1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: Effect and our heart radio and partnership with Showtime. M 3 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: hm hm Welcome back to another edition All the Smoke 4 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. Happy New Year's Stack, Happy New Year. 5 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: My brother was good man, I can't call it man. 6 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 1: Just got done with ESPN, hurried home, excited about our 7 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: guests today. Yeah me too. W n B a legend, 8 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: North Phillian n C double a champ, Olympic gold medalists, 9 00:00:54,800 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: the highest paid female coach. Is it in sport to 10 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: a basketball? I'm thinking sports? So yeah, man, welcome to 11 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: the man. That's crazy. That's not a sports Serena. Serena 12 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: tops that big time. No, I'm talking about as far 13 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: as coaching coaching. Coaching yea, the highest paid women coach 14 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: period though, right No, no, I think uh gino yukon okay? 15 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: Are were you up there? You make good money man, 16 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: Congratulations first and foremost on that deal. Obviously, your your 17 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: your track record speaks for itself. But I love to 18 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: see that you're rewarded because it's given women now another visual. 19 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: You know you you did it in the sports, now 20 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: you're succeeding in coaching too. So we definitely want to 21 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: congratulate you on your big deal and all this success. 22 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: Thank you appreciate that, and uh, thank you all for 23 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: having me starting episode off, I watch y'all. I mean, 24 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: I listen to y'all. I appreciate you guys giving raw 25 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: thoughts and and letting us in the inside of your 26 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: your thoughts and your vision. And that's that's pretty darn cool. 27 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: So if you watched, So, if you watched, you know, 28 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: you're my favorite female player of all time. Yeah, yeah, 29 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: I say that, I said all the time. I appreciate that. 30 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: That's what's up. So again, seven year deal? Has you 31 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: through the twenty seven season? UM? Looking back on your 32 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: journey starting as a child player, UM, now a coach 33 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: and and what do you make of all this? UM? 34 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know. I mean I love basketball 35 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,839 Speaker 1: like I you know, it was I never cheated on it, 36 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: like it was the one thing that I I was 37 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: loyal to. UM. I didn't care what anybody else was doing. 38 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: I was singularly focused on sports. And it wasn't just 39 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: basketball because I played I played football tackle like on 40 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: the CEMENTUM, I played baseball, softball. I mean we I 41 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: used to live in the projects. Yeah. We I used 42 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: to live in the projects and they were like row 43 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: homes around this big field. And this big field had 44 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: it had a basketball court, that had a softball field, 45 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: that had a baseball field, and then it had just space. 46 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: And when you have just space, you know you're resourceful. 47 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 1: You you create like we could get we could get 48 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: a five gallon can of paint and we used to draw, 49 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: not straight. We used to paint lines to create like 50 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: a track. So we had like the Olympics out there 51 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: in the middle of the project. So, I mean, I 52 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: was doing what all the neighborhood guys were doing, and 53 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: it's certainly it's paid off. So cool feeling. Were you 54 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: the only girl back then battling with all the boys, 55 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: the girl that you not only do you get ridiculed 56 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: from the guys, but their girlfriends thought I was. I 57 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: had an alternative motives like I'm just right really, like 58 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: do you do you understand? Like I'm playing with like 59 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: they're dirty and sweaty at this point, they don't look good. 60 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: That's how the season going so far in South Carolina 61 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: this year, we're doing pretty good. We actually, um, you know, 62 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: we we we were the number one team in the 63 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: country for a while. We took l last Thursday in Missouri. Um, 64 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: but something just happened today where the new Pole came 65 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: out in and they actually they continue making us the 66 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: number one team in the country. I haven't called that before, 67 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: but we played a tough sketch, but like we played 68 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: probably six out of the ten top teams in the country. 69 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: So I mean, it's good to see the you know, 70 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: the decision makers and women's basketball, especially the Pole treat 71 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: us and respect us in that in that man, because 72 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: it's not often felt in that regards. Well, yeah, I 73 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: think you kind of earned that respect last season. You 74 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: took the team to the final four, you lost, you 75 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: lose the Stanford. Um, what are you building on the 76 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: different this year than last year? I know you're still 77 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: trying to get healthy. My favorite Raven, Raven is still 78 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: dealing with an injury. You know what I'm saying, my girl, UM, 79 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: the first ever playing the all boys High School All 80 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: American Game. You know what I'm saying, shout out the Raven. 81 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: But what are you gonna change this year? What are 82 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: you working on this year to be better from last year? Well, UM, 83 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: appreciate you shouting out raving because it came at a 84 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: time and what she she was down, Um, the injury 85 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: just happened, and you send the video while appreciate that stax. 86 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: But but we we lost in the final four the Stanford. 87 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: We we had two opportunities to to to win the game. 88 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: So one one player had to lay up, she missed it. 89 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: We had another players follow it up and try to 90 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: how to live in and and it's that margin of 91 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: error that we're working. We're working with like that inches 92 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: and when we when we practice, we practice from that 93 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: margin of era. When we play, we keep that margin 94 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: of error in mind because we don't want that heartbreak 95 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: of of if we're that close to competing for a 96 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,239 Speaker 1: national championship, we want to make sure that we we cover. 97 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: We're checking off all boxes when it comes to just 98 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: making sure that it doesn't come down to that. But 99 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: if it does, it's familiar to us. All Right, let's 100 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 1: talk about how important women's basketball. I'm on it to 101 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: this month to be hosting the first ever High School 102 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: and the Women's Basketball Showcase hosted by n I'm the 103 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: first to do it, and I'm hosting one um this 104 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: in January. In a couple of weeks. Tell me, tell 105 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: me how important female basketball is it to you. We 106 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: had a great relationship with Kobe and he spoke on 107 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: how important it was to him and it's and it's 108 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: just as important to us. But to you for somebody 109 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: who's being uh somebody who started it, uh founder and 110 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: and somebody who a lot of people look up to 111 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: it in the in the basketball space now being one 112 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: of the highest paid coaches, How are poison important is 113 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: it to you? And to see how it's growing? Well, 114 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: I mean I've I've always like I'm old school, I've 115 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: been around the block. You know, I've played on every level. 116 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: Um and I and I. As you were saying that 117 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: this was the first and you're a part of it, 118 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: I go back. I was. I was in a and 119 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not trying to pump up myself, but 120 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: I was in there. I was in a Spike lead 121 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: commercial with Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoops and they interviewed 122 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: us about that particular commercial. And in that commercial I said, 123 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: basketball's basketball, Like, it doesn't matter what gender, Basketball's basketball. 124 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: Like you you all played at the highest level. I 125 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: played at the highest level. There your thrill was as 126 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: much as my thrill. You know, your your defeat was 127 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: hit me as hard as my defeat. Um, you put 128 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: in the work just like I'll put in the work, 129 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: and it's it's gingerlest if. If you pour into something, 130 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: something good is gonna come out of it. So the 131 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: fact that you're you're stamping your name on it is 132 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: gonna give it some validity. Um, the fact that you're 133 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: the first and hopefully want me the last, it's gonna 134 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: open up some doors for some some other, Um guys 135 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: to the pour into two girls basketball because at the 136 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: end of the day, it's basketball is just basketball. Let's 137 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: talk about your upbringing. Your mom started in South Carolina, 138 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: moved you guys to Philly. Um, what was it like 139 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: growing up in Philly? One of five children? You said, 140 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 1: I mean outside obviously playing outside with the kids and stuff. 