1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: I wanted equal pay like I wanted. I wanted equal 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: pay and I never backed down from it because, um, 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: here I am. I'm writing letters. Um I'm reading letters 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: to say to speak on all the inequities that happened 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: at in San Antonio at the n C Double A Tournament. 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: Like you know, I got it out. I had to 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: get it off my chest and then I had to, 8 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: you know, just move on and focus on our team. 9 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: And then it stayed with me when we got back, 10 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: like I am I gonna be out here politicking and 11 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: fighting for equality nationally, and then we we don't. I 12 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: don't even have it here. It's now and it's not 13 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: been you know, discussion about it. So then I'm like, hell, 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: I'm going for it. Like for I'm like, I'm going 15 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: for it, Like this is what I was cashing in. Y'all. 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: We're talking about don Staley and her historic deal making 17 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: her the highest paid coach and women's college basketball. I'm 18 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: happy for She's joining us next on Naked Every Champion 19 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: and carry Champions to be a champion, the Champion and 20 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: carry Champion and carry Champion the Champion and carry Champion 21 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: and carry CHAPPI Raiers Raiders and Sports and entertainment can 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: naked weird in the world with vulnerable considered, we come 23 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: and remove the vail from entertainment elite. It's a difference 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: between with it's real and with the public seats. So 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: here's your favorite celebrities behind the scenes. It's refreshing up. 26 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: Then the whole story specific life ought to rend events 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: to shake the person that you hear. We gotta champion. 28 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: They carry champion, the girl you did it. It's the 29 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: greatest in sports and entertainment. Cannaked with every champion and 30 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: carry champions. To be a champion, the champion, they carry champion. 31 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: They girl champy down the champion. They carry champion and 32 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: carry champion. Raiders free and sports and entertainment and they Hey, 33 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to have Don Staley on UM. I 34 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: told you she was cashing in, uh well deserved. By 35 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: way of background, Don Staley from Philly, and she was 36 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: very clear. Some people try to say that from Philly 37 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: and a from Philly, you gotta check the area. Coach. 38 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: She'll get into that because she's from Philly and she's 39 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: unapologetic about whom she is or how she moves. And 40 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: I love that about her. Just recently, you may have 41 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: read that she signed a huge deal with the University 42 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: of South Carolina as the head women's basketball coach. She 43 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: is now looking at a historic contract seven years, two 44 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: point four million dollars, making about a little a little 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: under three million a year. That's two point nine It 46 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: was a huge pay day for her, putting her up 47 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: there with the big boys, and it's well deserved. She's 48 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: already won a chip there. But she's a four time Olympian, 49 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: She's a hard worker, and she really does defined to 50 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: me what it means to be a coach. Don Staley says, 51 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: I meet my players where they are, and from that 52 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: moment on, I hate them to where they want to go. 53 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: She said she was taught that way when she was 54 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: playing college basketball at the University of Virginia, and she 55 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 1: wanted to be um similar to who raised her, if 56 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: you will, and I respect that because you see, there 57 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: are people in your life oftentimes who really make a 58 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: huge impact. And for her it was her basketball coach 59 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: and all done ever wanted to do. And she'll tell 60 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: you this on the podcast is Just play Ball. At 61 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: the time in which she graduated from college, there was 62 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: no w N b a so don I want to 63 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: go work at a retail store. Can you imagine loving 64 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: something so much? But there is no way you can 65 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: do what you love because there's no professional league. And 66 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: I think we take the w NBA for granted now 67 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: because we didn't realize that it's only been around for 68 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: twenty five years, like there was a life in which 69 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: there was no women's basketball. If you love this, good 70 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: for you? How do you stay in the game. You'd 71 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: be a coach. You may be able to play overseas, 72 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: you work hard to be an Olympian, but that is it. Well, 73 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: she's done all of the above. She played overseas, she's 74 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: a four time Olympian, and she is now arguably the 75 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: highest paid coach in women's college basketball. And I am impressed. 76 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: Her story is impressive. I am impressed, and her story 77 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: is impressive. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this edition y'all 78 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: of Naked with South Carolina's Don Staying and carp and 79 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: I have so many, so much to congratulate you on 80 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: and just I'm personally just happy that you're here. Um 81 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: from Afar. I you know, while working at ESPN and 82 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: covering sports, I just always admired everything about who you are. 83 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: So I've always had a hardcore crush like she's but 84 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: you seem like you no nonsense. I was like, goofy, 85 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: asked if I met her, she'd be like, all right, 86 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: coming down, you know what I mean? So welcome to Naked, 87 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: where we talk about any and everything, and the goal 88 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: is is just to find out how these extraordinary people 89 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: become so extraordinary. But usually they don't know that they're extraordinary. 90 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: They're just real humble. So I'm reading about you and 91 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 1: how you grew up um Philly. Take me there. Tell 92 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: me about a young Don Stalely before she ran the world. Philly, 93 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: specifically North Philly. Like, when you're from Philly, to be clear, 94 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: you gotta be clear where you're from because everyone that 95 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: says they're from Philly don't have a two one five 96 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: or two six seven in front of their phone number. 