA, talking shop with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Sparks not wanting Lisa to talk to the team, JuJu Watkins’ incredible freshman season at USC, being a star in LA at the same time as Shaq and Kobe, the Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu shootout, and more. 0:00 Start6:00 Growing up in Compton21:00 Growing the WNBA32:00 Bond with Kobe38:00 Sparks icing out Lisa?42:00 JuJu Watkins55:00 Candace Parker1:05:00 Shaq & Kobe Produced by: Jackson Safon #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. I'm honored to have this next guest. We'll be listing off accolades for a while, but as you know, must get a proper. introduction when you come to the Dremont Green Show. So here we go. Two-time W-NBA champion, two-time finals MVP, three-times W-N-B-A MVP, eight-time W-N-B-A-all-Star,

eight-time all at WNBA First Team, four-time all-WNBA second team. My favorite part of the accolade list, two-time W-NBA defensive player of the year. Let's go. Two-time WNBA all defensive first. team, two-time second team, has the number nine retired by the Los Angeles Sparks, and the number 33 retired by USC. I'd like to welcome our next guest, the great Lisa Leslie. How are you?

I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. No, thank you for coming on. This is such an honor. I always crack jokes about you got to be a legend to have accolades to come on this show. And you blow it out the water, so we really appreciate you. coming on.

Thank you. A lot of hard work, but you know about that. I love defense. So when you said that, I'm like, every time I didn't make it or get like, you know, all defensive, anything, like, I really love playing defense, which is why I admire your game so much. I really love the way you play basketball.

Thank you. I appreciate that. You know, and that'll leave me right into my first question. As someone, you know, who did it both on the defensive end and the offensive end, you start looking at these all WMBA first teams. MVP, finals MVP, I can tell you, you're not getting those awards by only playing defense. So I just want to talk to you initially. What is your feeling on the defensive side and the offensive side?

One thing I always say is just like defense, you have to have chemistry, I mean, offense, you have to have chemistry, just like the offensive end. You essentially kind of have to have sets on the defensive end and different things. What is your take on the difference in how it's viewed? on the offensive end and the defensive end as far as our sport goes. Yeah, I think I don't want to speak for like

what's in the mind of these players now, but I feel like speaking for myself, I just always feel like I'm that last line of defense and I have to be reliable. And it comes down to trust, you know, it comes down to trust in reliability. I think of defense like a relationship.

You know, I think you have to be accountable and you can't just talk about it, even though communication is key, right? So that first line is that communication in the back, the same thing that you do. You know, you're back there direct in traffic. But we also, because we have high IQ for basketball, that anticipation of what's coming next.

And that starts with our scouting reports, right? We understand what's going to be happening, understanding what their offenses and what they're looking for, and then anticipating what they want to do and trying to take that away. But at the end of the day, when I was at the five, or at the four, that rotation and coming across blocking somebody's shot, like, I live for that, where my guards know that they can play up and you know that I'm going to be there. Like, we do it 10 times, 10 times I'm rotating and I'm there.

And I think that is the selflessness of defense. It's really part of it is pride because you have to take it upon yourself that I'm coming with this effort every single time. It doesn't matter what the results are. I'm coming back. Like, you're going to know when you played me, you was in a battle. Whether you won or lost, I won a whole lot. But the battle is like, like, damn, I just, you might circle me on your calendar because you're playing against me,

but you also like, damn, you better be thinking about that shot you're trying to get off. You know what I mean? And I feel like the consistency of that is just what I love. Like, I feel like the pressure is on the person with the ball, right? Like when we talk offense, like I felt like my offense was amazing. But my defense is like, I don't have the pressure with the ball. You have the ball. You got to try to figure out how to get in this battle.

basket. And as far as I'm there, like, I'm really going to be reliable. And I think that's the relationship, right? Absolutely. It's funny because I was flying back with Steph last night. I mean, yesterday we were coming back from Mexico for practice. And there was a few other people on the plane and we were talking about the growth of Jonathan Caminga. And I was telling Steph, actually, I was like, man, he's our number. We were just in there talking to him like, he's a number two option now. and that comes with a totally different thing and I said to those guys and they start laughing,

I never yearned for that. Like, I never yearn to be the guy in the NBA that has to go score every night, that has to do... I think that comes with a totally different mindset but also a totally different pressure. Like, whether you have a good game is based on if I make a shot

or if I miss a shot, like, that's a totally different pressure. And so I agree with you 100% as far as who that pressure falls. on. And just going back, born in Compton, California, talk to me about growing up in Compton. I've been told that there are people in Compton that's actually never been to Los Angeles. Talk to me about growing up in California.

Well, I think first of, let me just say, when you are a kid born in an inner city, we know nothing. All we know is our surroundings. We don't understand what we don't know. we don't understand what we have and what we don't have. So I feel like being in comp and I thought we had a great. Like we had our own house. You know, we had our own house. Like we lived in a house.

My mom was a single, she was a single mom. I have two. I had, well, I have three sisters. But at that time, it was just my older sister and I. And we both had our own room. Like, I'm like, bro, we got our own room. We live in a three bedroom house. Now, did I understand square foot and how big it was?

Probably not. But that's saying a lot. So I felt like in the situation I was in, I felt very blessed. Like my mom was a very hard worker. And that is probably what I saw most. Like my mom would at that time first when I was young, she would carry mail. So she was a mail carrier. She'd get up at 5.30.

She would get dressed in her uniform. And then she would leave me who was, I probably was kindergarten. My older sister was five years older than me. So she would go to elementary school on her own. And I stayed in the house. Like, Jermah, I was like four years old in the house with a key around my neck. I was a Lashky kid. And my mom would turn on the TV.

She'd leave me, like, food out. And she was like, when this show comes on, and she had to take one day off to show me, when this show comes on, then you turn the TV off. You go out, you lock the door, knock on the neighbor's door across the street, and then you walk to school. At 11 o'clock, 11 o'clock, because school started at 11.30 for a kid who went half day. That was it. So it was kind of like I've been having, I've had to be responsible like from day one. That's all I know is like, so it's discipline. It's, it's focused. It's like, don't turn the channel. Now, imagine if I was not a good listener and I turned a channel, but I probably would have never made it to school because I wouldn't have known what channel. So I never changed the channel. I had to wait for the show, you know, turn the TV off, lock the door.

And I feel like just from day one in Compton, it was just kind of this, it was survival. You know what I mean? And sometimes I feel like just those survival skills. And yes, it was a kid and it was the streets, but it's still an opportunity to survive, live, figure out what we're going to eat. Then my mom became a truck driver, which then with my mom leaving, there's three girls now. So my older sister, I'm the middle now and I have a younger sister. We got to figure it out. Like, what are we eating? We did have an opair or a housekeeper. Someone was there. But it wasn't that great. You know, it wasn't my mom. So who's going to look out for us? Us. And so I just think by me being sort of that child that was just focused early on trying to figure out how to survive, I had a mindset of like, I'm competitive. I can do this. I can, I can figure it out. You know what I mean? Like, I'm going to survive. So I think Compton taught me survival skills. I can be anywhere. We might go to the hood. We can play ball in the hood. We can go stop by some people who don't have and I can go to your house and eat and help cook and clean up.