141 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: But what was it? What was your family dynamic? Like? Um, 142 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: this this, I got to give you the back story 143 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: to my my mom. Just my mom was born and 144 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: my my mom and dad were born in South Carolina 145 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: And the reason why my mom had to travel to 146 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: Philadelphia was because, um, my grandmother, her mother sent her 147 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: to a like a butchery to get some some meat, 148 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: and Um, the butcher went to the back and brought 149 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: my mother back some meat from the back. And my 150 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: mom looked at the meat and was like, no, we 151 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, we don't we don't want that to meet. 152 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: We want to meet. That's that's here, you know that 153 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: I see. And and the butcher was like, no, you're 154 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: gonna if you want this meet, you're gonna take this meat. 155 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: And my mom is a sassy she was a sassy lady. Um, 156 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: she wasn't gonna take you know, what looked like spoiled 157 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: rocking meat back to back to the house. And and 158 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: that butcher told her to get out of his store 159 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: and to never come back. And when you live in 160 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: the South, when they say those words, it doesn't mean 161 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: don't ever come back to the store. It means you 162 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: better get out of town. That was that was back 163 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: in the day. So my grandmother heard about the interaction 164 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: and sent my mother to Philadelphia. And this was a 165 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: time in which I wasn't born, So my mother was 166 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: in Philly for a long time and then you know, 167 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: she had five kids and and she built her life 168 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: around being in Philadelphia. And I think it was probably 169 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:43,079 Speaker 1: the best move for for for us as children because 170 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: Philadelphia was a lot more progressive than it was here 171 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: in the South back in that day. And you know, 172 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,719 Speaker 1: I'm I'm allowed to you know, I was allowed to 173 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: play a sport to you know, being the city in 174 00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: which um there's so many, so many resources and outlets 175 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: to play. And and I grew up in the household 176 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: that that was that was disciplined, right, like I was 177 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: afraid of Mama. I was afraid of my mother, like 178 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: she thought. At times when I was out in the 179 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: big field playing at all times of the day and night, 180 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: she would she would sneak up on me and just 181 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: to make sure that I was where I was. And 182 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 1: then when she saw that I was persistently going out there, 183 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 1: she was she was good with it. So Philadelphia, North 184 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: Philly projects, um Raymond Rosen Gathers grew up the same, 185 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: the same projects obviously developed, you know, the love of 186 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: the game and the and the passion playing outside. But 187 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: when did it kind of narrowed to just basketball? How 188 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: old were you been when you just knew, okay, I 189 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: could really do this. You know, when I when I 190 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: was in eighth grade, I I received the letter from Dartmouth. 191 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: Like Dartmouth the IVY League and UM, and you know, 192 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: now that I'm in the coaching I know that letter 193 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: was just a camp invitation, but to me it was interest. 194 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: To me, it was like, you know what, it's a 195 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: ray of hope of possibly going to play in college. 196 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: And that's when I knew that I probably need to 197 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: leave these other sports a loan and let let me 198 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: concentrate really on basketball. And basketball was a you know, 199 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: it was a sport I could play year round, outdoors, indoors, 200 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: and from from that letter on, my concentration was fully 201 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: on just playing basketball. What was it like for you 202 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: and your family when Nike did the mural ahead of 203 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: the ninety Olympics. UM, for those who don't know, a 204 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: hundred role born in Philly, grew up on the corner 205 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,119 Speaker 1: of diamond, How what did that mean to you specifically? 206 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: And then also how did your family feel about it? Well? 207 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 1: I mean, Nike, Nike is you know, forward thinking. Um, 208 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: I you know I played, I played with household names 209 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: Lisa Leslie, Cheryl Swoops, you know twa, which I mean 210 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: they are well known. I was just the point guard 211 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: and probably just took a more um service role, just service. 212 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: I just want to win and that matter how it looks. 213 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: I just want to win. Um. But after having several 214 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: conversations with Nike and the and the powers that be 215 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: about sneakers because I knew sneakers, Um, I think they 216 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: took a liking to me. I mean, I was just real, 217 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: just I was just talking to them, you know, I 218 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: don't I didn't know if that was hurting their feelings 219 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,719 Speaker 1: or whatever, because sometimes when people want real conversations, they 220 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: really don't want you to say what's on your mind. Mind, 221 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: but you're asking, so I gave it to him. And 222 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: then they, you know, they told me about the eight 223 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: story mural that we're gonna do in my hometown when 224 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,719 Speaker 1: when the USA national team was gonna play an exhibition 225 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: game there, and then I, you know, I told my 226 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: you know, I told my family that it was gonna 227 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: take place. And you know, when you grow up in 228 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: the projects, you know, you're you're not really fully understanding 229 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: what that is. Like I really did it. So when 230 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: we when we got into Philly, the national team and 231 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: and they the ceremony was gonna be the next day, 232 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: I did. I actually had somebody to drive me by 233 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: there just so just so I can check it out 234 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: and see and then I was I was floored because 235 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it is in downtown Philly, um eight stories, 236 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: like it's it's larger than life. I had to tell 237 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: my mom to meet me down there the next day. 238 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: My mom is still and my mom was a Southern woman, 239 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: you know, she did not drive, didn't have a driver's license, 240 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: so she took public transportation everywhere. But if you ever, 241 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: if you ever was in a car with her, you 242 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: were driving, she could tell you exactly what small everything, 243 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: everything everything. So so when she got down there, we 244 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: were already there. So I saw her walk up, you know, 245 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: and it's it's a proud moment like it. It brought 246 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: her to tears um to see her, a baby girl 247 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: up on the eighth story building building that she she's 248 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: on the bus and she rides by, you know, you 249 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: know every week. So it was you know, it was 250 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: just it was just incredible because again I wasn't the 251 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: one of the ones that I didn't have a shoe 252 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: at first. Sure I was the first one. I gotta shoe, 253 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: Lisa gotta shoe, so you know, you're and I there 254 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: was no jealousy or anything like that. I actually don't 255 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: like the spotlight, But I did like the spotlight went 256 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: in my hometown because it just gives so much more 257 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: to all those people in in the projects aspiration. With 258 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: that said, it was said that your mom didn't really 259 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: know how nice you were on the court. When did 260 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: your mom and your family really start kind of understanding 261 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: your special talent? You know, you know how family members 262 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: aren't They don't really really want to give you guys 263 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: just to do because they want to keep you humble. 264 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: You can't do it until you do it to do right, right. 