97 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: So if you got something other than that, then you're 98 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: from outside of Philly. But I'm from North Philly. I 99 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: grew up in the in the housing projects called the 100 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 1: Raymond Rosen Housing Projects. And if I can give you 101 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: a visual, it is um row homes that are in 102 00:05:55,200 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: this circular form uh within within the row homes is 103 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: a big field. I mean it's a huge field that 104 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: had a basketball court, a baseball court, and a baseball field, 105 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: a softball field. Um. And then we made we made 106 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: a track just with like sometimes it was chalk, sometimes 107 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: it was you know, borrow paint. Um. But if you 108 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: can imagine, we just had a a project Olympics because 109 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: we had all this this space. Um. We didn't always 110 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: have all the equipment to um to actually play all 111 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: the sports, but we made it work. UM. I grew 112 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: up in the household of it was seven of us, 113 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: you know, I had had a mom and dad and 114 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: for my older siblings, I'm the youngest. UM. And if 115 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: you've grown up in the projects, there's a thing called 116 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: hand me downs. You know, the everything, the clothes, Um, 117 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: it's hand me down, and very very often you you 118 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: don't get your own clothes, you don't get your something 119 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: that you call your own. You're sharing the room with 120 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: I shared the room with my sister, My three brothers 121 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: shared the room. My parents had a room and that 122 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: was it. And then we fought, uh to get to 123 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: the bathroom. Um. You got brothers who and we didn't 124 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: have a shower back then. We had to take a bath. 125 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: Like it wasn't like it was a bath. You gotta 126 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: run the water, you know, in the projects, you run 127 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: out of hot water, so you try to fight to 128 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: get the first be the first one to take a bath. Um. 129 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: So it was very very remember sometimes right right, So 130 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: it was it was super competitive. Um. All of my 131 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: siblings except my sister could play a sport. So it 132 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: was it was a knockout, dragout. But all the sports 133 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: for us started inside our house. Like, um, we had 134 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: this in the projects. You had a you know the event, 135 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: you know, the the growing up in the project. You 136 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: had good heat though you had like great you had 137 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: to turn the heat off in the winter because it 138 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: was that hot. But we used to ball up alumni 139 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: foil and we would shoot jumpers on it was a 140 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: little lip. It was probably i would say no more 141 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: than three inches from why and probably three inches from 142 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: the ceiling, and we would shoot jumpers on it. We 143 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: would dunking each other, you know, you would you would 144 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: cut your you know, your fingers trying to dunk on 145 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: your your sibling. But I would say it was just 146 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: a an incredible, super competitive um household that once you 147 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: went outside of our household. Uh, it was easy for 148 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: you to just compete with anybody that was um within 149 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: the confines of of our neighborhood. M hm. So you 150 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 1: grow up being a competitor. Everyone knows you are a 151 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: die hard competitor. It starts in the household. That's that, 152 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: there's the essence of who you are. Um, and everyone, 153 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: I think not everyone, but they mentioned height. They always 154 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: talk about height, and despite being this tall, she was 155 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: able to do that. When people say that, or when 156 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 1: they said that when you were younger, how how did 157 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: that make you feel? Um? I mean, obviously I I 158 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:41,199 Speaker 1: wasn't always short like I mean, I forgot. I was 159 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: average height when I was growing up, and then everybody 160 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: else sprung up, you know, as as they got older. 161 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: I was the only one that pretty much stayed the 162 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: same height. So, you know, as I'm growing up and 163 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: as I'm staying at the same height, they did say that. 164 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: They did say, you know you you can't play for 165 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: for us. It was the big boy court, like, it 166 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: was the big guys playing, the top neighborhood guys playing 167 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: on the court. So they they the gout. The the 168 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 1: big guys thought of me as just a little girl. 169 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: Like this is too rough for you. You know you 170 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: you won't be able to play with us. Maybe you 171 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: could play stick around and play after Um. So the 172 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: height thing that didn't bother me. It was the fact 173 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: that they said, um, I couldn't play on the big 174 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: boy court. Um, because they looked at me like the 175 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: little girl. UM. But if you looked inside, I was 176 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: super competitive. I was you know, I was tough. Like 177 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: there wasn't anything that you couldn't do to me on 178 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: a basketball court that would shake my equilibrium. Nothing like 179 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: you you can set a hard pick, I'll set a 180 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: hard pick on you. Um, you can trip me, you can. 181 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: As long as it was in a of finds of 182 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: the court, I didn't really feel any pain. It was 183 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: just it was just what we do in the projects. 184 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: It was just how we played in the projects. So 185 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: the height wasn't I didn't look at my height as 186 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: a disadvantage. I looked at the fact that maybe my 187 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: skill set didn't didn't stack up to playing on the 188 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: big court, big boy court. It was it was never. 189 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: It was never like I was too short. It was 190 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: more of you know, I took it as and maybe 191 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: I just blocked it out because I didn't want it 192 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: to be because of my height, because I couldn't do 193 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: anything about my height, but I surely could home my 194 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: skills to pass, be a better passer, to be a 195 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: better shooter, to be a better decision maker. And that's 196 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: what I concentrated on until you know that that blessed 197 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 1: up day to where I wanted the first people that 198 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: they picked to play on the big boy court. Yeah, yeah, okay, 199 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: I love it. So I was gonna ask had so 200 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: many questions from that. What are the ingredients to be 201 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: so fearless that you have? Is that a mixture of 202 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: growing up? Is that is how you what your parents 203 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: taught you, what you saw your neighborhood. What makes you 204 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: so fearless? Also where you have no awareness of pain, 205 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: like not nothing bothered you. Um, I mean I'm the 206 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: youngest of five, Um, so I I used to fight 207 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: my older brothers. My oldest brother who we share birthday, 208 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: I can't have anything to myself. Um he's eight years 209 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:43,839 Speaker 1: older than me. Um, My recently deceased brother was seven 210 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: years older than me, My sisters six years older than me. 211 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 1: And then I got another brother that's two years older 212 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: than me. So I had the most difficult time with 213 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: my oldest brother, who we all considered a bully. He 214 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: was a bully before bullying was popular. He was a 215 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: bully like forty five years ago. Um right, So there 216 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: wasn't even a name for that back then. Besides being 217 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: an older sibling that tried that tried to um. I mean, 218 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: he just tried to dish out chores. I mean things 219 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: that my my mom told him to do. He tried 220 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: to I know that, Yeah, no, I'm not doing this. 221 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: So he would try to make me do it, and 222 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: I'm just like, no, I'm not doing it. I don't 223 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: you can. We called it muggy like. He would take 224 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: my take his hand and kind of push my face 225 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: back and mug me. He would do all these things 226 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: to me, But I still I wasn't going to clean 227 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: the bathroom because that's your job. So I think I 228 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: got my toughness from being in a house hold full 229 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: of testosterone and and and a and a bully mentality 230 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: and my and my older brother. And I just think 231 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: that that's helped me be fearless. It helped me when 232 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: I got out side of my home that I've already 233 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: seen the worst of the worst in my household. So 234 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: you know, anybody else is not gonna do anything that's 235 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: gonna hurt me. You're gonna hurt my feelings, You're not 236 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: gonna physically hurt me because I can. I can take 237 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: you know, I can take pain. You you know, one thing. 