Or we can head out to Cabo. You know what I mean? We can go to Paris. We can go to the best of the best. But either way, for me, Compton just taught me that, you know, you love people. I love people. I meet people where they are. I have very low expectations, you know, so I don't, I don't disappoint myself with how people

show up. But I try to show up and just be a consistent person that I just love people and meet where they are. Everybody's not the same. We're not all the same. We have different backgrounds, so therefore our personalities are different, how we vibe. But I find myself that I can adapt in any situation. And that's really, I think, what Compton taught me. With your mom having to leave for work all those years early

and then becoming a truck driver where that takes you on the road, did at any point that builds some type of resentment within you, knowing that, like you said, there was an old pair, but it's not quite my mom. Like my mom isn't there. And I asked that question because that's always one of my biggest fears. Obviously, you know how we travel when we're doing this job and how much time you miss. And that's always one of my biggest fears.

So I just wanted to ask you that. No, I did it in this is where my mom was really smart. She sat my sisters and I down and she said, girls, I need you guys to give me five years to give us a better life. And I think being eight years old, taking care of a, I was taking care of my younger sister, I kind of didn't know what that meant, you know, but I understood that my mom was trying to say, I got to do what I got to do in order for us to be able to survive, in order for us to be able to pay these bills, which means I need for you girls to step up and help me and help each other. And so it was pretty much that conversation.

I never really forget because I knew that my mom was trying to ask us to, be a village to be a support group to one another. And from that moment on, I just stepped into a different role, which was a motherhood. I ended up raising my younger sister, who's eight years younger than me. I ended, I mean, from that day on, I mean, from changing diapers to walking her to school first and then me going to school and then picking her up from school, just every game I had, I had to leave school, go get my sister. She was in the stands while I was playing.

and I'd be like, it'll be a timeout, and I'm like, sit down. You know, I'm like, you know, just mothering her. She was always on the bus when our team went to away games. Like, I really had a child, you know, from eight years old, up until I actually sent her to college. Wow. So I think that level of responsibility, again, it's hard work, it's discipline.

It's when I got to go play basketball, That was like my relief, you know, from real life of being a mom, really, at 12, 13, 14, 15, I'm taking care of a kid. You know, that type of mindset, for me, basketball was the outlet for me to just, like, bro, I get to go play. Like, what are we doing out here, you know? Like, let's go. And so I really focused on basketball and put, like, my heart.

I was like married to ball. I always said I was married to basketball because that was just my outlet from like, real life, you know, ups and downs. Like we have, we got three dollars. I got to feed my sister, you know, like I'm going to get her some french fries and, you know, the fish market was up the street to the corner. Like, we got french fries and she got some ketchup and I just sit there and a piece of fish and watch her eat.

And if she didn't, you know, she got full and there was something left, I would eat the wrecks, you know. So it was like sacrificed in a way that I was just always a really prayerful kid. That's what I could just tell you that really saved me is just, I was just, always praying like, Lord, I just know that you got something, something more than this situation where we are. And if my working hard can help get us to anything better, then that's what I'm doing. I'm the one. I'm the chosen one who's going to work double time. And my older, my younger situation was just kind of funny because she would always say, you seem like you were just so

serious. And I'm like, girl, you have no idea. The amount of pressure I'm under trying to figure out what you're going to eat, you know what I mean? Or when you got to go to bed or giving you a bath. Like, I was really being a mom, you know, at 14 is really crazy, but all worth the sacrifice. Absolutely. I read, and we've actually spoke about this before, but where you said when you retire from basketball, that you were retiring, because being a mom, a wife, a basketball player, it was all just too much. And when I look back on that, because I actually had those days sometimes

where I sit and, you know, I have a wife and like the role that she plays is incredible, but I always try to be conscious and aware of that I'm not, A, just depending on her to raise the kids by herself or B, depending on

we got a nanny, I don't have to do this. I always try to throw myself into that fire. and throwing myself into that fire. There's days where I'm like, it's too much. Like, all of these things come together, it's way too much. What, when you ultimately made that decision, because I as someone who's kind of building another career for after basketball while playing basketball, not playing basketball is scary as hell.

And to make that decision when you didn't have to make that decision, but solely based on, I want to be great at these things also, and this isn't allowing me to do that. What was it like transitioning to the other side and saying, you know what? I am wrapping it up. I am done. And I'm moving on.

Like, did you face that fear of what was on the other side of basketball like a lot of us do? Absolutely. I think, well, here's two things. I think being in women's basketball before the launch of the WMBA had already programmed most of us. us, but again, I can only speak for myself, the idea that basketball is not going to last forever. And so I had always had these other goals. Broadcasting, you know, was one. I ended, my undergrad degrees in communication because I wanted to do broadcasting. Modeling was something that I always wanted to do,

so I had a chance after the Olympics to sign a contract with Willamina, moved to New York, and I was like, oh, yeah, I'll just be, you know, I'll just model. And then, and then, and then public speaking was something that I had always done because I felt like that was like my spiritual gift, my ability to go out and speak and hopefully inspire, right? So I think I always had these other things that I was prepared to do and preparing to do. Whereas I always looked at, you know, in men's basketball, I feel like you guys have the freedom to just like focus on ball, like day in, day out, that's what you're going to do because the compensation level can, you can retire and you can, you don't have to work.

obviously it's hard to just stop and not do anything and not have that fire fulfilled. So I think that's important to do something else like this broadcasting, having to show all the many things that you'll do when you do retire. It's important, but you didn't have to necessarily think about those things until like now. You know what I mean? Because you know, like, hey, how many more years are you going to play? I don't know. But I'm saying you know that you're closer to that.

For us as women, we are like always like, just in case this doesn't work out, this is what I'm going to do. And you got to think I'm from the error now where the WMBA did not exist. So most of the women went overseas every year. I went overseas. I played in Italy for a season. And then when I came back, I was working for ESPN. I was doing the women's tournament. I was just working, working, working, working, working, working. Then like I said, I was modeling. So I had already created the idea that I had other careers and outlets. So I just feel like, back, Basketball for me was that one tool that was going to give me the freedom, but also the opportunity to reach these other goals that I have. And I think it's important for all athletes to think about those things.

And now that we have so much more access, right, the social media brings us together with the world, with our ideas as entrepreneurs, times have changed. But I always had that entrepreneur spirit from the time I was at USC because I'm like, I don't even know that I'm going to play basketball. Like I really thought I was done with basketball after the Olympics. Like I thought you played one Olympics. I'm retiring. You know, then I'm going to go do. I mean, I really thought I was retired. So then they said they're going to start the WNBA.