265 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: So I mean, I don't you know, I don't think 266 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: my mom really knew, um, how good I was until 267 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:45,239 Speaker 1: probably probably when I when when I started getting like 268 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: like hundreds of letters from colleges, um, and they were 269 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: coming to the projects right in the mailbox. And I 270 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 1: think that's when she knew, um, she had a pretty 271 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: talented daughter. Um. And you know, my brothers, like my 272 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, you know, we we didn't we didn't 273 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 1: have like college aspirations because we knew we couldn't afford it. 274 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: So nobody was really thinking about that. So you know, 275 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: in the in the neighborhood, yeah, they knew I was 276 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: pretty good because I was playing, you know, I was 277 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: I was being one of the first that the playing 278 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: the pick up games. So they knew I was pretty 279 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: good according to the you know, the the neighborhood. But 280 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: as far as nationally, you know, my you know, my 281 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: skill set wasn't tested. Um, and and they couldn't see 282 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: just how good I was until I started to play 283 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 1: in you know, in college and got on the AUTH circuit. 284 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: And even then they didn't even come see me playing 285 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: AU circuit because it was it was out of town. So, um, 286 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: college is probably went, you know, I was. I was 287 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: actually deemed pretty good then. So once college becomes a 288 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: goal and and op and when did you know, obviously 289 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,959 Speaker 1: there's no w n B A when you're in college, Um, 290 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 1: making that jump overseas as a possibility, but you know 291 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: that was something that's always you know, questionable for certain people. 292 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: When did life professionally as basketball, When did that kind 293 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 1: of start coming into your mind? And what were your 294 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: playing Seeing that you had a lot of success in 295 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: college as well, I mean I wanted to play basketball 296 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: for as long as possible, Like I in nineteen nine, 297 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: I graduated in ninety two. I tried out for the Olympics, 298 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: the ninety two Olympic Games, and went to the trials 299 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: and got cut. Now you gotta you gotta understand. Like 300 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety two, I was college college Basketball's player 301 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: of the year, like two times player of the year, 302 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: and I went to the Olympic trials and um, and 303 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: that was the year if you remember, that's when the 304 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: pros were allowed to come into the Olympics. So in 305 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: the original Dream team in ninety two. So I think 306 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: that the women's program wanted the mirror the Dream Team 307 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: and and getting all professional players. So that that left 308 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: me off because I didn't have any international experience. Um, 309 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: so I got cut. And the reason why I got 310 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 1: cut because were you on the When you're trying off 311 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: on a limit team, they do actually tell you. They 312 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: give you some feedback as to why you didn't make 313 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: the team. So the two things that I remember them 314 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 1: telling me was one I was too short, and two 315 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: I didn't have enough international experience. The mind you you know, 316 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:37,399 Speaker 1: one other play on that that made the team was 317 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 1: shorter than me. I don't know how they came up 318 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: with I was too short, But I say this, if 319 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:51,119 Speaker 1: I didn't have that, you know that disappointment at that time, 320 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: I really wouldn't be able to appreciate being a three 321 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: time Olympia, three time gold medalists. So sometimes you know, 322 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: like those a curveball, you just have to deal with 323 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: it in and not let it get you down. It 324 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: should just actually feel you to want to get better. 325 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 1: I mean, I only I only wanted to do two 326 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 1: things when I was growing up in the projects because 327 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: because these are the two things that I saw women play, 328 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: and that was in the National Championship game in college 329 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: and the Olympics. Those two things I just wanted. I 330 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: had a goal and then probably the the overarching goal 331 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: when I realized that this was achievable, was I wanted 332 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: to be a Hall of Famer. M those are like 333 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: the three selfish things that I wanted. Other than that, 334 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: I didn't really set goals and I and I still 335 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: to this day, I really don't set goals. I just 336 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: kind of let let let my path be as divinely 337 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: ordered as it is. I like that. Since you were 338 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 1: speaking on the Olympic team three time gold medalists, tell 339 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: us what it was like on those teams kind of 340 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: gaining getting the respect. Do you feel like you guys 341 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: feel like you got the respect you deserved because of again, 342 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: women's basketball has been fighting for footing, you know, since 343 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: it's the it's inauguration. But you guys had an exceptional team, 344 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: a bunch of Hall of famers, three time gold medalists, 345 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: You guys feel like you guys got the respect that 346 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: you was. It always a constant like we gotta go 347 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: get it every time we go out there. So I 348 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: mean back in, back in, Like my first Olympic Games 349 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: is ninety six, and because we were hosting it in Atlanta, Um, 350 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: we we trained for for fifteen months prior to the 351 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: Olympic Games. You know when when whenever a country hosts 352 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: the Olympic Games, they invest they invest money in the 353 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: teams and sports because they want to do well. So 354 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: they invested in our team. They they gave us fifty 355 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: dollars for that year and that was that was pretty 356 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: That was pretty good for me. For some of the 357 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: other players like Teresa Edwards and Continea McClain who was 358 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: who was making six figures over there every year, it 359 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: was a huge pay cut. But that they're from Georgia, 360 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: so they wanted to play in the Olympic Games and um, yeah, 361 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: playing with playing with that particular team, I think that 362 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: team was the team that kind of spearheaded women's basketball 363 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: and put put put us at a place both collegiately 364 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: and professionally, just giving us or we were the guinea 365 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: pigs of of professional professional league because after that, after 366 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: we were done with that that Olympic games, two professional 367 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: leagues were birth the w n B A and the 368 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,199 Speaker 1: A b L, And I believe nine out of the 369 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: twelve players on the Olympic team played in the A 370 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: b L and three of the other players played. Actually 371 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: the three players were Lisa Leslie Strow Swoops and Rebecca Lobo. 372 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: They opted to go play in the w n B A. 373 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: So it was cool, like the more the merrier I give, 374 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: the more professional women's leagues that start up, the more 375 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: job opportunities that would be for women. And I was 376 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: all for it. Uv A University of Virginia. Um, you 377 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: left there. You was three time All American finished this 378 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: Virginia's all times leading score and all time leading assists, 379 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: but both of those have been broken since since then. Um, 380 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: how did it feel going to uv A And was 381 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 1: it any other options beside v A? Yeah? I mean 382 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: I was recruited. I was, I was actually the number 383 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: one UM high school player in the country. I mean 384 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: I don't even I don't know how you do that, 385 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: but they chose me. I never actually I went on 386 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: maybe one a you UM circuit like one. I actually 387 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: put participate in the very first one UM. So I was, 388 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: I was the high school player of the year. So 389 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: I mean every every school came after me, like like 390 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: hundreds of them. UM. I chose those two. I chose 391 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: to go to Virginia for for two reasons. And one 392 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: of them, obviously, I didn't want to go to a 393 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: school that had already won a national championship because I 394 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,440 Speaker 1: wanted to be a part of that legacy. And then 395 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: the other thing was I mean, it's the strangest thing 396 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,679 Speaker 1: that that attracts us, But I didn't want to go 397 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: to a school that had like traditional dorms, like you know, 398 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: like you go, you got a roommate and then you 399 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: gotta take your bucket down the hall and go shower 400 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: and that like like that was I mean, I lived 401 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 1: in the project, so I wanted I wanted college to 402 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: be a step up. I mean I had to share 403 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: a room with my sister and that's as far as 404 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: I wanted to go share room with someone. And then 405 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: Virginia had these dorms where there were four rooms. You 406 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: share the room with the roommate, and then you had 407 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: you had two showers and he had two two stalls, 408 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 1: and then you had like a common area, so it 409 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: was almost like an apartment. And then the other schools 410 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: that I the other school that I was very serious 411 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: about was Penn State and they had the old the 412 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: old old school dorms and not I really couldn't do it. 413 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: So the non negotiable was the dorms. So I went 414 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: to I went to rig That's a crazy I've heard 415 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: a lot of reasons why people chick schools. I've never 416 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: heard something like that. But that was good. I feel 417 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: you because I was. I was at U c l A. Wed. 418 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: They had to set up nice there and I couldn't 419 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: imagine like some schools they had like but in the 420 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: summer school one time I had the situation where you 421 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: had a roommate and you had to walk down the 422 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 1: hall of the shop like, hey, I left summer school. 