238 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: And growing up in in Philly, um, we we see crying, 239 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: complaining as a weakness and people will take advantage of 240 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: that very thing if they feel like they can get 241 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: under your skin and they can want up you in 242 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: some type of way. And I just felt like, you know, 243 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: it prepared me for whatever life through at me. And 244 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: I think it helped me just mentally be stronger because 245 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: physically you can't hurt um. But if if your mind 246 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: is stronger than that pain, then it's just pain and 247 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: nothing else besides pain, and pain is temporary. Every every athlete, 248 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: every every coulch, every person I talked to, it's always 249 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: the same thing. You gotta have amnesia. You gotta be 250 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: mentally tough. That that that that accounts for so much 251 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: of whatever sport you're in the game. When you take 252 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: this mentality to college, you go in and you have 253 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: this reputation of being who you are and and and 254 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: good at what you do, Um, what adjustments do you 255 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: think you have to make? And I'm not even talking 256 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: about on the court. I'm just talking about it in life, 257 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: dealing with other people more at tension than you've ever had, 258 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: perhaps a different environment in terms of interacting with folks 259 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: because they know you're special. I would say that mentality 260 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: doesn't always work in every you know, in every arena, 261 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: so to speak. You know, I went, I went to 262 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: probably wanted to, you know, the whitest, most privileged universes. 263 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: You did, So that's something like, so, how you going there? 264 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: You up? I'm from North Philly turned seven? Yes, so so, 265 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: And I didn't know. I didn't know I was. I 266 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: was me like, you know, if you're from Philly, you're 267 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: gonna be you more times than not. People are gonna 268 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: have to pivot and adjust to you versus you to them. Um. 269 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: And especially when you know, for me, when it came 270 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: to sports, Um, I was known for that. But I 271 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: didn't know there was a world outside of sports. Really, 272 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: I didn't like, I didn't know, like I don't want 273 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: back then, I didn't even like talking to people like, 274 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: I didn't I was shy. Um. I expressed myself through 275 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: playing sports. But I'm gonna I'm gonna be honest with you. 276 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: I found myself an academic um trouble my first year 277 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: at Virginia. And when you aren't good at something, you 278 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: invite other people into your life that you don't necessarily 279 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: want in your life. It's extra. Conversations for me is extra. 280 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna just say it's you know, this is 281 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: what the dean told me. Because I had to sit 282 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 1: down and talk to the dean, I had to you know, 283 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: I didn't know anything. I didn't give her eye contact, 284 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: I didn't um, you know, I didn't you know, pronounce 285 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: my words. I was very, very uncomfortable. You're having a 286 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: conversation with the dean of a of a school that's 287 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: gonna determine whether or not I get to stay or 288 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: or leave. So I wasn't savvy enough and I wasn't 289 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: sophisticated enough to know. So I did what I would 290 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 1: normally do, is I shut down, and you know, and 291 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: I'm like, do what you gotta do, what you gotta do, 292 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: um and I and I look back on that and 293 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: I'm just like, that was the wrong thing to do. 294 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: But chief said, she said, you know, she said sometimes 295 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to conform to your environment. And maybe 296 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't know what that were meant at 297 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: the time because I was just like, you know, I 298 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not kissing anybody's ass. You know this, 299 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 1: This is who I am. I mean, I'm just dumb. 300 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: I mean really just ain't aware of nothing. But I'm Philly. 301 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: I'm North Philly. What what you mean? I gotta conform. 302 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna bow down to anybody. I'm gonna beat me. 303 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be This was in my bubble because I 304 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: really wasn't saying this. It was you could tell by 305 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: the look of my face that I'm just like um. 306 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: But when when you're talking about separating like me from 307 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,439 Speaker 1: the very thing that I love, which is basketball, um, 308 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 1: you learn, you learn to grow up a little bit quicker. UM. 309 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: I was grateful to have a coach to explain that 310 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: part to me and help me understand how to deal 311 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: in those type of situations. So DeBie Ryan had to 312 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: go back to the Dean and just basically give some 313 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: background or who I am as a person and and 314 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: how I operate. Um, Because if if you don't have 315 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: that person, it's a you know it's a Debbie was 316 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: like a sponsor to me. She was a sponsor. UM 317 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: one that is was well respected, um on on the 318 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: grounds we call them grounds, we don't say campus on grounds. 319 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: She's well respected, and UM if she wasn't, then I 320 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: would have been, you know, one of those statistics that 321 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: had to leave u v A and go on and 322 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: somewhere else and start over. And UM, who knows if 323 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: that would have been the thing that develed me from 324 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 1: um being successful in my life. UM. But you do 325 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: have to conform. You do have to learn, you have 326 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: to learn how to of it. You you you have to 327 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: you know, you gotta do things for your own good. 328 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: You gotta get out of your way so you can 329 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 1: so you can be successful. And those interactions at u 330 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: v A really helped me, probably more so in my 331 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: This is my twenty second year coaching, but those first 332 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: eight those are the kinds of pivoting that I've had 333 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 1: to do, uh with my players to have a really 334 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: good understanding of what their needs are. And I have 335 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: to be a good resource for them because somebody was 336 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: just that for me. Did you realize, see there's a 337 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: difference between and and there's so many buzzwords now everyone 338 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: uses awareness and self care and all the other words 339 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: that you be here. Did you realize while you were 340 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: at u v A that coach was doing that for you, 341 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: that she was helping you learn to conform and pivot. 