And I'm like, oh, okay, that's like a summer league. Okay, that's cool. I'll just, I can come back to the L.A. and play in the summer. I thought we were going to wear like reversible jerseys, play at like Long Beach State or something. Like I didn't understand the impact of what the W&BA was going to be. So I love it for these. young girls now, young women, it's amazing. Like, I'm so in love with, you know, Angel Reese and

Caitlin Clark and just all of these women who are having the opportunity to have a platform that's being watched to have the NIL deals. Like, I've just, I'm so happy for them because we always have had the personalities, you know, whether it's, you know, obviously our looks were different. We didn't really have, you know, all the lashes and everything. because we didn't have access to those things. But I just love where the game has gone and the opportunities that these young women are getting. I love that.

Now, that's interesting to hear kind of your first experience with the WNBA. Because I remember my first experience with the WNBA came, man, I was six or seven years old, and my aunt who was playing overseas as well, my aunt and Annette Babers. She was playing overseas, and she came back.

that and she tried out for the Detroit shop. And this was when the WMBA was first kicking off. And I'll never forget, she was the very last cut for the Detroit shock. And I remember standing outside in the middle of the street, all of us waiting to kind of get the news. We knew the day was the day that we found out if she made the shock or not. And like I said, she ended up being the last cut and did not make it. Just to see where it's grown to since then, I think it's very interesting.

but something you just said brings me to my next question, which is you said, all right, this is a summer league. And I actually had this written down to speak with you about, but you said women always go overseas, and we all know they go overseas, make a ton more money than you're making the WNBA. And I think in order for women not to have to go overseas, ultimately you're going to have to extend the season.

You know, you have a three-month season, and because, you know, you got to be able to pay the bills. What is your take on the WNBA extending the season, but then how it also competes with either the NBA, being on the same schedule as the NBA or the NFL, kind of what's your take on that? And can the WNBA move into that, or do you think it'll be tough for it to compete with those other leagues?

Yeah, I think, Dream Out is a great question because I think it's something that the W has really tried to think about like where's our space. And remember, they've actually moved it up because we used to start June 15th. So now I think we're kind of, and I'm not saying we, but they play, I think they start in May now. It's definitely we. It's definitely we're pioneering that.

It's always me. I know, it's like you're always a part of it. Everywhere I go, I'm still a WMBA player. So I'm like, okay. But it definitely started, like they moved it up, you know, to start in May. But what happens is there's players and foreign players that also still come and play in our league.

that they're not quite done yet. So it's always going to pose that problem because some of the, you know, the team's rosters at one time was down to 11. Sometimes they have 13, then it was back down to 11. So when you have 11, but you're holding a spot for three or four players

that are still overseas, even if it's not Americans, it could be foreign players that you've drafted. You're kind of in a tough there. So that's the first part. And then how long this season can go. There's always going to be that tough competition, whether it's the NFL getting started. Television time is really important.

But I think I don't know that I have the answers, but I do think that that may be something they could consider is to continue to try to stretch it out on both ends, start a little bit earlier. If you can get those players back from overseas and then maybe trying to extend it a little bit. But it comes down to, as we know, money, TV time, those spots, you start getting up against, you know, Baseball World Series and then at the beginning of the NFL, which is tough. You know, we watch preseason football. I think those are the areas that really, again, depending on where people get their game from. But I believe it was this, wasn't that you and I actually talking about with LeBron? Like the finals fell on, on, on big sports day.

Yeah, the finals. Oh, was it the NFL? Like a Sunday. Yeah, it was like games. it was NFL Sunday and the finals were being played at 1 p.m. on an NFL Sunday. Yeah, it was something that was like, see, bro, that's not like that's not good competition. We don't want to do those things. So I'm sure that people that are, you know, really focused on the business are probably trying to figure out ways to make that work.

Even if it's like a Friday final, you know, but there should be ways that they can continue to extend it and hopefully continue to increase revenue. But I think overall, the WNBA and the Players Association have worked so closely together and they're building. They're building and they're getting better and they're further along than where we were when we started in 1997. We've all had a frustrating experience buying tickets, even me. You all know I love to go to concert, shows, and it can be hard to find last minute tickets. You shouldn't have to worry when you buy tickets to your next big event. Game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets to all the sports.

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Create an account and use the code word green, GREEN for $20 off. Download GameTime today, last minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. Absolutely. You know what I think will be interested for the WNBNBN? It'll be a bit of,

I don't necessarily call it a case study, but what will be interesting is to see where this next TV deal goes for the NBA. And here's why I think so. You start to talk about the big networks, you know, the T&T's Turner Sports, ESPN, the big deals, you know, the big TV deals that the NBA has.

And the reason I say it would be interesting with this next TV deal, because all of a sudden, wrestling, for instance, the WWE just signed a $10 billion deal or $8 billion deal or something of that nature with Netflix. And so now you'll start to get Netflix who's streaming. We know Hulu.

You got all these streaming platforms that I think can also create another avenue to extend the season, right? So, like, maybe it's not just built on TV time, right? Like if it's just built on TV time with ESPN, TNT, obviously things get a little tougher. But if you can now get some of these streaming platforms and make that a part of the deal, which I personally think that that's going to happen with the NBA deal. Like I think you'll probably see some different packages or whatnot. And like maybe Netflix has something.

Maybe Apple TV has some of it. But I think that will be possibly an avenue depending on what happens with the NBA deal that the WNBA can explore. Because with the problem that you run into it, a lot of these streaming. platforms is, do they have the capabilities of having a million people watching a live event at the same time? And I think that's starting to be created with WWE and the NBA. So I think that may be a route. And you know what? I think you're right in terms of the change is going to come with streaming. I just think the biggest key is knowing where to find the W consistently. There was a time where we had, I believe if the feedback could say, the negative that I'd say is that we've over-promoted the

W&BA in a way that people don't know, like, it's not consistent on where to find it. It's not consistent. Like we had, and I don't even remember if it was like lifetime or something, but it was like catch the W&BA every Tuesday and Thursday on Lifetime. Let's just say that's what the advertise. Whatever it was, it was very consistent. So people knew, oh, we got to get a lifetime. We got to catch them.

The thing that I think we've over-promoted, like we used to say, we got next. That was huge. We should say what we got next for 25 years because we come after the NBA. That's catchy. I couldn't tell you what the WNBA's catchphrase is now. I don't know what it is. And so I feel like the importance of being consistent. Consistency is really important because NBA, I love this game.

We heard for 50 years. We understood that that's a part of it. I think the consistency is important of where you can find the WNBA. I believe that the followers of the WNBA and through social media, people will find them if it was consistent, not just I got to search it up and say, oh, today they're on Hulu. Oh, but now I got to have Apple Plus. And then I also over here got to have Hulu. That's a lot. And especially on some of our devices where you may have a subscription to one, but you may not have a subscription to all three.