423 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't do it. You end up winning a national 424 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: championship in two thousands, seventeen with South Carolina. Do you 425 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 1: feel like that made up for you're not winning one 426 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: while you was playing, for being so good and I 427 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: bringing one back to the UV A. Yeah, it actually 428 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: did because it took it took almost twenty seven years 429 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:02,639 Speaker 1: and win one, and I had to get into coaching 430 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 1: to do that. But it was it was so special. 431 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:11,119 Speaker 1: It was so special that UM, when we won, I 432 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: made sure that that every like former player of mine 433 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: because I coached that Temple and I'm coaching that South Carolina. 434 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,719 Speaker 1: When we won, every every player prior to seventeen, I 435 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: got them a miniature, a miniature national championship trophy. UM. 436 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: I got all of my Virginia teammates miniature national championship trophies, 437 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: all of all of the people that coach with me 438 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: at Temple in South Carolina. I got the miniature national 439 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: championship trophies. Because this this was a dream far beyond 440 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: seen UM and I had. I had teammates and I 441 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: had former players that believed in that dream that we 442 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: we didn't get it done, so I wanted I didn't 443 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: want them to miss out on the opportunity of feeling 444 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: that and then on the back of it, I put 445 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,959 Speaker 1: their name, and I just said, because of you simply. 446 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: That's really you don't hear stuff like that too often. 447 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: That's what's up. I knew she was a real one. 448 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: I told you that. I knew that. So tell me this. 449 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: What was the feeling when you went back for your 450 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: Jersey retirement? Mm hmmm, Um, I don't even remember that. 451 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:35,160 Speaker 1: I really don't remember that, like, like I mean, really honestly, 452 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: I know that that stuff. I mean there it's nice, 453 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: but I mean it's nice, but I mean I wanted 454 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame. Asked me about Hall of Fame, Like, 455 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: asked me about Hall of like that is. And I'm 456 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: not trying to take any I mean, I'm grateful, grateful, 457 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: but there are just things that are like near and dear, 458 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: like you're I'm in a Hall of Fame with the 459 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: greatest of the great. Yeah, that's one of the best. Yeah, 460 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: we'll talk about it. What's it like? What's it like 461 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: being in the Hall of Fame's I mean, it's it's cool. 462 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: Like I I don't always go back to the ceremonies, 463 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 1: but when I do go, like I feel proud, like 464 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: I feel like I belong And and I started I 465 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 1: started an autograph collection, so I can I can get 466 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: all the great autographs when I go there. So it's 467 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool, like like I mean, I got it. 468 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: I got a pretty extensive collection of of Hall of Favors. 469 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: It's kind of hard for some people to even think 470 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: about that because, like when people ask us about Kobe, 471 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: like when high school, his mind was different. Like me, 472 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to get to the NBA and figured 473 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: out and make some money, take out of my family 474 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: and buy me a whip and some change. You know, 475 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: That's what I'm thinking at the time, you know what 476 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: I'm saying. But Kobe, as a teenager, we knew what 477 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,080 Speaker 1: he was thinking, I'm going to be one of the 478 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: best ever. So it's very few people can understand your 479 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: understand your train of thought, you know what. So as 480 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: you was growing up playing basketball and your mind frame, 481 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: you wasn't thinking just making to the w n b A. 482 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: You just think I'm going to be one of the 483 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,240 Speaker 1: best ever. That's it. You know. I got a Kobe story. 484 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I Kobe was was that Lord Maryan When 485 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: I was in Philly training for for the Olympic team, 486 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: and he used to come to the he used to 487 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: come practice with the Sixers like John Lucas was to coach. 488 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: John Lucas used to work me out like I gotta 489 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: I gotta cool John Lucas story. I I've had knee 490 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:40,719 Speaker 1: trouble my whole career. Um, during that fifteen months that 491 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: we were training for the nineti Olympic Games, I used 492 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: to go off to St. Joe's where the Sixers used 493 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:52,479 Speaker 1: to practice. And the Sixers weren't really that good at 494 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 1: the time. So John Lucas, it's his job was on 495 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: the line, like every day you were reading the paper. 496 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: You know it could be any day now and that 497 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: he gets fired. But he saw me. He used to 498 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: ask me, why am I up here? And I told him, I, 499 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: you know, I had to have I gotta get surgery 500 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: because my knee. He was like, look, let me, let 501 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: me let me send you to uh Dr Andrews in Birmingham. 502 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: Like he paid for me to go to see the 503 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: He wanted me to see it. Seem by the best 504 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: of the best. Now I didn't like what Dr Andrews 505 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: told me, but um, like seriously, like it was. It 506 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: was ninety five ninety early ninety six. I went to 507 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: Dr Andrews and Dr Andrews. You know, he did the 508 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:44,719 Speaker 1: X rays. He looked at me and I'm I'm six 509 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: years old at the time. And he looked at him. 510 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: He was like, how old are you? I said, I said. 511 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: He was like, he said, you you what are you 512 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 1: trying to do? I said him, I'm I'm trying to 513 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: get on the Olympic team, like I'm trying to play. 514 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: He was like, okay, well you you play this Olympic 515 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: Games and then you need you need to hang it up. 516 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:11,719 Speaker 1: You know, if you want to run around with your 517 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: kids later in life, then you need to you need 518 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: to hang it up. I had to get out of 519 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: his office. I want to try to hear that. So 520 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: if I listened to adopt the and and Drews, I 521 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: probably would only be a one time Olympian. Now I 522 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: walked with a limp every day. But but what was 523 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: your what was your Kobe story up there too? Kobe 524 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: used to come. I used to work out at St. Joe's. 525 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 1: Kobe used to come and work out at St. Joe's 526 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: and he used to get in You know, it's probably 527 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: a little tempering because he was supposed to be working 528 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: out with any pro team. But he was he was 529 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: out there, you know, like like Kobe had his I 530 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: mean his nose was up, chest up, like he felt 531 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: like he long. He would he would talk, smack, he 532 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 1: would dunk on people. He was a killer, like at 533 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: seventeen years old. And the see, you know, the see 534 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: his career and and how much he impacted the game, 535 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: and to see when he went into retirement, how much 536 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: he impacted you know, the girls basketball and women's basketball 537 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: just by just by being a girl dag. I mean, 538 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 1: his day, his legacy lives on and women's and women's 539 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: back and women's basketball world. I know, I know what 540 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: he's done for the NBA and around the world. But 541 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: there's a special place in our hearts for Kobe Bryant 542 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: and gets no. He definitely took that first step because obviously, 543 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, as as NBA players were fans of you guys, 544 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 1: but I think getting the outside respect from maybe particularly 545 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: NBA fans, I think when Kobe stepped out on that 546 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: on that limb and and really stood for you guys, 547 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: I think that's it kind of seemed like the tide 548 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: of change and you gotta started getting talked about more. 549 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: And now it's really everywhere, And I just heard the 550 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: other day they're starting to all women's version of something 551 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,800 Speaker 1: like ESPN. It's just gonna be strictly on women. So 552 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: I think it's come so far. And you know, you're you, 553 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 1: and you know some of your your former teammates had 554 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: a lot to do with the foundation and that, you 555 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: know what I mean. So it's amazing to kind of 556 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: see where it started to where it's gotten and had 557 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 1: he definitely head in the right direction now. So I mean, 558 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: it's long overdue. I mean, you you're gonna be good 559 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 1: at whatever you invest in. You are. I mean, we 560 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: we can look at like like I mean, I I 561 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: don't have any children, but I got a dog. I 562 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 1: mean he's pretty cool, pretty cool cat. Right Like, if 563 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,719 Speaker 1: if I didn't train him, like if I didn't like 564 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 1: train him to be livable with me, you know, he 565 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: wouldn't be worth anything. But but now that I've trained 566 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: him up, and you know, he he tells me when 567 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: he's gotta go out and party. He tells me when 568 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,040 Speaker 1: he's hungry, I mean, looks into my eyes like he loves, 569 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:10,919 Speaker 1: like he gives me signs like but it's the same thing. 570 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: It's the it's the same thing. If you pour into 571 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 1: women's sports, there's something good it's gonna come out of it. 572 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: I mean, look at I mean you you mentioned my 573 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,879 Speaker 1: salary and I don't really you know again I don't. 574 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: I don't really do it for the money. But it's nice, 575 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: it's big. But I mean that's the very thing that's 576 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:34,600 Speaker 1: gotten the headlines was the was the money. And for 577 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: for me, it's more of it's for other people, like 578 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: I'm I'm gonna enjoy it, but they're they're you know, 579 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: they're investing in the universe of South Carolina is investing 580 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: in their women's basketball coach. And I'm just hoping that 581 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: other you know, other sports of the professions of the 582 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 1: just invest Now. I mean I think I've earned it. 583 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: I think I've earned it. Like I'm not. I want 584 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: to ask for this. I want to ask for this 585 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:06,360 Speaker 1: twenty two years ago because I learned it, but twenty 586 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: two years later and it's the same success. Um, And 587 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,879 Speaker 1: you gotta strike when irons hot too, so time isn't 588 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: important as well. But also just being in aspiration to 589 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: two girls looking to take that route, Like you said, 590 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,359 Speaker 1: you took the sports route, now you're taking the coaching route. 591 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,720 Speaker 1: And so many people want to be involved in sports, 592 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,240 Speaker 1: but they may not have enough to be an athlete, 593 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: but there's so many other ways to stay around the sport. 594 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: And again you coaching now is another way. So I 595 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 1: think that's dope. So coming out of college, there was 596 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: no w n B A yet, so you had to, uh, 597 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: you know, go overseas for a handful of years. You 598 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:45,240 Speaker 1: get back and the tucks. So what was it about 599 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: the A b L and then eventually the w n 600 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: B A for you which you made home. So so 601 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 1: during the doing that Olympic training year, UM, like UM, 602 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 1: the A b L, the A b L founders came 603 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 1: to our team and they pretty much asked us to 604 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:06,359 Speaker 1: be a part of it. They said they were gonna 605 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,319 Speaker 1: pay us a hundred and fifty thousand dollars UM a 606 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: year to be founding members. And all of us, all 607 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:15,879 Speaker 1: twelve of us, agreed to do it because we didn't 608 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: know anything about the w n B A. Didn't tell 609 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,919 Speaker 1: us about the w n B A to a few 610 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: months later. Um. And then once the w n B 611 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: A decided that they were gonna start a league, three 612 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 1: of you know, the more you know, Profoule names in 613 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 1: our game, Lisa, Sheryl, and Rebecca. They chose to go 614 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: to the to the w n B A, and then 615 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 1: nine of us chose to stay in the A b 616 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: L because we you know, we made a commitment to it, 617 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 1: and and I did it because I made a commitment 618 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 1: to it. And then after spending two years um in 619 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: the A b L, I decided just for for personal reasons, 620 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,279 Speaker 1: like I had bad knees, and the A b L 621 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:04,280 Speaker 1: was like the traditional basketball season, so it was eight months, 622 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: so I wanted to play for much longer, and the 623 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: w n B A is like four or five months. 624 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: So I said, I need to hang my shoes up 625 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 1: with the A b L and go to the w 626 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:16,320 Speaker 1: n B A so I can play a lot longer. 627 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,840 Speaker 1: And then I actually, I actually made the right decision 628 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: at the right time, because you know that that following season, 629 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: the A b L went under, So I mean so, 630 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: I mean, it was it was pretty cool that I 631 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:35,759 Speaker 1: got a chance to experience both. But you know, the 632 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: the w n B A was that and it is 633 00:37:39,239 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: that that carrot that's dangling in front of little girls 634 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: who aspired to, you know, to be professional women's basketball 635 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: players here in our country. Like I look at Asian Wilson, 636 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,680 Speaker 1: like she doesn't know life without the w n B A, 637 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 1: Like she grew up on the w n B A. 638 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 1: And because of that, she might a little bit harder. 639 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: She might work a little bit harder. She might just 640 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:08,959 Speaker 1: you know, just give more, like dedicate herself a little 641 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: bit more, because you know, she knows there's there's a 642 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 1: place for her to continue her career. Yeah, definitely. So 643 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:20,760 Speaker 1: n you were the ninth overall pick to the Charlotte Sting. 644 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:23,400 Speaker 1: Shortly after that, you gott are headed to the NBA 645 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 1: or excuse me, the w NBA finals. What was it like, 646 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:28,280 Speaker 1: uh to be a part of that, you know, obviously 647 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:31,879 Speaker 1: being drafted but then finding success right away. I didn't 648 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:37,160 Speaker 1: they don't even invite me to the draft, Uh, but 649 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:39,840 Speaker 1: it was it was cool, like, you know, to be 650 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 1: a part of a w NBA finals, like and in 651 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:47,359 Speaker 1: that particular finals. We started the season like one in ten, 652 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 1: like one in ten, and it's a thirty four game season, 653 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:56,840 Speaker 1: so you know, we we made a move, uh to 654 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,759 Speaker 1: actually even get to the finals, but uh, to be 655 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 1: able to play the finals against you know, one of 656 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:05,840 Speaker 1: who I think one of one of my most my 657 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:09,280 Speaker 1: favorite teammates, a good friend of mine, Lisa Leslie Um 658 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,120 Speaker 1: was pretty cool to share it in that spotlight with her. 659 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 1: I mean, I I ended up being on the losing 660 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: end of the stick, but it was it was cool 661 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:21,240 Speaker 1: to sharing that moment with her. August first, two thousand five, 662 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:25,240 Speaker 1: you was traded to the Houston Comments and you announced 663 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 1: before the season that it will be your last one. 664 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:31,400 Speaker 1: Was it was the knees talking to you. You know, 665 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,399 Speaker 1: it actually wasn't my knees, it was actually my heart, 666 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:40,319 Speaker 1: Like really, yeah, you know, you're you know you. I mean, 667 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,840 Speaker 1: we all go through some type of pain as as players, 668 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:48,480 Speaker 1: and you know, you you you you develop a strong 669 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:55,200 Speaker 1: like threshold for pain that you know that secondary Yeah, 670 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:58,040 Speaker 1: it's your it's your mentality. You know that could get 671 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:00,880 Speaker 1: you over the edge. But I I actually played in 672 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: the w n B A one more year than I 673 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: probably should have, And I only did that because I 674 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 1: wanted to get it out of my system. And I 675 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:12,320 Speaker 1: was actually coaching and playing at the same time, so 676 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 1: so I had to get it out of my system 677 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: so I wouldn't look back. And I didn't look back 678 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: at all once I was done. I was tired of 679 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 1: working out like I was. You know, I was mean, 680 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:25,680 Speaker 1: I was meaning to my trainer like me onno read 681 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 1: and I didn't, you know, I didn't feel like getting 682 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:33,239 Speaker 1: my body ready to play. I didn't. So I was like, 683 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 1: this is it and and thankfully I got through, and 684 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: and you know, I never looked back. I was fortunate 685 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:43,239 Speaker 1: that I was already in a profession of coaching and 686 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:46,839 Speaker 1: and being a dream merchant for young people that you know, 687 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 1: I transition nicely into its y. Yeah, And that's crazy 688 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:58,360 Speaker 1: because with me, I I thought I'd never stopped playing basketball. 