342 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: You understand that that was going to be necessary for 343 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: you to succeed? Then not now? Then no, no, I 344 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: mean because a lot of that happened, um out of earshot, um. 345 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,239 Speaker 1: But but for me, I'm smart enough to just know 346 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: that my performance in front of that dean was not 347 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: what did not put me in the position of um 348 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: giving me a second chance. So something had to happen 349 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: in order for me to be where I am, and 350 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: all of my communications were we're with my coach. So 351 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 1: I just put two and two together that Hey, this 352 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 1: is this is DEBI working. This isn't this isn't me, 353 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: This isn't you know, being a star basketball player. This 354 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: is an adult who really understands the big picture and 355 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: and someone that knows that if you take basketball away 356 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: from this this young lady, um, she's going back to 357 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: the projects. Um, and we we really don't want herds. 358 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: We don't want that outcome. That's beautiful. I'm writing it down. 359 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: That's beautiful. How do you feel about coach now? I 360 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: love I love Debbie Ryan. I love like Debbie Ryan 361 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: was a coach. Who Um, I mean I I was 362 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: pretty special coming out of high school. Like I was, 363 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: I was a good player. Um. But when you when 364 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: you coach a good player, you can you can coach 365 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: that player with handcuffs on. You can, you know you can. 366 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: You can give a short leash and just let in 367 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: my case, just let her go just a little bit 368 00:22:56,080 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: and pull her back, or you take all of her. 369 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: You let her be creative, and then you teach her 370 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: as she's making mistakes along the way. Um, and then 371 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: you allow her to figure it out. And I call 372 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: that meeting me where I was, to take me where 373 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 1: I need to go. And that's who I am as 374 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: a coach. That's that's if if I had to put 375 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: that in a nutshell is I'm really good at meeting 376 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: people where they are. I don't try to change them, 377 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: I don't try to know. I meet you where you 378 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: are and I help you with where you're trying to go. 379 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 1: And that that takes communication. I gotta know where you 380 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 1: want to go your words, not my words, your words. 381 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: So if you want to go to the league, if 382 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,120 Speaker 1: you wanna, if you want to be a doctor, um, 383 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 1: if you want to be a coach, I'm gonna meet 384 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: you where you are and I'm gonna guide you through 385 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: what the pitfalls of life, UM, and I'm gonna embrace 386 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: you through the you know, the good times. I mean 387 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: it is you know, pushing and pulling. It is UM 388 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: getting young people to realize the big picture, because sometimes 389 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: they lose sight of that, and then sometimes they're only 390 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: focused on the big picture that they lose sight of 391 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: the the details that's needed in front of them. The 392 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: way you describe that visually for me, meeting people where 393 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: they are pitfalls, ups and downs, but meeting them where 394 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: they are and taking them where they want to be 395 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: very much illustrates what I think your career was, right, 396 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: because there was no w n b A when you 397 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: when you graduated and you played overseas and then you 398 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,239 Speaker 1: joined the league. The w n b A was yere one, right? 399 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: Am I wrong? Do I have the document? Three? You're three? 400 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: H How would you describe that time? Because basketball was 401 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: all you know? You said you loved it so much, 402 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: so you were playing any any and everywhere. How would 403 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 1: you describe that time for you when there wasn't quote 404 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 1: unquote a profession no option here in the States? Right? Hard? 405 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: That was? That was probably the hardest. And you have 406 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: to you have to think in when I graduated from Virginia, 407 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: I was college player of the year, UM. When UM. 408 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: During that same year, Larry Johnson Grandmama was was the 409 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: college play of the year. He signed an eighty million 410 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: dollar contract. I signed And it wasn't right. It wasn't 411 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: right after college like basketball season that started probably in September. 412 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: So I'm home. I'm home with a with a retail job, 413 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: and I wasn't very good at it, Like I wasn't 414 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: like some things are meant for people and some things 415 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: aren't me. Working in retail was not for me because 416 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: I didn't like to interact with people. I didn't like 417 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: to talk to people. So we had customers, I would go, 418 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: I would go far away from them, and I love 419 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 1: folding clothes. I would I would I would fold close. 420 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: I would just make myself busy. Um. And then probably 421 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:15,360 Speaker 1: six weeks after that season started, I had to replace 422 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: a guard in Segovia, Spain. So I signed a thirty 423 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: five thousand dollar contract the goal play in Segovia, Spain. 424 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: And when I got there, I mean, I was happy 425 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: obviously to do the thing that I love. But when 426 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: I got there, it was a lot different than college, 427 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: because college, you know, your day is pretty much you know, uh, 428 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: schedules for you, um what overseas you you practice maybe 429 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 1: once or twice a day, and then you know you're 430 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: on your own. And I've never been like on my 431 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: own like that, having a fend for myself, having to 432 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: go to the grocery store and buy food to cook. Um. 433 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 1: And then the basketball wasn't but I was anticipating. I 434 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 1: was thought I was going to the pros. So there 435 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: were certain things that will already be in place, and 436 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,239 Speaker 1: I was gonna be in the place of continuing to 437 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: learn um. But it was a lot different back then 438 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: because if you were the American or the foreigner, you 439 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: were expected to score, you know, fifty fifty points, and 440 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: if you didn't win and you didn't score those points, 441 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: they really put the blame on you. They don't mind 442 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: saying it's your fault. This is what we're paying you 443 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: to come here to help us win. So it was 444 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: and it was like imitating. It was like imitating the 445 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:46,680 Speaker 1: the NBA, And I was just used to playing basketball 446 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: as like you know, in college, you're playing as a team, 447 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: you're moving the ball with you. You know, everybody gets 448 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: to touch the ball when it was the direct opposite, 449 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: like you put the ball into the super superstars hands 450 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: and you you gotta you gotta perform magic. Um. But 451 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: I was super happy that I had an outlet to 452 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: continue to play. So, I mean, I lived out of 453 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 1: a suitcase. But I surely just and enjoyed playing. Um, 454 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,479 Speaker 1: I didn't enjoy because back then you didn't have you know, 455 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: you didn't have WiFi, you had a land line. So 456 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: my people, yeah, so my my, my telephone bills were 457 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: like two grando months back. Your check, your check, yeah, yes, 458 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: all my money goes through my phone. Yeah, I get it. Yea. 459 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: On the other side of the break, we hear more 460 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: from don Staley and how she was able to do 461 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: all these wonderful things that she just says so dismissively, 462 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: like it's not a big deal, but she's a superstar. 