So I think finding the consistency in that is just as important as having that opportunity to have the WNBA streaming live somewhere, wherever that is. I definitely agree because consistency is everything. I know on Tuesday nights the NBA is on T&T. Thursday nights, I know it's on T&T. And so you start to get that cadence, you just know where to go for the games. Yeah, yeah. And that's what we need. And again, that's maybe not to the fault of the WNB.

but maybe it's just working with networks and trying to fit in where they can. Again, I'm not trying to be like the powers of being. You know, I'm not running for president people because I always guess you should be the president. You should be. I'm not trying to do any of those things. But I'm just for suggestions, it's important for marketing for us to find something that we really are passionate about. And then stay with it. It's okay to repeat the same marketing for a few years so that people can get the habits of it.

You know, we just change so quick every year. Somebody's got a new marketing job for the WBA. It's like last year, we don't have that consistency. So I think that's something I would suggest for them. Absolutely. You coached in the big three won a championship. We just saw Becky Hammond a few years ago, lead to San Antonio Spurs, go coached at Las Vegas Aces,

and she's been dominating the last two years, winning a championship. And both years, if I'm not mistaken. Coaching in the WNBA, never quite wanted to do that, never a thing for you, kind of? Well, first of, I never say never about jobs. You know, I love to work.

That's not a problem. I think the hard part was that I'm still so, I was still so familiar with all the players there. And I think you need a break of like, you know, I could come in and maybe the new generation have that opportunity. But I feel like, you know, I couldn't go back to the sparks and coach Candice, who was my teammate, you know what I mean? Like, that's my girl, but it's.

like she would just, we're too close for it to really be, I think, a coach player relationship. So I think over time, it would be better to coach players. Like now I think we're kind of finally at the, you know, Candice may be finishing up in a year or two, you know, naked. Like all that goes at Chenay, people that I'm like really close with and have relationships with, I think it would be better when you have groups that you don't have those types of relationship with. So you can just have a clean slate. But I've never really been approached about coaching a WMBA team, to be really honest with you. Not that I've even thought of it, thought about it or applied for it.

But I really enjoy coaching the men. I have a good time. And I don't know that it's just because they're men, but I enjoy coaching in the big three, I guess I should say. The hard part's about coaching, though. Coaching is a lot, man. Yes, it is. It's a lot. I mean, you take it home.

I mean, I can't stand losing. And I don't like when you're at a professional level and you need to be motivated to do your job. Like that's probably the biggest part that I didn't really understand. And I think when I looked at my teammates, I kind of was like, as a leader, like, y'all, let's go. Like, we're going to run the lines. Like, don't cut the line.

You know what I'm saying? Touch the line. Like, I've always been that kind of player. Like, don't cut corners because if you cut corners now, we're not going to deserve to win in the end. And I'm saying, like whether we're on the track, We're on the weight room. Don't be a player who's late.

Like, be 15 minutes early. Like, I'm just that kind of person where the efficiency of how we train affects everything to me. So I'm like, it's already hard. Let's not add to it. Let's not cook corners and then expect the best, you know? And so being that, you know, you're a champion. It's just it's just the nature of it. And so I have a really hard.

time trying to motivate people to do something that you should be passionate about. You should love. You should be seeing that it is an honor to be able to play this sport because you could get hurt at any time and not be able to play. So to me, it's like respect the game. And I have a hard time with like babysitting people and just trying to, I don't know, I'm just, I'm not built like that. So that's the difficult part for me. You know, I think it's, one thing when you talk about like high school kids everybody you know some people sign up you got to pick the best people you have at the school every kid's not that like that's not their dream but they may be athletic enough to make a team okay but when you're talking about top tier you're

talking about a professional bro i don't have time for all the excuses i don't have time for all of like i was out last night like don't don't waste my time you know cobi and i used to talk about that which is so funny because i always say i always think about our conversations about just being ready and how you show up, you know, and the fact that you have to tell your teammates, like, we got a game tomorrow. So you might not want to go out tonight. Like, I shouldn't have to explain those things to you because my hard work is a part of what we're trying to build here. And I need everybody. We need everybody to win, you know? That's the hard part. So coaching for me, I'm like, oh, I can

not motivate you to want to win. Like, that's all that I know. I'm so bad. Like, it's space. I'm this way with everything, though. Space, bag, gamut, whatever we're playing. Bro, Domino's, like, you don't want to see me in nothing tongue, whatever it is.

Like, I am playing to win. Don't sit down at the table with me if you try to, like, what are we doing? I don't like people who just want to play play for fun. That's fine. Don't go to my table. I agree with that. Just so you know, you never want to see me in

So you should never sit at that table. Man, come on. I'm slapping bones. Is it 20? Oh, I would love this opportunity. We'll make sure we make that happen. Yeah, okay. Don't forget you owe me tickets too.

No, wait. No, not for when you guys come to Miami. Wait, next month. Next month. I got you. I got to be my husband and my son to the game. No problem. No problem at all.

No, that's all. So I always say the same thing about coach. People say to me like, oh, you should coach, well, before I, number one, I think is absolutely insane that you've never been approached about coaching the WNBA team. Those things to me doesn't make sense. Like, you know, I have a strong appreciation for the WNBA because of the talent. Like I think the women in the WNBA are extremely talented. What I love the most is how fundamentally sound the WNBA is. I watch college basketball, some NBA basketball,

and it baffles me that guys do not have basic fundamentals. And you just don't have that problem in the WNBA. At least we can't see it. You know, I'm sure if you're in a practice, you're like, man, this girl has got no fundamentals. But for the most part, like fundamentally, sound. But I think, and me and you have actually spoke about this a little bit before, I think some things that the WNBA do, they shoot themselves in the foot. This being one of

them, like, why have you not been approached the pioneer that you are in the WNBA? I think you're, I mean, I don't think, you are the first real star of the WNBA. And yet your first real star, you never go back and say, hey, like, do you want to come back and coach, like, so we can have you so close to this lead because of what you know, you've seen it from the very beginning, you know all of these things, we can have you so close to this league. It's things like that that when it comes to the WMBA, I don't understand those things. Like, you're not helping yourself in all the ways that you can help yourself. That to me is baffling. Well, I'm going to be really honest with you because I don't think I've really articulated this

publicly. But I do believe that we get it wrong when it comes to the veterans of the WMBA. All of us, not just me. You know, swoops, Cooper. You know, we can make a whole list because there's obviously a laundry list of us, but we don't get it right. And for whatever reason,

and I don't know if it's a women's thing, I'm not sure, but we get pushed out because they're like, well, if you're here taking up the spotlight, people can't see the next one's coming. However, I'm like, well, the NBA have like 75, 100, like great players that come in support. And it's like a, it's a fraternity, right? Absolutely.

And we don't create a sorority. And I'll tell you that from the sparks that behind the scenes conversations, the WNBA, I have tried. Trust me. So it's not like it's not like I haven't tried. It's not like I haven't reached out. It's not like, even when I was in LA, I'm like, there's anything that I can do. I wasn't even trying to be paid to help. But it was just one of those things where I was like, you know what, this is my last time.