689 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 1: But my body start talking to him, and I, like 690 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:04,279 Speaker 1: you said, just for just preparing with knowing how you 691 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,840 Speaker 1: prepare to to to play. You know, I played in 692 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 1: the Big Three a couple of years ago, but I 693 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 1: couldn't do them. Like I love the game so much, 694 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:12,840 Speaker 1: let me try coaching, you know what I mean. It 695 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:15,120 Speaker 1: was able to win the championship, so I we love 696 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:16,799 Speaker 1: the game so much. We might not playing the more, 697 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 1: but we're gonna stay around the game as long as 698 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,200 Speaker 1: long as we can. That's just what we do. You 699 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:23,600 Speaker 1: You you impacted the w the w n b A 700 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,839 Speaker 1: so much that you have the Community Leadership Award named 701 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:30,960 Speaker 1: after you talk about that, I mean that's cool, Like 702 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:37,400 Speaker 1: really that that's cool because you know, as as athletes, um, 703 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:39,360 Speaker 1: we we want certain things. We want to be the 704 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:44,439 Speaker 1: best at what we do, and it sometimes because of that, 705 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,439 Speaker 1: people see I mean they see your heart, they see 706 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,640 Speaker 1: what you put into it, they see that, um, you're 707 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 1: a good teammate. They see that you are a great 708 00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 1: service woman to the game, and and they thought so 709 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: much of that to bestow an award, Like there aren't 710 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 1: very many of them. I think it's me and Kim 711 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:09,680 Speaker 1: parot Um and I don't know if it's another one. 712 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: I don't know if there's another one, but um, that 713 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: is something that's etched in in the history of the game. 714 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:22,440 Speaker 1: And I'm I'm I'm thankful because every year every summer, 715 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:25,840 Speaker 1: I'll get to go and and hand out like my 716 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:29,440 Speaker 1: award to someone who's giving back to the community and 717 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:32,480 Speaker 1: who are who are leaders and giving back to the community. 718 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:36,439 Speaker 1: So man, that's that's that's that's super cool. That's that's 719 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:40,759 Speaker 1: really really cool, because that's, yeah, that's something that you 720 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:42,440 Speaker 1: don't you know, like I wanted to be an Olympian, 721 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:44,879 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a national champion. I didn't know 722 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:49,040 Speaker 1: that you know these awards, could you know it could 723 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:52,560 Speaker 1: be something a part of my legacy. Who was your 724 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:54,640 Speaker 1: toughest matchups when he was in the w n B 725 00:42:54,760 --> 00:43:01,480 Speaker 1: A toughest Um, I mean t spoon tea spoon was 726 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:03,920 Speaker 1: you know, used to get after it. She used to 727 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:06,600 Speaker 1: get after it. She used to get on the nerves. Yeah, 728 00:43:06,719 --> 00:43:14,680 Speaker 1: she's getting my nerves. Like but but I look forward 729 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 1: to it though, like you know, we we we had 730 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 1: battles like you know you're gonna get her best, and 731 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,080 Speaker 1: she knew she was gonna get my best. And that's 732 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:25,759 Speaker 1: when you know you you have last tea memories of 733 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: that because when you when you can look back on 734 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 1: it and say, she's the one that that gave you 735 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,480 Speaker 1: the most trouble. Those are memories because I don't remember 736 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: half of the people that I played against because they 737 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:42,640 Speaker 1: didn't they ever repressed me that much. Who you like 738 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 1: watching the day w n B A. I mean, let's 739 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 1: see my my my favorite all time w n B players, 740 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:53,120 Speaker 1: she's retired down to meet the catchings. Um, but I 741 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 1: like to I like to watch our you know, the 742 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:57,719 Speaker 1: kids that I coached, they they're growing women down. But 743 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:05,200 Speaker 1: Asia Ty Harris Um Elena coach, Kaylin Davis, Um, Tiffany Mitchell. 744 00:44:05,239 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 1: Like I I like to see are the ones that 745 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:12,400 Speaker 1: you know that suited up with with us every day. 746 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:14,920 Speaker 1: I like to see their growth and how they how 747 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:18,360 Speaker 1: they mature over the years. You got some cold guards 748 00:44:18,360 --> 00:44:24,360 Speaker 1: over there now too. We got some future w we do. 749 00:44:27,239 --> 00:44:31,120 Speaker 1: So you say you don't set many goals, Um, getting 750 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:34,200 Speaker 1: an Olympic gold was one of them. What was that moment? Actually? 751 00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:40,279 Speaker 1: Like once you want it, I mean I'm gonna give 752 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:43,399 Speaker 1: y'all story like once once, I like, once I got it, 753 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:48,560 Speaker 1: Like I mean, when I when I go back and 754 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:50,799 Speaker 1: look at I don't look at but you sometimes they 755 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:54,719 Speaker 1: show like little small snippets of us receiving our gold 756 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:57,800 Speaker 1: medal on different like the you know, Olympic channel and 757 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,760 Speaker 1: all of that, UM and ninet X. When they got 758 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,200 Speaker 1: to me and they were gonna put the gold medal 759 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:05,719 Speaker 1: around Monday, I told them to give me mine, like 760 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:08,319 Speaker 1: I said, give me mine, because that was you know, 761 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:11,080 Speaker 1: that was a lifelong dream. But I'm gonna tell you 762 00:45:11,120 --> 00:45:15,000 Speaker 1: after that, after that moment, I think I got a 763 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:19,200 Speaker 1: little depressed because when you when you achieved like a 764 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:25,160 Speaker 1: lifelong dream, it's like, well, what's next, Like, really, what's next? 765 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 1: I know that the A b L was next, but 766 00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:33,320 Speaker 1: something came over me like I wasn't motivated to do anything. Um, 767 00:45:33,360 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 1: and that was like the weirdest feeling that I've that 768 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:39,280 Speaker 1: I like it and it has never happened to me again. 769 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: That was the only time. But um, my coach UM 770 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:46,640 Speaker 1: in the A b L. Her name is Lisa Borts. 771 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 1: She actually is is our assistant, our associate head coach 772 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:53,400 Speaker 1: here South Carolina and she's been with me for the 773 00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:57,080 Speaker 1: past twenty years. Um, she was my my coach and 774 00:45:57,120 --> 00:45:59,759 Speaker 1: the A b L. She just gave me some time 775 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: off before training camp and that was the time off 776 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,799 Speaker 1: that I needed to kind of re rejuvenate and get 777 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:10,840 Speaker 1: myself ready to go back at it and play. You 778 00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:14,040 Speaker 1: gave your first gold medal to your mom? What was 779 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:17,160 Speaker 1: that experience? Like, I mean, you know, you know how 780 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:20,920 Speaker 1: special mothers are, Like you know, mothers are you know, 781 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:23,520 Speaker 1: ones that are there for you on the good, bad, 782 00:46:23,719 --> 00:46:27,480 Speaker 1: ugly days, and they're the most consistent people. I mean, 783 00:46:27,480 --> 00:46:29,399 Speaker 1: they're the ones that believe in you, they're the ones 784 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:33,440 Speaker 1: that humble you, they're the ones that um pay for 785 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:36,759 Speaker 1: the sneakers like she gotta wear their favorite codes like 786 00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:40,920 Speaker 1: and to be able to give my mother that tangible 787 00:46:41,480 --> 00:46:47,160 Speaker 1: gold medal, uh, it's priceless. It's it's priceless. And I 788 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:50,800 Speaker 1: know that. Um, I don't know. I mean she didn't 789 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: really want it. I mean she she she wanted me 790 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:57,759 Speaker 1: to have it, you know. But to be able to 791 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:01,600 Speaker 1: do that is you know, I mean board tearster eyes. 792 00:47:01,719 --> 00:47:07,000 Speaker 1: And there's nothing more than than gratifying and making your 793 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,960 Speaker 1: mother proud. M m. Not like it. Nothing in the 794 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:15,880 Speaker 1: world like it. Two thousand four, your unaniously chosen to 795 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:21,920 Speaker 1: carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremonies. Care from Philly. 796 00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:26,680 Speaker 1: What's that like? The go I mean, I'm gonna tell 797 00:47:26,719 --> 00:47:31,000 Speaker 1: you all the process of of how a flag bird 798 00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:34,759 Speaker 1: is voted in. And I was a part of the process. 