463 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: But more importantly, eat him. In the every champion and 464 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: carry champion has to be a champion, a champion and 465 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: carry chappion and carry champion, a champion and carry chappion 466 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: and carry Chappion sports. And then the Taming can naked work. 467 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: Every champion and carry chappion is to be a champion, 468 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: a champion, they carry champion, they champion, they carry Champion, 469 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: they carry Champion sports, and the the Taming can naked war. 470 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: All right, you guys, we talked about it, Don Staley 471 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: giving us that truth with an app are naked. Here's more. 472 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: But first of all, you go from because I think 473 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: people who are listening can't understand, you go from being 474 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: the number one college player in that same year, your 475 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: male counterpart town signs an eight million dollar deal and 476 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: you folting clothes, and then you go overseas because that's 477 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: the only way where you can at least do what 478 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: you love. UM and your homesick and they're all these 479 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: other options is to love hate relationship, to do what 480 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 1: you have to do. You imagine if I had to 481 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: pick up and leave and move to another country so 482 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: I could just do what I gotta do, which to 483 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: me is mind blowing now like the thought of that, 484 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: but it also talks about your commitment. Walk me through 485 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: how you decided to be in the w n B 486 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: A or ended up playing in the w n B 487 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: A and leaving overseas and what that experience was like. Well, 488 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: the main reason why I went overseas was because I 489 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: wanted to be an Olympian UM. And when I tried 490 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: out for the Olympic team, I got cut um and 491 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: the two things that they said, Well, the reasons why 492 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: I got cut was one, I was too short, and 493 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: there's that short thing again. And I didn't have enough 494 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: international experience. So that's why I went overseas to play 495 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: to get myself ready for the that next Olympic Games, 496 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: which was ninety six. So I'm in overseason in ninety two, 497 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: ninety three, and ninety four and then that that following year, 498 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: like I went ninety four to ninety five, but I 499 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: came home a little bit early because I was a 500 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: little banged up over there and I wanted to just 501 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 1: kind of heal up so I can participate in the 502 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: Olympic trials. Um. So it is I mean, you you 503 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: have to be committed if you have goals, and you 504 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: have to understand. When I was growing up in the projects, 505 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: only saw women playing in two events. One was the 506 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: national championship. So I wanted to be a national champion 507 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: and two was in the Olympics, so I wanted to 508 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: be an Olympian and the gold medalist. So those were 509 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 1: and I didn't even think about a w n B 510 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: A I mean, and I knew the NBA was out, 511 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: So yeah, those two things just held my tension and 512 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: they made me super committed to that. And little did 513 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: I know, just from being involved in the nineties Olympic team, 514 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 1: two two women's basketball pro leagues, we're gonna be birthed 515 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: out of our experience, UM I had. I chose to 516 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: stay with the a b L because all of us 517 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: UM didn't know that there was gonna be a w 518 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: NBA league. So we committed to playing in the a 519 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: b L. So I did that for two years and 520 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: then I just felt like my body wouldn't be able 521 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: to take me playing year round like doing the traditional 522 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 1: basketball season. So I decided after two years to take 523 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: my talents to the w n B A uh, and 524 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: there we were talking victory. I we did a uh 525 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: think about the year of the the Olympic, year of 526 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: the woman I thought was and we did this whole 527 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 1: talk about all the different things that came from the Olympics. 528 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: And you're speaking of that now, um, And how would 529 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: you know? You wouldn't know, but you still have had 530 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: the opportunity to do both. I I feel like the 531 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: w n B A then versus now has has changed dramatically. Um. 532 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 1: I feel like this year, you give me your take 533 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: on it. This year there was more buzz around the finals, 534 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: I believe than ever before. More people are paying attention 535 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: where you know, the marketing feels better, it feels like 536 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: there is some value there. How would you view the 537 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 1: league when you play to now? Well, when I play, 538 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: the league was just you know, three years old, three too. 539 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: I think I played five or six years so three 540 00:33:55,280 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: to nine, it was under ten years old. Um. But 541 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: and I and I thought I thought it was talent field. 542 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: Back then, I thought it was super talented. And especially yeah, 543 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,879 Speaker 1: especially yes when the A b L folded and all 544 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: those players had to come into w n B A, 545 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 1: it was top to bottom load packed packed, um. And 546 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:30,480 Speaker 1: then if you fast forward, you know, fifteen sixteen years 547 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 1: from there. Um. As far as talent, I think the 548 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 1: talents up and the talents up because we've had twenty 549 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: five years of all of those those players that are 550 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: planning in the w n b A. Now they only 551 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:49,839 Speaker 1: knew of a w n b A like their their 552 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: their lifespan was really only of having a women's professional 553 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: league here in the States. So they had something to 554 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: really work hard for. They have goals, so they're gonna 555 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: do everything they need that they need to do to 556 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 1: give themselves a chance to play in the league. Um, 557 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: and to do that, you gotta be really good. And 558 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: whilst you're gonna be, you're gonna be left behind. And 559 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: that makes it, you know, I mean if you pour 560 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: into anything like you know people who