I'm going to like really put myself out there to try to help. And then I'm done. And that's when I was like, I'm done. I'll go coach. I can coach in the big three. But I wasn't even trying to do it. Like, it wasn't even like a money thing. Really just trying to help and lend my services like you're saying, like to think about

growing the game to be able to give back. I saw that the attendance was dropping up, you know, things like that. And so it's not that I didn't think of it or try, but I'm sure a lot of the women who are veterans of the league feel that way. And we could do a much better job as a whole of finding ways to support veteran, women, players, bringing them back. And I'll kid you now. I'll tell you one story.

I went to go watch a practice. And I was like, oh, and you can let them know if they want me to talk to the players, right? I will go after the practice and I'll talk to the players if they want. Draymond, when I tell you, I mean, I was like, oh, okay. I mean, I don't know. I'm just saying of service. I'm not saying to be there to like, oh, you know, I'm like, this is what I did. Like, that's not even my personality.

but if there's some words that I can give you to motivate you to come out, work hard, like man to paint, like you guys need to crash the boards, whatever it is, like whatever was in that moment, I would have given it to that team just because I'm a spark for life. Like, I'm not just visiting y'all. Like, I really care about what happens with the purple and gold. And they were like, no, that's okay, no, he or she didn't want you the same thing. I'm like, not a problem.

And I leave it at that. Like, that's it. So I just say that to you not to be like a hate. on the outside. But to confirm with you, we need to do a better job as not just a league, but also individual teams of how they support their veterans and bringing them back to be a part of it. And I'll tell you two programs that do an excellent job of it. Don Staley does an excellent job with South Carolina and connecting her players to her other players and just creating a community that supports one another. And Gina Oriamma does a very good job at UCon.

that you see their returning players coming back, 30, 40 players. That is how you build that type of chemistry. It's a culture. And I tried to even, I'm glad that we're starting to see that back with USC because we had those problems before in the past. We have a new coach and Juju is doing so amazing. I'm so proud of her. And you're starting to see other Trojans come back and support.

And that's what it's about. Like if we're not building community and no, we're not pouring into one another, like, what are we really doing? I don't know. So it's better than basketball to me, but we haven't completely figured that out. And I hope that we can do a better job of that in the future. Because I love our sparks. I love our sparks fans. Every time I'm there, the people are so amazing. The ushers, like, I hug and so, you know, I just see people that you really care about, and it's just unfortunate that I didn't have that opportunity to do that because that would have. Absolutely. Now, 100%. And by the way,

And saying that, and that's why it's no surprise that Don is having the success that she's having year after year at South Carolina, and that Gino has had the success that he's had over the 30 years or whatever it's been, that he's been at Yukon. I think that was one of the reasons I actually went to Michigan State is because Tom Izzo creates a brotherhood. He creates a family. And I'm like, oh, I get to be a part of this family. Like, I was kind of down to them in Michigan. and I didn't feel like Michigan basketball. I was a family.

But when you look back at it, they weren't. You see how they did Chris Weber. You know, you see how they kind of outcast the Five, like, yeah, they had their issues, whatever. But what they did for that program to not honor them. I mean, it's 2024, 2023, and it takes Jim Harbaugh to bring Chris Weber back. Like, that doesn't make sense to me, you know. And so it's no surprise. that those teams have that type of essentially the pedigree that they have in the history

because they're doing it that way. But speak to me, Juju Wakis. I had the opportunity to actually work out with Juju, or she came to my workout maybe when she was like in the 10th grade. Oh, really? And like you could see the skill was there, shoot the lights out the ball. I work out. I still work out.

My, who trains me, his name is Travis Walton. He was my senior leader when I was a freshman at Michigan State. He's trained me my entire career. We still go hard like we're in college. Like, it's not your typical NBA workout. You go shoot some spots and go to the next, like, we go. And she came to our workout. And the first day, like, you could tell her skill was there and, like, all the things.

She was struggling to get through the workout a bit. and like, you know, I'm pushing her like, hey, come on, Jew, you got it. Come on, like pushing her through the workout pushing. She came back the next day. And when she came back the next day, it said a lot to me because it's like, oh, she wants to get better. Like, she enjoyed being pushed, you know. A lot of people, I've seen people come to my workouts. I've had NBA players come to my workouts throw up, not come back.

You know, I've had, I've seen all different types. And she came back to. next day and I was like that that young lady has a future in this game she has the skill um you know she has the demeanor she carries herself like she knows she's nice she came back to this workout again the next day um now every day you know every night you look up juju has a game is she breaks this record she breaking that record she's i think she broke on mind already like which number one says so much about you that you know here we are 30 years later since since you left USC and she's just now breaking those records.

But just talk to me about Juju and what she's doing for the program, for USC as a whole, for women's basketball and just moving things forward. Yeah. Yeah, I'm so proud of her. I think the thing is, is that when I heard about Juju, which was her high school, and then some of the coaches that were recruiting her, that she was a top recruit. And I was like, so, you know, what do you think? Is Juju for real?

They were like, yeah, jujuju's, juju's for real. But they weren't sure if she would be able to keep this level of consistency, right, in college. But you know how, because everybody, this is the talk about like Caitlin, like, what's going to? Everybody looks at the next level. Okay, she's bawling here, but what is she going to do at the next level? And it's like, when you have that freshman year when you come out, I had the same thing happen. I first scored 101 points in high school. I went to USC, which was like an 11th, 10th, the place in the PAC 10 back then.

like I wanted to do something different. I didn't want to just go to Tennessee where everybody was winning championships. I want to start something new. And I feel like Juju had that same mindset of like, I want to bring it back here to L.A. SC was okay. She made S.C., like, you take it back up to the top.

And I feel like that is a big deal in itself when you talk about that challenge, when you take on the challenge to turn around a program, that's what Juju Waukers is basically doing for L.A., like putting S.C. back on the map. And we've had some great players out of SC, like, for real. So you know, I love that her handle is like, Ju-Ju B bawling if you want to hit her on Instagram because every time I'm like, Juju B. Balling, like, she really is a

baller. And it's like, she's so L.A., which is also a lot of people go to L.A., but a lot of people are not from L.A. But those of us is like from L.A. as a certain kind of dog in us, it's just like, mm-hmm, she really from L.A. Like, you know, like Tina Thompson is really from L.A. Cynthia Cooper is like really from LA like we are it's something about like our motor and the way we think like you're just not going to outwork us and out play us. We may lose some stuff but you're going to know you was in a battle

and I see that in juju like she's just when she needs to put the team on her back the team is on her back but watching her play like she's not selfish with it you know she's not like over-dribling and keeping it like she's very unselfish she's a great passer rebounder but her ability to shoot the ball is just it's next level and I feel like

that is like the effect of what your teammate step curry is done for the game has just been it's almost one of those things when i played in the post and i'm like if i didn't have an outlet i'm gonna take the ball up like i can bring the ball up i can push it up i'm a five but i can play four i used to tell my team is i only play this position because y'all need me to play this position i can play any position right so that's how i used to think but i feel like the coach would be like make the outlet pass and get on the block like you know coaches used to coaches in a way like if you had a certain spot to be in or position. But now we're moving to more of a European style

where it's positionless, right? Your fork and pull it up, the fork and bring it up and actually run the play, call the play, get you into your motion. The same thing that you do, they do in the women's game. Whereas very seldom was I allowed to do that. I did it at SC some, but as a pro, very seldom did I do that, like call to play.