799 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,080 Speaker 1: And the process is all the captives of all the 800 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:42,280 Speaker 1: teams at the Olympics. We come together in one room. 801 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:45,879 Speaker 1: And not to cut you off, like how many people 802 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:52,080 Speaker 1: is that? Yeah, it's about people, right, So we come together, 803 00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:56,799 Speaker 1: my my teammates and the men's team. They said, we 804 00:47:56,920 --> 00:48:03,600 Speaker 1: want you to nominate yourself, right, Yeah. So so I'm 805 00:48:03,640 --> 00:48:09,520 Speaker 1: in the room with people and everyone breathes in candidates 806 00:48:09,560 --> 00:48:12,640 Speaker 1: for flagburn. And then we had some other people on 807 00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:18,240 Speaker 1: the phone, and there's nobody in the room that's that's 808 00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 1: that's a candidate besides me and you. You actually have 809 00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:27,520 Speaker 1: to discuss each and every person. So and I'm talking 810 00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:31,520 Speaker 1: about people who have suffered, like they've come back from 811 00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:35,720 Speaker 1: career ending um injuries and to come back to compete 812 00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:39,640 Speaker 1: in the Olympic Games. I'm talking people have UM, they've 813 00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:44,000 Speaker 1: had cancer and they've beat cancer. And then and then 814 00:48:44,560 --> 00:48:46,120 Speaker 1: I had to get up in the room and speak 815 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:48,200 Speaker 1: in front of everybody. I basically just said and this 816 00:48:48,239 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: is what I said. I said this this is my 817 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:57,680 Speaker 1: third Olympic Games. I'm currently UM the coach at Temple University, 818 00:48:57,719 --> 00:49:00,279 Speaker 1: and I also playing the w n B A and 819 00:49:01,280 --> 00:49:04,920 Speaker 1: UM and I have a foundation to doing Staley Foundation 820 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:10,640 Speaker 1: and I serviced UH middle age girls in North Philly 821 00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:18,279 Speaker 1: and I'm undefeated and right, and then you hear the 822 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:21,120 Speaker 1: other candidates and you hear what they're about, and then 823 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 1: we say okay and signed the vote. So they take 824 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:28,160 Speaker 1: a vote for the top five and they come back 825 00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:30,080 Speaker 1: and they say they give us a list of the 826 00:49:30,120 --> 00:49:32,279 Speaker 1: top five and I was on it and I'm just 827 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:36,440 Speaker 1: like really like I didn't really compare to what was happening. 828 00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:38,680 Speaker 1: And then we said we take another vote for the 829 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:42,359 Speaker 1: top three, and it's it's happening this quick. And then 830 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,399 Speaker 1: I'm you know, I'm a part of the the list 831 00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:48,439 Speaker 1: of three, and I really like looking around the room 832 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:53,080 Speaker 1: like really like it's am I being pranked? And then 833 00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:56,000 Speaker 1: they we go back and we do another for the 834 00:49:56,080 --> 00:49:58,319 Speaker 1: for the fabbrary and they come back and they said 835 00:49:58,360 --> 00:50:02,600 Speaker 1: it's me. And honestly, I didn't really know the magnitude 836 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:04,839 Speaker 1: of it. And I had been a part of three 837 00:50:04,840 --> 00:50:09,279 Speaker 1: Olympic Games, and I you know, we as the basketball 838 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:13,320 Speaker 1: like it was the dream team, so we always going last, 839 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:16,880 Speaker 1: like when you when you're going into an Olympic ceremony, 840 00:50:16,960 --> 00:50:20,040 Speaker 1: like the opening ceremony, like all the other athletes go, 841 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:23,520 Speaker 1: and then for the protection of really the dream team, 842 00:50:23,600 --> 00:50:26,960 Speaker 1: we all and we're going last. So I never knew 843 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:30,000 Speaker 1: what the flag bearer was because we always went in last. 844 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:34,239 Speaker 1: Um And then our administrator she met me outside of 845 00:50:34,239 --> 00:50:37,880 Speaker 1: the room and I said, yeah, Carol, Carol Kalin, I 846 00:50:37,920 --> 00:50:40,200 Speaker 1: said they voted me and as the flag bear. She 847 00:50:40,280 --> 00:50:44,400 Speaker 1: was like and I was like, yeah, like so I'm like, 848 00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:46,960 Speaker 1: what now, Like she I said, they told me not 849 00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:51,279 Speaker 1: to tell anybody. She was like, let's let's get your 850 00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:53,880 Speaker 1: mom on the phone. Let's call your mom, right. So 851 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:56,480 Speaker 1: I actually told my mom, like if I didn't know 852 00:50:56,520 --> 00:50:58,440 Speaker 1: what it was, I know my mother didn't know what 853 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:02,000 Speaker 1: it was, but she would soon find out that being 854 00:51:02,040 --> 00:51:05,120 Speaker 1: the flag bearer means when they stayed the United States 855 00:51:05,120 --> 00:51:08,000 Speaker 1: of the Olympics, you know the United States, you're the 856 00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:12,359 Speaker 1: first one that walks in the stadium. But before that, 857 00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:16,400 Speaker 1: they said, listen, as flag bearer, you can't dip the flag. 858 00:51:17,320 --> 00:51:20,360 Speaker 1: You walk in the stadium with the smile, no matter 859 00:51:21,040 --> 00:51:24,719 Speaker 1: no matter how you're received, because you know, as as Americans, 860 00:51:24,719 --> 00:51:27,239 Speaker 1: you you can get booed, you can get hissed. You 861 00:51:27,280 --> 00:51:30,319 Speaker 1: don't even know how you're gonna be received. So I said, 862 00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:32,560 Speaker 1: I can hold it up. I can hold the flag up, 863 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:34,520 Speaker 1: and I can smile. I can do that part. I can. 864 00:51:34,560 --> 00:51:37,239 Speaker 1: I understand that assignment. I can. I can do that. 865 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:42,920 Speaker 1: But what I didn't know is when your sport is 866 00:51:42,960 --> 00:51:46,799 Speaker 1: the flag bearer, you get to come in first. So 867 00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:50,840 Speaker 1: the Dream Team he had changed the order up, and um, 868 00:51:51,239 --> 00:51:53,879 Speaker 1: it was the coolest thing. Though it was by far, 869 00:51:54,040 --> 00:51:57,839 Speaker 1: like I equated to like a royal wedding. When I 870 00:51:57,880 --> 00:52:01,120 Speaker 1: walked into that that that's that's eight. It was, it was, 871 00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:05,640 Speaker 1: it was incredible. Wow. I mean I've only we've never 872 00:52:05,640 --> 00:52:07,719 Speaker 1: had a conversation. I've only known you as a fan, 873 00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:09,319 Speaker 1: as a player, and as a coach. And then how 874 00:52:09,400 --> 00:52:12,279 Speaker 1: highly Stack speaks of you. But to to to hear 875 00:52:12,280 --> 00:52:15,839 Speaker 1: that you're voted the flag bear, to hear that there's 876 00:52:15,840 --> 00:52:18,040 Speaker 1: an award Dave after you, I mean, that speaks a 877 00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:20,640 Speaker 1: lot about who you are as a person. And there's 878 00:52:20,680 --> 00:52:23,040 Speaker 1: not too many solid people out here, so we always 879 00:52:23,080 --> 00:52:25,319 Speaker 1: want to just smoute the real ones here. So we 880 00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:27,279 Speaker 1: just wanted to shout you out real quick man for 881 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:31,520 Speaker 1: just being a solid individual and continuing to motivate not 882 00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:35,080 Speaker 1: just women but everyone in general through your actions, also 883 00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:37,279 Speaker 1: your word. The most important to me is actions and 884 00:52:37,280 --> 00:52:40,319 Speaker 1: and and and your actions speak very loudly. So we 885 00:52:40,320 --> 00:52:45,600 Speaker 1: want to commend you for that. Um any fun stories 886 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:48,240 Speaker 1: while you were there, your team with the guys, team, 887 00:52:48,320 --> 00:52:52,359 Speaker 1: just Olympics overall, Any crazy Olympic stories, funny stories, Yeah, 888 00:52:52,400 --> 00:52:54,799 Speaker 1: I actually got I got one like it and it 889 00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:57,920 Speaker 1: happened during like one of the one of the openest 890 00:52:57,920 --> 00:53:01,279 Speaker 1: ceremonies like when I wasn't a flag beard. But um, 891 00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:04,160 Speaker 1: again we're the last to come in. And you have 892 00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:07,520 Speaker 1: to understand when you're with the dream Team. It was 893 00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:09,880 Speaker 1: a dream team in what Scottie Scottie Pippen was on. 894 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:14,840 Speaker 1: So when we come into the stadium and we're the 895 00:53:14,920 --> 00:53:18,800 Speaker 1: last ones, and and when the when the opening ceremony 896 00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:25,000 Speaker 1: is over, like when it's over, and all chaos occurs 897 00:53:25,040 --> 00:53:27,400 Speaker 1: because all the other countries want to get pictures with 898 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:32,880 Speaker 1: the dream Team. Right, I got smashed, like I got small. 899 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:39,080 Speaker 1: I'm sure Scotti Pittman picks me up and it takes 900 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:45,680 Speaker 1: me the safety so we get swallowed up. So that 901 00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:49,080 Speaker 1: was that was That was a cool story to share 902 00:53:49,120 --> 00:53:51,600 Speaker 1: with you all. It was cool, Like, uh, let me 903 00:53:51,640 --> 00:53:54,000 Speaker 1: see what other stories that I that I got to share. 904 00:53:54,040 --> 00:53:57,960 Speaker 1: I actually got to see in two thousand, I got 905 00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:00,920 Speaker 1: to see one of um and the it's got a 906 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:07,640 Speaker 1: little dark cloud because um, what's her name, Marion Jones? Yeah, 907 00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:11,040 Speaker 1: I gotta yes to see her actually running the quarterfinals. 908 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:13,640 Speaker 1: I mean, we know what happened after that, but I 909 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:18,480 Speaker 1: witnessed that. I'm I'm a big boxing boxing fans, so 910 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:20,640 Speaker 1: I actually a ninety six. I got a chance to 911 00:54:20,680 --> 00:54:23,799 Speaker 1: see I don't know if y'all know, like David Reid 912 00:54:24,280 --> 00:54:27,080 Speaker 1: Easter from Philadelphia. You know, I got a chance to 913 00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:29,799 Speaker 1: see him him fight. He I don't think he had 914 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:32,920 Speaker 1: a strong pro career, but I got a chance to 915 00:54:32,920 --> 00:54:36,280 Speaker 1: see him fight. So is it cool? I always wondered 916 00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:38,480 Speaker 1: that you guys can conduct whatever as long it doesn't 917 00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:40,759 Speaker 1: conflict with your actual practice, schedule, games. But you guys 918 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:42,440 Speaker 1: can bounce around and see whatever you want to see. 919 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:45,920 Speaker 1: We you can get tickets to anything like well, I 920 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:49,000 Speaker 1: mean most we we all supported the men's team, but 921 00:54:49,440 --> 00:54:52,040 Speaker 1: I got track and field tickets are hard to get. 922 00:54:52,719 --> 00:54:55,319 Speaker 1: Um boxing tickets are a little bit easier to get. 923 00:54:55,880 --> 00:54:58,759 Speaker 1: Swimming is hard to get, but sometimes you get you know, 924 00:54:58,800 --> 00:55:00,880 Speaker 1: you can get lucky and get some but more times 925 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:03,120 Speaker 1: and now you you you get to see what you 926 00:55:03,160 --> 00:55:06,239 Speaker 1: can you know, whatever you want, what what event you 927 00:55:06,239 --> 00:55:08,920 Speaker 1: want to see? Podcasts? You're in the podcast game. Now 928 00:55:09,040 --> 00:55:10,360 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about that and why you 929 00:55:10,360 --> 00:55:13,120 Speaker 1: want to start with. Oh, y'all the first ones to 930 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:15,280 Speaker 1: know that, I mean y'all, the first one I haven't 931 00:55:15,160 --> 00:55:21,480 Speaker 1: it's un announced, Okay, we know everything about you announced 932 00:55:21,480 --> 00:55:24,239 Speaker 1: it all here then what you got. I'm not even 933 00:55:24,280 --> 00:55:26,439 Speaker 1: a talker, so I don't even know how I got 934 00:55:26,600 --> 00:55:31,520 Speaker 1: talked into doing a podcast, but um, the name of 935 00:55:31,560 --> 00:55:36,320 Speaker 1: the podcast is, uh, netlife with Don stealing. The netlife 936 00:55:36,400 --> 00:55:41,719 Speaker 1: is obviously you know some of the net symbolizes my basketball, 937 00:55:41,840 --> 00:55:45,719 Speaker 1: my life and and and I'm talking to people that, 938 00:55:46,640 --> 00:55:49,839 Speaker 1: uh that's not just basketball, it's pop culture. It is 939 00:55:50,440 --> 00:55:55,920 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's you sneaker head. I am. You know, 940 00:55:56,000 --> 00:55:59,560 Speaker 1: I don't really consider myself a sneaker head. You are, though, 941 00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:03,479 Speaker 1: I am? Yeah, I mean, you know how follow you? 942 00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:05,920 Speaker 1: You always posting some fly kicks? Are you sneak ahead? 