have poured into 561 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 1: the w n b A right, and the novelty has 562 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: worn off. And I thought for a while, um it 563 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:36,760 Speaker 1: plants towed. But I think now we're we're coming back. 564 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 1: Like I think, this is this is time for women 565 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: like women in sports, this is this is our time, 566 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 1: Like we have to strike when the iron is hot 567 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 1: so we can get to another another fiftieth year, twenty 568 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:55,719 Speaker 1: five more years. And I do think, I do think 569 00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: you'll have a million dollar player, a multi million dollar 570 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: player in the in the near future. I do. Um, 571 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:08,760 Speaker 1: you always try to compare UM leagues, you know. You you 572 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,959 Speaker 1: you go back to the NBA, their first twenty five 573 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,919 Speaker 1: years M. I don't know if there were a millionaires 574 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: then I say that now I say that now all 575 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 1: the time. I'm like, I'm not. I don't know, but 576 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 1: but but what I what I do know, and I 577 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:30,239 Speaker 1: hope I'm not like how people romanticize what it used 578 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 1: to be like. But I do know if I feel 579 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: like if you sit it up and swoops even Lisa, 580 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 1: like y'all can take these girls like if this was 581 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: it was the talent then versus the talent now right, 582 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: there's a lot of talent, But I felt like it 583 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: was more gritty. I felt like it was more you 584 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, Like y'all had a different type 585 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,560 Speaker 1: of edge when you all played. And I don't know 586 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: if that's the advent of college giving giving these stars 587 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: more attention, giving them more access, I don't know, but 588 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: just it just feels different, the love for it feels different. Yeah. Well, well, um, 589 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 1: I gotta go back to you know when the Teresa Edwards, um, 590 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 1: the you know, Medina Dixon's, you know, the the Debbie Lido's, 591 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 1: the you know the Yalanda Laneys. I mean, these are 592 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: those shoulders we stood on. We're still on their shoulders 593 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: and now you know, now this error of athletes in 594 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: the w n B A is standing on our shoulders. Um. 595 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,720 Speaker 1: I do feel like there was a different grittiness, meaning 596 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: we we trimmed the fact, like there's no there was 597 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: no fact to us playing. I think now there's a 598 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 1: lot of fact to the w n B A in 599 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: that you're trying to outdo somebody, you're trying to I 600 00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:00,479 Speaker 1: mean they've worked on things that you know, coaches back 601 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 1: back in the day went allowed us to do that. 602 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 1: That was circus basketball, you know what I'm saying. So, 603 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 1: but they they work on those things, and I do 604 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: think some of them have to utilize, um, some less 605 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: traditional moves um to to outfox people because I do 606 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 1: think they're they're bigger and stronger. Now, yeah, they're bigger, stronger. 607 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,799 Speaker 1: You don't think so, No, No, I agree, you're right. 608 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, you're right. That's how I'm saying is though, 609 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 1: And I know I'm looking at it from fifty one 610 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: year old eyes, But when I was around the Olympic team, 611 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,880 Speaker 1: anytime I go to a w NBA game, I do 612 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: often thing this is physical. I don't know if I could, 613 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: I don't don't know after it. They know. It's like 614 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 1: you sit in courtside, you like you know that, you know, 615 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:53,640 Speaker 1: like you Okay, this is real. The girls get after it. 616 00:38:53,680 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: I'm with you, I agree, and they are big girl 617 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:58,400 Speaker 1: like they are. But I was at game too, I 618 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:00,640 Speaker 1: was like, these these things ain't fooling around, you know 619 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 1: what I mean? Like um, but I'm fragile now, So 620 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:10,280 Speaker 1: I mean this is I have a hard time believing 621 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: that if we could, we could freeze time, we could 622 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: take this young lady and put her in today's league. 623 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: I still think you'd just back to basics, just fundamentals. 624 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,359 Speaker 1: I think you, I think you would be right there. 625 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,640 Speaker 1: I think I wouldn't even I don't even think my 626 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:29,560 Speaker 1: heart will be in it for sure, for sure, for sure. 627 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,400 Speaker 1: And maybe that's what I'm referring to because so and 628 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:35,520 Speaker 1: I'm watching it differently. So I mean I don't and 629 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 1: it's hard I listen. I ain't play ball, so let 630 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,120 Speaker 1: me shut up. But you like I like this, I 631 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: like I want all of this. I want you to 632 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:45,080 Speaker 1: have all of this. I don''t get back on defense. 633 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:47,719 Speaker 1: I don't want to hear nothing else. It's all of 634 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,759 Speaker 1: it right here. But I mean, I don't know. In 635 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 1: my case, I'm just saying that for you, coach, Okay, 636 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: I have to ask you this because I know you 637 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:59,720 Speaker 1: gotta go in a minute. Year one coach now coach 638 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: highest paid or you and Geno maybe tied. I don't know. 639 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm not for sure, but I have the reports that 640 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:11,600 Speaker 1: you're the highest paid basketball culture women's basketball. You're black woman. 641 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,360 Speaker 1: The celebration is loud, and I know you here, but 642 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,359 Speaker 1: you live on the humble like nabig deal. Yeah, yeah, 643 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 1: I'm good. How does that make you feel? Do you 644 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:24,479 Speaker 1: understand this what is happening? Do you understand what you've done, 645 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 1: what you've been able to accomplish because you was folding 646 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:30,320 Speaker 1: clothes and nineties. I just just you right here. You 647 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 1: don't want to talk to the people at the retail 648 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:36,239 Speaker 1: store closed ninety two. Now you're the highest paid. I'm 649 00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 1: I'm kicking it over them almost three million year to 650 00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: create um an environment that nurtures women's sports. It's not 651 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:50,520 Speaker 1: just for basketball, it's for women's sports in general. That's amazing. Yeah, 652 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:56,840 Speaker 1: I mean, uh is a thing that my path truly 653 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:02,640 Speaker 1: was divinely ordered. Like I am a believer that h 654 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: I found my calling. I listened to um where God 655 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,320 Speaker 1: wanted me to go, because surely I didn't see myself 656 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:16,920 Speaker 1: in Columbia, South Carolina like and it maybe Philly like 657 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 1: the Temple thing was a you know it was it 658 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: was a good match because I'm from Philly. But then 659 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,759 Speaker 1: you know, once I left Philly and came to South Carolina, 660 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 1: I'm just like, I'm you know this this is yeah, 661 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 1: well I didn't think it fit, but as the years 662 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:41,799 Speaker 1: went by, it fits. And then now I'm just gonna 663 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 1: tell you what spared me, the fight for what took 664 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 1: place on Friday, which was you know, a raise. It was, Um, 665 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:54,120 Speaker 1: I wanted equal pay like I wanted. I wanted equal 666 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:59,320 Speaker 1: pay and I never backed down from it because UM, 667 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:05,240 Speaker 1: here I him. I'm writing letters. Um, I'm reading letters 668 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:10,040 Speaker 1: to say to speak on all the inequities that happened 669 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: at in San Antonio at the n C Double A Tournament. 