It was like pass it and get down to the block or get to your spot. I love that staff has changed the game where people never really thought that you were even in shooting range when you crossed the half. We had a few players like in Nate, Ruthie Bolton, which people probably wouldn't even remember

could shoot, shoot Ruthie could cross half court and be in that range like Seth. But she didn't get the publicity and didn't have this stage like we have, but Ruthie could shoot long range consistently. But we were like, Ruthie, we used to laugh. Like, where is your range? She's like, hey, as long as I can see the basket,

I'm in range, you know? She would say that. But I'm like, now we see these players that he's open the game. in a way that you are not out of your range shooting. I don't need, what is the feet? 44 feet, like 45? Like, bro, they are so far out.

And I love that. Juju has that long range shot, just to get back to what you're saying. She has that long range shot. She's in her range wherever she is, getting to the basket, the pull up. Like they are true students of the game, and we can see that in their game.

Like the way that they play, you can tell that they've studied the game. And that's what I left. I'm passionate about people who are like, bro, if I was in this era, I would be even better than what I was in my era, because I can see the game differently now, you know? I limited myself. Three point line came out.

I was like, oh, okay, come to the three point line, work on my three-point shooter. I was never thinking cross-half court, shoot one from that. Never, you know? Absolutely. But, bro, if I was in this era, you best believe my shot would be ready from half-course. I just love the game. I love the fact that it keeps evolving and getting it. better. So you can tell I get so excited, but I'm amazed at Juju and what she's been able to do

and the talents continue to get better. So right on, I got my burger on again. I love it. I love it. And Juju has to stay in college for at least three years. Kind of what's your take on that? Like, obviously the goal for all of us is to get to the NBA, to get to the WMBA. but she has to stay there for two more years once this season concludes, what's your take on the age requirement in the WMBA as far as... I think if Ju-Ju can leave this year,

she'd definitely be the number one and number two-pit, you know, and so, like, kind of how do you view that as far as the women's game go? That's good, that's good. I don't think we originally had seen a player or players now that really could make that jump. And here's why I say that. We played both college ball, but we also played on the USA team. And playing on the USA team brought, like myself, I was 16, a high schooler versus college women. And I held my own, but was I ready to be an Olympian? No. I was good, but I was a 10th grader, you know, with college players. Now you cut two and you say, well, she's a freshman in college.

I think the biggest test first would be the USA team because how she would manage with those pros would then tell you if she could truly play in the WMBA. I think we're getting to that point now. I don't think that Juju could get out there and not be effective. But also it's kind of that same thing, the body, the physicality of it. It changes a lot. Defense, you know, you may be strong offensively, how is your defense because you got, you know, you got some ballers to guard in the WBA also.

Absolutely. And so a lot of times the rookie year for guards is actually harder than it is for the post. I find that all of the guards, if we like went back in time and you looked at like number one pick guards, their first years in the W is not like all-star years. They really struggled because you being deeded up in a way like, I got you. and I don't need to go help nobody else. You know what I mean?

Whereas college is sort of that system. You know, you got that rotation. Sometimes coaches just like stay on her. Like she's not getting off today. That's the decision of the coach, which means I'm on you. How are you going to get the buckets that you're used to getting when I'm staying with you?

And we have defenders like that and coaches that make those types of decisions. So I think that for the guards, they struggle a little bit. But could Juju go into the WNBA and just be like, solid? I think so. I really do. I think she could. Should they change the rules? I don't know about that. But I think she, I think she'd have success. Absolutely. No, I agree. I think, you know,

and like there's levels to the success, right? Like, you come in, the likelihood of anyone coming from college and being a superstar right away. It happens. It happens. It happens. Facts. But it's few. And also, you look at CP, though she's all. True, but like, Alia Boston's probably going to be along the lines of Candace Parker, one of the all-time grace, too. So, you know, the people always would talk about when, you know, when they had the high school rule, when you could come out of high school in the NBA, for every Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, there was also Melvin Ely or I'm going to butcher his name,

but EBNB or his name was something like, you also have some of those guys. as well. More of those guys than you necessarily do the Kobe Bryant and Kevin Gardner, who's actually able to figure it out. And to your point, their rookie year, though, is not stellar. Exactly. You know? And so that's my point, too,

is that you can come out, but that rookie year sometimes it's a lot. One, they're coming out of their college season, so you're kind of fatigue because we start, like you said, early May. If you went to a championship, you just finished April 8th, 7th, somewhere around there. Now you've got to

come into a training camp and you got to play a full season. A lot of times you have that dip happens there. The other thing is just the overall sheer heart of these veterans that have that defensive mindset to like, oh, you're not about to come in here and bust me up. You know what I mean? That's how we used to be. Like, oh, it's a rookie. Not on my watch.

Like, not today. You know what I mean? You might have a good game somewhere else, but you're not about to have it. So I don't know how many dogs we have like that in the W-Bay. I don't know about the defense. but I know when we play, like if I told Swoops, if you saw any guard that was coming in,

like our USA team I could speak to probably more, but I'm like Swoops was like, swoops, the defense there, Nikki McCray, the defense, like you're not going to see the light of day because we had certain people that was just defense on guards. You're not going to have a chance. Ruthie Bolton, like you're not going to have a chance

to get what you've ever gotten in college. You know, we had that. Post, same thing with me. It's like, no. Today, sis, I'm about to take a hole. It's a full clinic. You know, my footwork left, right, underneath, spin move. It doesn't matter.

Fade away. Like, you can't stop all of this. So I feel like it depends on how the players in the WMBA take on that grit and that idea that you are a rookie coming in here. And today, you're not going to have the kind of game that you're used to. That's going to be the biggest decision on how and if I think Caitlin Clark will have major success in the WBA. I think she will

because her range is one of those things. It's just like, Steph, you can get on him, but the fact that his range is limitless, not everybody can play defense starting at half court

and really maintain the movement that they have and still guard them in their range and the six seconds that it takes for them to get the shot off. It's not even six seconds. What is it, a 0.6? Yeah, like 6.

of a second or something they said. Absolutely. You know, so I don't know. I love it though. I'm a fan of all of this. I can't wait to see it unfold. And yeah, so it's unfortunate that Juju has to stay probably three more years though.

Great, great for the Trojus. Yes, by the on. You just mentioned her. Candace Parker won MVP, her rookie year, which was your second to last year in the league. seeing a young player come in and dominate on your team on the team with you like that what was your take on her and like having an opportunity to play with her mentor her initially coming in like what was that opportunity like for you you know what

it was so interesting because Candace and I have always gotten along from day one and people always thought we would not get along or implied that we wouldn't get along or all these things. And I was very, I was happy. I was, you know, I'm motherly. So I was just trying to, I think the small things that I would try to help Candace with was just her, like, weights. I'm like, Candace, sweetheart.