943 00:56:07,600 --> 00:56:12,520 Speaker 1: I just like the ones that people can't get? Yeah, those, 944 00:56:12,760 --> 00:56:16,439 Speaker 1: I mean it's like it's like a competition. But then 945 00:56:16,440 --> 00:56:18,719 Speaker 1: when I posted you got you got the real steak 946 00:56:18,760 --> 00:56:25,480 Speaker 1: your head standing there take, they're jealous. So yeah, I'm 947 00:56:25,520 --> 00:56:28,800 Speaker 1: just talking to like I like, I like to figure 948 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:33,000 Speaker 1: out what makes the like successful people great, Like why 949 00:56:33,000 --> 00:56:35,760 Speaker 1: are they so great in their profession and their fields? 950 00:56:35,840 --> 00:56:40,799 Speaker 1: And and I just think I have a voice out 951 00:56:40,840 --> 00:56:44,359 Speaker 1: there for for women, and I want to put that 952 00:56:44,400 --> 00:56:48,640 Speaker 1: on full display because now it's times like like talking 953 00:56:48,920 --> 00:56:55,080 Speaker 1: makes me uncomfortable. But when you're uncomfortable. Growth is taking place, 954 00:56:55,120 --> 00:56:57,759 Speaker 1: So I always want to grow as a as an individual, 955 00:56:58,440 --> 00:57:01,000 Speaker 1: and I'm just gonna use this platform on them the 956 00:57:01,120 --> 00:57:04,560 Speaker 1: spread some good news. So if someone has you know, 957 00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:08,400 Speaker 1: if they're in the field or not, we know what 958 00:57:08,400 --> 00:57:13,160 Speaker 1: what what connects great people who are successful and I 959 00:57:13,200 --> 00:57:15,759 Speaker 1: want people to I want people to eat. I want 960 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:17,720 Speaker 1: people to be great at what they do. And if 961 00:57:18,160 --> 00:57:22,360 Speaker 1: if words from other people help, not mean giving the 962 00:57:22,400 --> 00:57:26,280 Speaker 1: platform to you know, to receive the information you You 963 00:57:26,680 --> 00:57:29,480 Speaker 1: also have something that money can buy, and that's experience. 964 00:57:29,600 --> 00:57:31,600 Speaker 1: Experience is the best teacher and a lot of times 965 00:57:31,640 --> 00:57:34,160 Speaker 1: that's all people want to hear. People access all the time. 966 00:57:34,280 --> 00:57:36,920 Speaker 1: Give us a story by when using the locker room 967 00:57:36,920 --> 00:57:38,760 Speaker 1: because people will never see those things, you know what 968 00:57:38,800 --> 00:57:41,240 Speaker 1: I'm saying. So experience is always the best teaching people. 969 00:57:41,600 --> 00:57:45,000 Speaker 1: People love that when it's all said and done. Six 970 00:57:45,040 --> 00:57:48,600 Speaker 1: time w NBA All Star, w NBA ten Anniversary Team 971 00:57:48,600 --> 00:57:51,720 Speaker 1: in two thousand six, w BA fifteen Anniversary Team in 972 00:57:51,720 --> 00:57:55,680 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven, Hall of Famer, and more accolades. What 973 00:57:55,720 --> 00:57:59,480 Speaker 1: are you most proud of? I'm most proud of being 974 00:57:59,520 --> 00:58:03,000 Speaker 1: the odds either because that's the some of that's the 975 00:58:03,120 --> 00:58:05,920 Speaker 1: some of it all, Like I mean, growing up in 976 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:09,439 Speaker 1: the projects. You you know, people looking from the outside looking, 977 00:58:09,480 --> 00:58:12,080 Speaker 1: then you're you're not supposed to mount to anything. You 978 00:58:12,120 --> 00:58:14,640 Speaker 1: know this the yeah, the odds are stacked against you. 979 00:58:14,720 --> 00:58:18,120 Speaker 1: So I beat the odds. And I'm trying to share 980 00:58:18,240 --> 00:58:21,200 Speaker 1: and and and and help out other people who just 981 00:58:21,280 --> 00:58:24,520 Speaker 1: need a little ray of hope. And you know, I 982 00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:27,160 Speaker 1: reached back like also just want to share it to 983 00:58:27,360 --> 00:58:30,080 Speaker 1: Like I went back. I went back to my neighbor 984 00:58:30,080 --> 00:58:32,160 Speaker 1: when we won a national championship, I went back to 985 00:58:32,240 --> 00:58:35,080 Speaker 1: my neighborhood. There's a rec center that I grew up playing. 986 00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:38,280 Speaker 1: I grew up playing and it was called the Moralin 987 00:58:38,400 --> 00:58:42,760 Speaker 1: Recreation Center that was renamed the Hank Gatherers Recreation Center. 988 00:58:43,240 --> 00:58:48,160 Speaker 1: So I went back there and gave them a national 989 00:58:48,280 --> 00:58:53,280 Speaker 1: championship replica trophy and a and a case and its 990 00:58:53,760 --> 00:58:57,800 Speaker 1: it lives there because that is you know, as as 991 00:58:57,840 --> 00:59:00,520 Speaker 1: any young person that walks through those doors, that's the hope, 992 00:59:01,080 --> 00:59:03,800 Speaker 1: that's the dream. That's just say hey, it's a tangible 993 00:59:03,840 --> 00:59:07,479 Speaker 1: thing to say, hey, you know that that hard work 994 00:59:07,560 --> 00:59:12,280 Speaker 1: and that hardware was was was was honed in these 995 00:59:12,320 --> 00:59:16,280 Speaker 1: in this gym on these rims in this place. So 996 00:59:16,280 --> 00:59:18,640 Speaker 1: so I just like to just just make sure that 997 00:59:18,720 --> 00:59:22,760 Speaker 1: people that people can come up, Like I am all 998 00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:26,800 Speaker 1: for people coming up and realizing their dreams and reaching 999 00:59:26,840 --> 00:59:30,400 Speaker 1: their full potential. That's what's up question real quick, Um, 1000 00:59:30,480 --> 00:59:33,600 Speaker 1: do you have any you mentioned Het Gathers twice. Do 1001 00:59:33,600 --> 00:59:35,800 Speaker 1: you have any hate gathering stories or just if not, 1002 00:59:35,960 --> 00:59:41,240 Speaker 1: stories how Philadelphia looked at him as a person. Yeah, well, 1003 00:59:41,280 --> 00:59:44,320 Speaker 1: I mean, Hank Gathers was was the epitome of like 1004 00:59:44,520 --> 00:59:48,480 Speaker 1: hard work. Like you look at him play, he's working 1005 00:59:48,520 --> 00:59:53,400 Speaker 1: harder than any other player. Um, you know his tragic death, 1006 00:59:54,280 --> 00:59:58,480 Speaker 1: he he couldn't work as hard as he normally worked, 1007 00:59:59,040 --> 01:00:03,400 Speaker 1: so he took less medicine. Yeah, so you know, he 1008 01:00:03,600 --> 01:00:06,000 Speaker 1: is the epitome of of of who we are as 1009 01:00:06,040 --> 01:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Philadelphia's and as we blue cloud of workers. We only 1010 01:00:10,040 --> 01:00:12,600 Speaker 1: he only wanted to make it to the league. You know, 1011 01:00:12,640 --> 01:00:14,240 Speaker 1: he was one of them that wanted to make it 1012 01:00:14,280 --> 01:00:17,320 Speaker 1: to the league for his family and that was cut short. 1013 01:00:17,840 --> 01:00:20,840 Speaker 1: And we don't know why things happen, but certainly his 1014 01:00:20,840 --> 01:00:24,960 Speaker 1: his legacy lives on and a lot of us, um, 1015 01:00:25,120 --> 01:00:29,680 Speaker 1: well we'll never will never forget him. Absolutely, Rest in peace, 1016 01:00:31,400 --> 01:00:35,800 Speaker 1: quick hitters. First thing to come to mind. Let it out. 1017 01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:39,200 Speaker 1: Top five greatest female athletes of all time? You're talking 1018 01:00:39,200 --> 01:00:46,080 Speaker 1: about good question. Yeah, Jackie joined the Kersey nice Um, Serena, 1019 01:00:47,040 --> 01:00:57,000 Speaker 1: Teresa Edwards, Flow, Joe, Hello, Joe. You know before Serena, 1020 01:00:57,200 --> 01:01:01,480 Speaker 1: Stephie Graff was one of my favorite I'm tennis. Yeah, 1021 01:01:03,960 --> 01:01:07,560 Speaker 1: you gotta know about Stephi grad What album can you 1022 01:01:07,600 --> 01:01:15,880 Speaker 1: listen to or repeat with no skips anything? Baby face? Okay? 1023 01:01:17,480 --> 01:01:19,680 Speaker 1: Is that how you were? Were you someone? Because I 1024 01:01:19,760 --> 01:01:22,200 Speaker 1: was I was mixed? But were you? Were you someone 1025 01:01:22,280 --> 01:01:25,440 Speaker 1: listened to like rap rap or you or or R 1026 01:01:25,520 --> 01:01:28,560 Speaker 1: and B. What did you listen to get I'm old 1027 01:01:28,560 --> 01:01:32,560 Speaker 1: school R and be in gospel like rap rap. I 1028 01:01:32,680 --> 01:01:42,760 Speaker 1: gotta listen to something I can I can actually understands. Yeah, 1029 01:01:43,360 --> 01:01:48,600 Speaker 1: so rap rap. Let me see. You know somebody told me, 1030 01:01:48,640 --> 01:01:52,520 Speaker 1: and I didn't notice, somebody told me, you know the 1031 01:01:52,640 --> 01:01:56,560 Speaker 1: Roots is from Philadelphia that they actually said my name 1032 01:01:56,560 --> 01:02:01,080 Speaker 1: in one of their songs. Actually, what's your calls father? 1033 01:02:01,200 --> 01:02:08,280 Speaker 1: What's his name? Porter? For the Nuggets? Michael Porter, Yes, 1034 01:02:08,760 --> 01:02:12,320 Speaker 1: junior senior, who was a coach at Missouri on the 1035 01:02:12,320 --> 01:02:14,640 Speaker 1: women's side at first before he went to the men's side. 1036 01:02:14,640 --> 01:02:16,919 Speaker 1: When his son you know went to Missouri. He told 1037 01:02:16,920 --> 01:02:21,080 Speaker 1: me that, okay, small world, what's up? I gotta go. 1038 01:02:21,120 --> 01:02:23,120 Speaker 1: I gotta go find that song. See what she's talking about? 1039 01:02:24,600 --> 01:02:28,760 Speaker 1: Court side to relieve, relieve any game in history? Which 1040 01:02:29,120 --> 01:02:32,720 Speaker 1: one would it be? NBA? No, it could be any 1041 01:02:32,840 --> 01:02:41,919 Speaker 1: any game, a game in history, any game? Oh six 1042 01:02:42,120 --> 01:02:52,200 Speaker 1: is eight? Three championships court side, court side? Dr cheeks Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, 1043 01:02:52,360 --> 01:02:58,760 Speaker 1: silent five dinner guests dead or alive. Okay, it's a 1044 01:02:58,800 --> 01:03:07,880 Speaker 1: good one. Um um oprah Oprah would take up the 1045 01:03:07,880 --> 01:03:18,560 Speaker 1: whole conversation though, um Princess Diana, Oh yep, um uh 1046 01:03:18,720 --> 01:03:24,720 Speaker 1: barack mm hmm mm hmmm. Yeah, you guys stunning at 1047 01:03:24,720 --> 01:03:29,720 Speaker 1: me with this one. Uh dead or live? My mom? 1048 01:03:30,560 --> 01:03:35,960 Speaker 1: M hmm, nice mom. And you know I'm gonna I'm 1049 01:03:35,960 --> 01:03:39,240 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna go a little younger. I've met her before, though, 1050 01:03:39,280 --> 01:03:41,080 Speaker 1: so I'm not gonna say I was gonna say Serena. 1051 01:03:41,560 --> 01:03:44,040 Speaker 1: But I met Serena before she was young then, and 1052 01:03:44,160 --> 01:03:48,560 Speaker 1: I met at the Olympic Games. I'm gonna say, I'm 1053 01:03:48,600 --> 01:03:56,040 Speaker 1: gonna bring Kobe back. If you can see any guests 1054 01:03:56,080 --> 01:03:58,360 Speaker 1: I have any guests on all the smoke, who would 1055 01:03:58,400 --> 01:04:00,840 Speaker 1: it be? But before you answer the question, you have 1056 01:04:01,000 --> 01:04:05,200 Speaker 1: to help us get your answer on our show. Then 1057 01:04:05,240 --> 01:04:07,080 Speaker 1: I set a set up. It's a whole set up. 1058 01:04:07,120 --> 01:04:11,240 Speaker 1: I just get you said. Any guests, Yeah, whatever you want. 1059 01:04:11,560 --> 01:04:13,560 Speaker 1: Who do you want to see on the show. Yeah, 1060 01:04:13,640 --> 01:04:27,400 Speaker 1: go get Serena, Tiger Woods, both of them, both of them. Well. Oh, 1061 01:04:27,600 --> 01:04:31,200 Speaker 1: our our our research team find us called Dundee is 1062 01:04:31,240 --> 01:04:35,080 Speaker 1: the name the song you're on by the Roots? Okay 1063 01:04:35,480 --> 01:04:41,400 Speaker 1: Dundee Dundee? Alright, yeah, so check that out. And I 1064 01:04:41,520 --> 01:04:44,040 Speaker 1: never heard it. I confided, he didn't, he didn't know 1065 01:04:44,120 --> 01:04:48,400 Speaker 1: the song. We just said it again. Shout out your 1066 01:04:48,440 --> 01:04:53,160 Speaker 1: podcast net Life featuring yourself on Just Women's Sports. When 1067 01:04:53,240 --> 01:04:57,280 Speaker 1: will that? When you guys dropping, we're dropping, We're dropping. 1068 01:04:58,600 --> 01:05:03,960 Speaker 1: I believe next week you need us let us know 1069 01:05:05,480 --> 01:05:08,240 Speaker 1: down always down. Well, thank you very much for your time. 1070 01:05:08,320 --> 01:05:13,280 Speaker 1: Congratulations at the accolades, coaching man a role model again 1071 01:05:13,360 --> 01:05:16,120 Speaker 1: to not just women, with people in general. We'll be 1072 01:05:16,240 --> 01:05:18,800 Speaker 1: checking for you, guys, and thank you for your time. Dog. 1073 01:05:19,600 --> 01:05:21,520 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, and thank you for all for 1074 01:05:21,640 --> 01:05:25,520 Speaker 1: giving women a platform and the and and what many 1075 01:05:25,640 --> 01:05:28,640 Speaker 1: may seem is all male space, but so I appreciate 1076 01:05:28,680 --> 01:05:35,200 Speaker 1: you all, fellers. Thank you Check this out on Showtime Basketball, YouTube, 1077 01:05:35,200 --> 01:05:37,919 Speaker 1: and the I Heart platform Black Effects. We'll see y'all 1078 01:05:37,960 --> 01:05:42,400 Speaker 1: next week. This is all a Smoke, a production of 1079 01:05:42,480 --> 01:05:45,320 Speaker 1: The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio in partnership with 1080 01:05:45,400 --> 01:05:45,880 Speaker 1: Showtime