670 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:16,520 Speaker 1: Like you know, I got it out. I had to 671 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:18,680 Speaker 1: get it off my chest, and then I had to 672 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, just move on and focus on our team. 673 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:24,240 Speaker 1: And then it stayed with me when we got back, 674 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:29,040 Speaker 1: Like how am I gonna be out here politicking and 675 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:37,319 Speaker 1: fighting for um equality? Um? Nationally and then we we don't. 676 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,239 Speaker 1: I don't even have it here. There's now it's not 677 00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:42,560 Speaker 1: been you know, discussion about it. So then I'm like, hell, 678 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:46,360 Speaker 1: I'm going for it. Like I'm like, I'm going for it, 679 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 1: like this is what I want. Like and it took 680 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:54,560 Speaker 1: it took a while for it to take place, but um, 681 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:56,400 Speaker 1: you gotta stay the course when you want to do 682 00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 1: something big. Now now now they offered me, um, you know, 683 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:04,360 Speaker 1: a significant race. But then I'm like, hell, if you 684 00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:08,480 Speaker 1: can get this, you can. We're here, We're we're almost here. 685 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:13,920 Speaker 1: Give me my money. But but but because it's not 686 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:20,000 Speaker 1: about the money, it's about the principality smoking yes, but 687 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:24,320 Speaker 1: but throughout the negotiations it was all about the money. 688 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:28,080 Speaker 1: Like basically, you know, some of the stuff came out 689 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 1: like why you know why you think you should make 690 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 1: more than the football coach? I like, I don't. I don't. 691 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 1: I didn't pay the football coach, Like really, I didn't 692 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:40,840 Speaker 1: wear football school as he sees a football conference. I wasn't. 693 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 1: That wasn't my My point. My point is, I do 694 00:43:47,239 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: I do what the mess basketball coach does. Um, we've 695 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:55,000 Speaker 1: had sustained success here, We've been in the final fours, 696 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:59,600 Speaker 1: we won a national championship. We've done basically all these things, 697 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,960 Speaker 1: and and I had to look at like if you 698 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:05,720 Speaker 1: look at and I don't want to talk about Frank 699 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 1: Martin in this way. I'm just gonna talk about the numbers. 700 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:12,719 Speaker 1: And the numbers say, I've been here from um two 701 00:44:12,760 --> 00:44:17,799 Speaker 1: thousand and eight until now. He was here from I 702 00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 1: don't know, two thousand and twelve until now. If you 703 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:27,840 Speaker 1: add up his his um increases, is salary increases, you 704 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:33,319 Speaker 1: add up mine, he's got more. So that number is 705 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:37,200 Speaker 1: staggering to me. And I just felt like, now is 706 00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:40,760 Speaker 1: the time. But it's also you know, was I fighting 707 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,000 Speaker 1: for me? Yes, but I was also fighting for a 708 00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:47,000 Speaker 1: bigger like this is much bigger than than me. This 709 00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:55,480 Speaker 1: is for black women, for white women, for corporate women, CEOs, 710 00:44:55,880 --> 00:44:59,360 Speaker 1: this is for teachers, this is for administrators, This is 711 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:06,080 Speaker 1: for every woman that doesn't get a dollar on the 712 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:11,040 Speaker 1: dollar she earned. And and I just felt like, you know, 713 00:45:11,120 --> 00:45:13,600 Speaker 1: and I don't. I didn't. I was doubtful. I was 714 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,080 Speaker 1: really doubtful whether or not it was gonna get done. 715 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:22,240 Speaker 1: But when it got done, it was well worth the negotiations. 716 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:25,560 Speaker 1: It was well worth you know, the high pitched voices 717 00:45:25,640 --> 00:45:30,640 Speaker 1: that were you know, spewed out um because it was 718 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:35,120 Speaker 1: not about me. It was more about everybody else. And 719 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 1: I just hope this creates a norm because this is unpopular. 720 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:44,800 Speaker 1: It's unpopular for for South Carolina to do it um 721 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:48,000 Speaker 1: and and it's you know, it's a microcosm of what's 722 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:50,200 Speaker 1: happening out there in the world. So I hope it 723 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:55,080 Speaker 1: moves from being an unpopular right thing to a popular 724 00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:58,319 Speaker 1: right thing and the norm. So I think it's I 725 00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:00,360 Speaker 1: think it's a pretty big deal. I think it's pretty 726 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:03,480 Speaker 1: cool deal. And all these things were happening too. When 727 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:09,600 Speaker 1: I just told somebody this is robbing Robberts that the 728 00:46:08,160 --> 00:46:12,880 Speaker 1: U l f G documentary that they had on CNN. 729 00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:15,520 Speaker 1: I watched it. I sat down and watched it, and 730 00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm just like, damnly, this is a damn shame that 731 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:21,640 Speaker 1: this is happening to them when you know they've been 732 00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:25,040 Speaker 1: super successful. So I sat down, I watched it, I 733 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:29,319 Speaker 1: took notes, and I'm just like, I'm I'm I'm here 734 00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 1: for this reason, Like sometimes you need something tangible to say, 735 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:39,040 Speaker 1: this is why you're here, Keep pushing, keep fighting, keep 736 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: this is what we need. We need groundbreaking. We went. 737 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:46,319 Speaker 1: We need momentum heading into you know what I think 738 00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:51,040 Speaker 1: is a woman's movement. It's time for us to rise 739 00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:54,839 Speaker 1: up and to to risk it all. Because I did. 740 00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:57,439 Speaker 1: I risked. I risked it all. Like they could have said, 741 00:46:57,440 --> 00:46:58,920 Speaker 1: I'll get on out of here. We you know we're 742 00:46:58,920 --> 00:47:03,520 Speaker 1: not doing this out, dare you? Um? So you gotta 743 00:47:03,560 --> 00:47:07,239 Speaker 1: be able to risk it all and know that if 744 00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:09,879 Speaker 1: it doesn't turn out the way you wanted to, it 745 00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:15,359 Speaker 1: wasn't because you didn't bite. Let's normalize equal pay. How 746 00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:19,680 Speaker 1: about that. Let's normalize equal pay for hard working black 747 00:47:19,719 --> 00:47:24,440 Speaker 1: women and women all over. But let's just normalize equal pay. 748 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 1: It it's just so simple, like I like, not asking, 749 00:47:32,680 --> 00:47:37,359 Speaker 1: like equal pay, like racism, like it's such it's such 750 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:40,719 Speaker 1: a simple thing to solve. Okay, I gotta let you go. 751 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:44,839 Speaker 1: Last question number one preseason congratulations what we're looking like? 752 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:49,279 Speaker 1: I mean, just so many wins, so many wins, and 753 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:51,200 Speaker 1: I know I know what it feels like to be 754 00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:53,239 Speaker 1: the first and do so many things that people haven't 755 00:47:53,239 --> 00:47:55,160 Speaker 1: done before. And all it is is check check, check, 756 00:47:55,239 --> 00:47:58,600 Speaker 1: check check, and we keep moving. You back your back 757 00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:01,240 Speaker 1: and practice. You don't like I I need you to 758 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:04,880 Speaker 1: take a moment to disenjoy this season. Let it be 759 00:48:04,920 --> 00:48:07,120 Speaker 1: two weeks, that would be a day. But it is 760 00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 1: a beautiful thing to watch. It makes me so happy, 761 00:48:10,360 --> 00:48:12,759 Speaker 1: Like I'm so happy listening to you right now. Do 762 00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:17,160 Speaker 1: you understand like I am celebrating every one of your 763 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:19,239 Speaker 1: wins because it's a win for us. It is a 764 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:21,440 Speaker 1: win for the culture, it's a win for women. It 765 00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:25,640 Speaker 1: is a win, huge wins, and I'd like to see 766 00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:29,360 Speaker 1: us have some parody and normalize something different, especially in 767 00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:33,400 Speaker 1: women's basketball at the collegiate level. Number one, preseason, what 768 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:38,279 Speaker 1: we're looking like, I mean, I probably, like everybody else, good, bad, 769 00:48:38,480 --> 00:48:42,880 Speaker 1: ugly at times, Like like I mean, we got a 770 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:47,200 Speaker 1: good team, no doubt about it, very very talented um. 771 00:48:47,239 --> 00:48:50,360 Speaker 1: And we just started doing this this week and it 772 00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:56,239 Speaker 1: it's not fun, but we just started simulating what what 773 00:48:56,360 --> 00:49:00,719 Speaker 1: a game would be like in terms of seven institutions. 