You got to, we got to, like, we live weights every day. I live weights before, pretty much every day and after games. Because your body is like, our season is too, sure. It's a game. You know, it's a game every other day. You have to stay in the weight room. And then her food. You know, I used to make her oatmeal and make her stuff. And like, she lived, I don't know if we lived in the same building for a little while. Yeah, we did. So I would like make her oatmeal and just trying to, you know, be a mentor. I think more than anything else of just, to be a pro is different from college because everything is not given to you. It's like you have to start

to make choices. So I think the biggest impact that I had on Candace, and I guess you probably have to ask her, but just trying to be more of a mentor of like this process as a rookie, you got to learn to respect everybody, you know, and she's fun. Candace is hilarious though. She's like, who's that other girl? I'm like, that's one of our teammates. And she's like, I don't understand why she's trying to tell me what to do. Like, she don't even play.

And I'm like, Candace, no, baby, no, you can't, it doesn't work like that. It's like she's watching us play. So she has valuable information that can be helpful. to us, you know? So it's like, be open to everybody. You can learn from anybody. And she's an amazing veteran and a person that I trust. Like, you could, you could, like when I get subbed out, I would go sit, you know, and I'm asking different teammates, which y'all see? Like, what could I do? You know, they like, leaves you fading on your jumper or, um, you laid on your rotation or whatever, anything. I can't learn from anybody here. And so I think it's so important to that camaraderie is

just not about the five who get the player, the starters. It's about everybody. Clearly she's an amazing leader. She's grown so much. She became so much healthier with her eating in the weight room, staying strong. And she, we always laugh about it now. She was like, girl, I was a mess. I was like, I just couldn't believe her mindset of like her, the teammates. But I get it that you see them here and they don't play a lot.

You don't recognize that to respect their voice and that is still important. And so those are probably our early, you know, our few years. I feel like I wish. we had more time together, but I had already had my daughter, and I was just, the pool of motherhood was just bigger than me really trying to stay and figure out how we could just, like, win championships together. I had to go. I respect that.

But I loved it. I loved it. And I love Candace. Absolutely. Before we get out of here, a couple more questions. Can you name the five other players to win the W? obviously there's six, you're one of them. The five other players that won the WNBA MVP

and the finals MVP in the same season. In the same season? Mm-hmm. In the same season, okay, so definitely swoops and I, me. You for sure. Finals, MVP. And regular season MVP. Oh, and regular season?

Mm-hmm. Did Asia Wilson win it once? Yep. No, I'm lying. Asia is not a part of the list. That is a lot. So what's the question? MVP in the regular season and the final.

And MVP in the finals. Same season. Maya Moore. There's six. Nope. There's six? Mm-hmm. You're one of the six.

There's five others. Wait, there's nothing. Okay, Lauren Jackson. Lauren Jackson is one. Jeez. MVP of the season and the finals. I don't think Cynthia Cooper did that either Cynthia Cooper did

I think Cynthia Cooper did that's three I need three more you said not mine more Sylvia Fowles Sylvia Files is four How many more I need two Two more

Oh Brianna Stewart Brianna Stewart Sylvia Files I'm missing one Mm-hmm Okay MVP of the regular season and the, oh, no, dang, okay, I need a hint. Wait, who's left?

She, Yukon as well. Oh, UConn, Husky. Oh, Diana, no, Dunderdin. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. I thought, so she won MVP of the regular season and the finals? Yep. I don't know how I left D.

I should start her with Diana. My goodness, what am I doing? It's hard to, like, gather all the names of the players. I love the She's an Paula. This is an interesting list because Lauren

Jackson surprised me until I took a step back and was like thought about how nice she was. How she surprised me. Clearly that's my battle with the book. So Lauren is,

you know who surprised me? Wait, you said Cynthia Cooper won regular season MVP. Okay, that's not a surprise. Sylvia Fowles. So Sylvia Fowles surprised me

because it could have been Simone Augustus. I mean, Maya Moore, that's what threw me off. Yeah. But Lauren Jackson. Go ahead. Go ahead. I thought just for Lauren Jackson, like, she's not,

she's not really spoke about in the same lane as with all of you greats. And, you know, I actually think she was incredible. But that's why it was a surprise to me, because you never hear her name come up anymore. Yeah, she should be, though. She was a fourth to record with. Like, she was nice. Absolutely. I should say she was a great player.

Where do you rank yourself as far as the all-time WMBA at great school? You know, I never really think about those types of things. It's tough because I feel like we all did great things to contribute. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know. I look at it like we all have our errors and our time. And there was some times where, I mean, I was hot for it for, you know, there's a space where I was, like, killing it.

You know, you get, like, MVP at an all-star game, and then the regular season, and then the finals, and then you win the championship, and then you do it again, you know what I mean? Like, there was a time where I was like, you don't want to see me, you know what I mean? But then it's like there's lows to it. Then I had like a hamstring injury. Then there's a year where I think swoops and I were, you know, we were battling back and forth.

She won, then I won. We'd win every other year. And, you know, so I think it's just, we gave it our all. That's really what I could say. I gave it my all. I did the best that I could do with the resources that we had. And it's just, I never think about ranking this because they're so, I mean, Diana Tarazzi is an amazing player.

I wouldn't want to lead a country, you know, without swoops. Swoops is an amazing player. I feel like, I feel like they wouldn't want to leave without me. You know what I mean? Absolutely. To like get it done, like the level of like heart and fight that it takes and just showing up every day, whether it was practice or a game, like there's not that many players.

But you know what? Maya Moore was amazing. And I never played with her. I don't think I've ever played on the team with Maya Moore, you know? And I thought she was an outstanding player. So sometimes she gets left out of competition. And she left the game early. Yes, she did.

Yes, she did. So, I mean, she was. And then Brianna Stewart in Asia, Asia Wilson, I mean, she's on fire. Like she's, that lefty is no joke, but step back. And her motor also, her defense and blocking shots, like she's getting better and better. And she's, I mean, so Nekka, Gumma, like, there's so many players, I feel like it's just almost disrespectful. Cynthia Cooper was unstoppable.

And she was at the end of her career in unstoppable. Nobody could stop Coop. Not any guards that we had out there. Like she was just a scoring machine. So I think it's kind of a, I never trying to disrespect the players and just name, you know, like my Mount Rushmore. I did that before and I was like,

oh, I don't like that I did that. Yeah. Because you leave somebody off. Everybody was really good. I respect that. Two more questions. What was it like being a star in L.A. at the same time, it's Shaq and Kobe.

Like, y'all were kind of, both teams were on those runs at the same time. you was out of this world as a star. They were out of this world as a star. What was that like? It was great. I think maybe because, one, people were respecting the Lakers and the Sparks, and we were like a package thing.

And, you know, we practiced at the same facilities. We played our games at the same facilities. The men supported us, which was, you know, I was telling the WNBA when we had these conversations that our number one fan are the NBA players. And I was telling them way back then, like, bro, they come out and they support us, and we never really promote that. But the fact that they supported us so much, you know, that they would, like, play ball. I would shoot before them.

Derek would come in. Like, Kobe, obviously, we just had so much, like, connection. And I think the biggest thing about being in L.A. is that it's about winning. And every season that we didn't win, it felt like a bust. You know? Yes, absolutely. That's hard to say when we only had won two championships,

but I just couldn't stand it. But obviously winning MVP and other individual accolades, you know, is great. But it was about championships in L.A. and just that was a highlight because we all won, and especially Dr. Buss was still alive. You know, we all won. Dr. Buss took the sparks to Hawaii when it was like the Lakers preseason games. and, you know, he took care of us and, like, celebrate it.

So, again, that goes back to that culture. You know, it's a championship culture. And so I really appreciated that. That's why I always will be there for anything that the Lakers have and supporting Jeannie Bus, because I appreciated how her father really created a winning culture and made us feel welcomed and supported us. And I know you guys are getting ready to get a women's team there, you know, in Golden State. And that's important.

That means a lot. And it doesn't have to be, you know, anything big, but it is that support is, it goes a long way. And we see that. And I'll never forget that. And I always love the way that Dr. Bus made the sparks feel and Johnny Bus and the bus family in general, just not giving us, you know, it wasn't, it didn't feel like it was like this little team that they're just investing in or a tax write off. Like he was serious, like they wanted to win championships.

I love that. Absolutely. And just, you know, as you are, as an advocate for the women's game, last one. What was it like seeing Steph and Sabrina with the shootout this past weekend at All-Star Weekend? I really love that, Traymond. Like, I've always loved that we participated with the NBA All-Star Weekend because we would come out and do the shooting. I forgot what it was called shooting stars. or something. And again, Kobe and myself and Magic was, we were serious. We came out there. We won a few

years. And we had some huge trophy. Like, so I think, again, it's the opportunity for the fans to recognize the WNBA and see that, hey, we're here, you know, we're a part of this. You know, we were trying to make our way. But what happened with Steph and Sabrina was like, that was like the stamp of like, bro, the fact that she came out, first of all, they were sitting around forever. I was like, oh, my God, this could either go really well or this could go bad, just because you know how hard it is to just like shoot and not get a full warm up. Like, bro, you got 15 seconds. It's impossible.

It's impossible. She came out and shot the heck out of that ball from the NBA line. And it was smooth, too. It's not fours. You know, she don't have like a hitchy shot, like a shot look beautiful. And I was just like, cheering like, go in. I want her to make every shot. So the fact that she got the 26, I was telling my husband, I said, you know what's crazy?

She's not just shooting against Steph. She's really shooting against the whole three-point contest. Because no matter what her number is, you're going to compare it to all of those men, not just Steph. Exactly. Exactly. What happened? She hit 26. I'm like, okay, I was just, you know how you kind of like, you low-key praying? Like, girl, I'm fooling for her because she's representing us all.

And the fact that she hit 26, I'm like, that's, solid bro. She put a lot of pressure on Steph, one, but she just tied the dame who just won with 26. Like that meant a lot. It really meant a lot. I was so proud. And I love that you guys, and I say you, Steph, like, just affected you, you know, Colb just affected you guys are like verbally so supportive of us. It really means the world. I don't know if the players that are like these young players now, if they recognize the importance of it, maybe they do, maybe they don't, but I certainly do. It doesn't go unnoticed because it's validation for our hard work.

You know, we put in the same hours of just the grind of getting up, shooting balls, running on the track, lifting weights, the blood, sweat, tears that it takes, the sacrifice from your family, missing holidays. Like, it's all the same. The game is not, I'm not trying to say our game is all the same, though, that, but I'm just saying it's the same level of sacrifice. in terms of your time as an individual, just trying to give everything you can to this sport

to hone your craft. And so with that, to have you guys, like, really be so supportive to see Sabrina out there and to score 26 points, it was, like, so solid, so amazing. And then I thought it was also great that Steph won, though, because he really is the greatest shooter that we've ever seen, like, ever.

And I don't like the fact that people, like just can't say that. Like, bro, nobody ever has shot the ball as great as that man shoots the ball consistently across this game for years. Nobody. And I just, I don't like that we don't get people their flowers like the way that they deserve sometime.

And I actually was happy that he was able to win because it's like, bro, he's the king, but she shot that ball. I was great. I don't know. I'm so long with it, but I was so excited. I was very vague. happy. I'm so proud. I feel like that mom that's just like looking and

watching the game grow and I'm like, yes, represent. I'm supportive. I love it. No, it was huge. I had the opportunity to be there and watch it happen live. It was incredible. The reception from everybody was great. To your point, I thought it was great for

Steph to win. I thought it was great for her to have a performance that she had. And it's really just showing the growth. And speaking of flowers, We are honored to have you on the show. All time, great. You get your flowers here. Anytime we love you, we thank you for what you've meant to the game of basketball,

not to the WNBA, what you've meant to the game of basketball. I don't think people just talk about you when they talk about the WNBA. You are all time great in the game of basketball. I thank you for coming on the Draymond Green Show. You are welcome anytime. Anytime you want to come here, don't forget. You got something you need to get off your chair. you come on, and I will see you and your family at the game when we play in Miami.

Okay, sounds good. Thank you, Draymond, and I really do appreciate you taking the time to talk with me, and I really appreciate your support of the women's game. And are you a girl dad, too? I have three girls. Three girls, one boy. So in that commercial, is that your real daughter or no? Yes, it is.

It is? She's beautiful. Absolutely. She is amazing. She's the oldest. nine. My son is seven, and I have a three-year-old daughter and a three-month-old. And my nine-year-old, and I'll say this because I think it needs to be more normalized. So my nine-year-old is my wife's daughter from a past relationship. However, that couldn't be more of my daughter. Her dad

is in her life. Her dad is incredible. We have a great relationship, which I can appreciate, because that's not always the case. And I think that needs to be, like, I talk to him just as much as my wife and him talk. You know, and it's like, I think that needs to be more normal. I think that gets lost so often when, like, relationships fail, and then it comes in between the kids and the relationship and the parents. It's not that at all.

So, like, that's my baby, like, as if, as the other three are. No, I appreciate that. I have a blended family, too. So my husband has two bonus daughters that are older now. I think we got married. They were like 9 and 11. So I appreciate that because the thing is that they're gaining a parent. You're not losing anything.

And then that communication, again, it comes down to maturity. You're being mature enough to say, hey, this child is here and we all love her. So how can we all be the best, you know, co-parent? And that's awesome, Dray, Mom. Yeah, that's awesome. Thanks for sharing that. Absolutely. Absolutely. No, thank you for coming on the show. I appreciate you as always.