774 00:49:01,680 --> 00:49:05,080 Speaker 1: So some people aren't getting as many reps as they've gotten, 775 00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:08,960 Speaker 1: you know, for the two months that we've been together. 776 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:11,680 Speaker 1: So you you'll hear a little bit of chirping, you 777 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,319 Speaker 1: see a little bit of facial expressions, you'll feel see 778 00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:17,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of body language, and that's normal. You know, 779 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:22,560 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna take that away from competitors, But I 780 00:49:22,640 --> 00:49:26,040 Speaker 1: told our players this year that we're all gonna have 781 00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:30,640 Speaker 1: to sacrifice UM and you gotta keep you gotta keep 782 00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:35,080 Speaker 1: um sending that message because again they lose sight because 783 00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,960 Speaker 1: they look within and say, hey, I'm not starting, I'm 784 00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 1: not playing. So we gotta consistently, you know, give them 785 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:47,240 Speaker 1: that message. And I asked them again, I'm a very beginning. 786 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:49,960 Speaker 1: I was like a little bit different. You know, you 787 00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:52,680 Speaker 1: understand what we're They all said yes, I said, but 788 00:49:54,560 --> 00:49:58,439 Speaker 1: we only need what you do best, just this year, 789 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:01,880 Speaker 1: just this year. We don't need your whole bag. We 790 00:50:01,960 --> 00:50:03,440 Speaker 1: know you gotta do We can do a lot of 791 00:50:03,480 --> 00:50:06,319 Speaker 1: things with that basketball, but we only need the thing 792 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:10,359 Speaker 1: that you do best. And if you do that, things 793 00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:12,720 Speaker 1: are gonna start clearing up. If you try to muck 794 00:50:12,719 --> 00:50:16,120 Speaker 1: it up by looking at what this person does, which 795 00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:18,040 Speaker 1: is her best thing, but you want to add that 796 00:50:18,080 --> 00:50:21,000 Speaker 1: to what you already do, it's gonna mess things up. 797 00:50:21,040 --> 00:50:24,680 Speaker 1: So we have to constantly battle with our players to 798 00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:28,040 Speaker 1: see the big picture. And it's not gonna happen overnight, 799 00:50:28,840 --> 00:50:31,759 Speaker 1: but it's going to happen if we're if we just 800 00:50:31,840 --> 00:50:35,920 Speaker 1: like we have to drill how we're playing ball screens, 801 00:50:36,120 --> 00:50:38,799 Speaker 1: ball screen defense. We gotta drill it. We gotta drill 802 00:50:38,840 --> 00:50:42,480 Speaker 1: these things too, because you know it it's coming. We 803 00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:45,839 Speaker 1: play in you know, two weeks. Um, the parents are 804 00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:48,520 Speaker 1: gonna come to the games. They're gonna see there their 805 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:51,279 Speaker 1: little girls expecting them to play. And we're gonna get 806 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:54,680 Speaker 1: on the zoom call with the parents and we're gonna say, hey, 807 00:50:54,800 --> 00:50:58,120 Speaker 1: we're about to start. Your daughter may play some minutes, 808 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:02,560 Speaker 1: no minutes, a lot of minutes. We don't know. Any 809 00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:05,520 Speaker 1: given day could change. So we need you, We need 810 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:09,840 Speaker 1: you to be parents and support them. Don't don't ask 811 00:51:10,040 --> 00:51:12,440 Speaker 1: what you don't know, because you know, we've been in 812 00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:14,920 Speaker 1: the gym for two months and if you want to 813 00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:19,960 Speaker 1: count back to June, uh five, six months. So it 814 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:21,880 Speaker 1: is what it is. So I think we do a 815 00:51:21,920 --> 00:51:25,000 Speaker 1: really good job of communicating, and we got a good team. 816 00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:29,160 Speaker 1: And whether we're the number one or number three, number six, 817 00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:35,120 Speaker 1: number eight, whatever it is, Um, we're gonna fight. We're 818 00:51:35,120 --> 00:51:42,400 Speaker 1: gonna not literally fight, We're gonna but maybe sometimes times 819 00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:47,640 Speaker 1: it happens. Um, coach, I know you have to go. 820 00:51:48,320 --> 00:51:50,799 Speaker 1: We only need you. I'm writing down with turn we 821 00:51:50,840 --> 00:51:52,600 Speaker 1: need you to do the thing you do best. I said, 822 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,839 Speaker 1: that's how we want them to do. I am for you, 823 00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:58,880 Speaker 1: and I am so very very very very very excited 824 00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:01,759 Speaker 1: for you. No matter um what the season looks like, 825 00:52:01,800 --> 00:52:04,080 Speaker 1: we hope it's always a win. I went to U 826 00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:05,360 Speaker 1: C l A. So I gotta be careful what I 827 00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:09,360 Speaker 1: say because you know they'll be watching everything. Coach texting 828 00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:11,120 Speaker 1: me like Kerry, can I talk to you? I'd be like, 829 00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:14,560 Speaker 1: I just I can't. I get like coach, I didn't play. 830 00:52:14,640 --> 00:52:17,560 Speaker 1: I just I hadn't work in sports. I'm sorry, but 831 00:52:17,680 --> 00:52:20,480 Speaker 1: I I coach. I'm just I am so proud of 832 00:52:20,520 --> 00:52:23,720 Speaker 1: you and so excited for what's next in your journey. 833 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:26,919 Speaker 1: You have really, truly, truly been a trailblazer and it's 834 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:29,959 Speaker 1: not gonna notice. We need it. So thank you for it. 835 00:52:30,400 --> 00:52:33,840 Speaker 1: Thank you so. As this is being released this week 836 00:52:33,880 --> 00:52:39,719 Speaker 1: one of college basketball. Don did not know this, but 837 00:52:39,800 --> 00:52:43,279 Speaker 1: I intentionally moved this podcast up so that I could 838 00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:47,440 Speaker 1: praise her during this week. Her class currently is number 839 00:52:47,440 --> 00:52:50,319 Speaker 1: one preseason number one, Paul. That means nothing to her, 840 00:52:50,400 --> 00:52:53,200 Speaker 1: as she has talked about I will be very clear 841 00:52:53,239 --> 00:52:56,720 Speaker 1: here though, if just in case, you know, my coach 842 00:52:56,760 --> 00:52:59,640 Speaker 1: coach close at U c l A is listening. I 843 00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:02,839 Speaker 1: am bruin, but I'm very impressed by don so please 844 00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:06,080 Speaker 1: don't be mad at me. Side note, I'm looking forward 845 00:53:06,120 --> 00:53:08,120 Speaker 1: to see what she does, and I don't want to 846 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:11,720 Speaker 1: hear anyone critiquing her if she doesn't have the season 847 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,440 Speaker 1: that's some expect because she got paid. That money she 848 00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:19,719 Speaker 1: got paid that was already invested years ago. Yeah, I 849 00:53:19,760 --> 00:53:22,239 Speaker 1: had her at a bargain. All right, you got her 850 00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:25,040 Speaker 1: on the cheat, you finally pay her her worth. It 851 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:27,200 Speaker 1: is back if you will. I don't wanna hear no 852 00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:32,200 Speaker 1: no crap talking. I do want to say though, when 853 00:53:32,200 --> 00:53:36,319 Speaker 1: I listened to the podcast, I thought it has to 854 00:53:36,360 --> 00:53:41,160 Speaker 1: be difficult. Two always feel like you have to do 855 00:53:41,320 --> 00:53:43,719 Speaker 1: and say the right thing when you're in such a 856 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:47,960 Speaker 1: public position. College sports is very political, although people will 857 00:53:47,960 --> 00:53:51,279 Speaker 1: say it's not. College sports is very political sports and generalists, 858 00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:54,560 Speaker 1: but on the collegiate level there's an extra layer of 859 00:53:55,600 --> 00:53:58,640 Speaker 1: red tape that you have to deal with boosters, you know, 860 00:53:58,719 --> 00:54:01,080 Speaker 1: alumni parents. She meant is all of that. There's so 861 00:54:01,160 --> 00:54:03,920 Speaker 1: much going on, but she has been able to do 862 00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:06,359 Speaker 1: something that I think we all should learn to do. 863 00:54:08,840 --> 00:54:12,080 Speaker 1: Keep the main thing the main thing. I'm here to 864 00:54:12,120 --> 00:54:15,359 Speaker 1: coach these girls to play basketball so that they can 865 00:54:15,400 --> 00:54:17,480 Speaker 1: compete and move on and do whatever they want to 866 00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:19,800 Speaker 1: do that in line, whether that be go to the league, 867 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:23,200 Speaker 1: whether that be find another career, maybe that be a coach, 868 00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:26,200 Speaker 1: whatever it may be. I'm here to do the main thing, 869 00:54:26,640 --> 00:54:31,480 Speaker 1: and I keep the main thing the main thing. Oftentimes 870 00:54:31,480 --> 00:54:34,759 Speaker 1: we get so caught up and ship that just don't 871 00:54:34,800 --> 00:54:41,560 Speaker 1: matter instead of just being right, instead of just doing 872 00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:44,839 Speaker 1: what we came to do, we get caught up and distracted, 873 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:48,120 Speaker 1: and that's where we see all the pitfalls, all the problems. 874 00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:51,319 Speaker 1: So I thanked on for reminding me to keep the 875 00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:58,239 Speaker 1: main thing the main thing. Thanks for listening. That's the 876 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:08,640 Speaker 1: main thing today. Kids Back next week, y'all. Mm hm