January 22, 2025 • 38 mins
Full Circle kicks off with hosts Lexie Brown and Mariah Rose bringing the heat! In their debut episode, they dive into why they started this journey, sharing their frustrations with the male-dominated chatter around women’s hoops and their commitment to bringing facts, not fluff, to the conversation. They call out the clickbait-driven headlines that dominate media coverage and are here to set the record straight on women’s basketball. Tackling big issues like misconceptions about earnings and inadequate facilities, Lexie and Mariah unpack the challenges female athletes face. These two bring honesty, knowledge and passion to this convo. If you’re ready to rethink women’s sports, then this episode is for you.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Full Circle is an iheartwoman's sports production and partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey everybody, Hey y'all, this is Lexi Brown here and
I'm here with my girl Mariaros, and welcome to Full
Circle Podcasts.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This is episode one.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Yes, and we're going to get into why we're starting
this and why it is so important.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
And I'm so excited me too, because I've had a
lot to say and I've been taking a Twitter break guy,
so I've been able to compile my thoughts a lot,
and now I have my own platform to express my
feelings and this is like my dream come true.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I know, I can't wait. First of all, let's talk
about what led us to do this and to give
you and I this platform to talk about women's sports
in a way that isn't the way that we've been
so frustrated with seeing it as of recently.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
For me being a player and then hearing from Maria
who's a media member slash fan, I just feel like
the dialogue around women's basketball has been completely commandeered by
men and men that have no idea what they're talking.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
About, men that are not fans.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
And let me take that back, because I feel like
our fans, the new fans, they feel attacked at times
because they are new, like little.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Babies, like people are gatekeeping it from Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I have a little bit of grace for the new fans. Welcome,
love that you're here. I hope you stay.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
We're not talking about them.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
We're not talking about them.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah, we're We're not attacking them, the new fans. We're
attacking the people who are acting like there are some
sort of experts on women's basketball because they decided to
cover it when one, two or three players came to
the league, and they only cover those specific situations.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Right, And I just feel like there are so many
players in this league that deserve being highlighted, their stories
being told. And also I feel like the game of
women's basketball needs to be covered objectively and with statistics
and facts and not just opinions. And I feel like
this entire summer, I was just hearing opinion after opinion,
(02:11):
and now no one really even knows what's going.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
On, and it's clickbait, like people want to talk about
the biggest situation in controversy that's happening and not really
what's happening on the core or the most talent or
the actual finals matchups, trying to create controversy out of
nothing to give them a reason to be talking about
women's basketball. But it's really like, what's happening on the
court and the games are enough, Like we don't have
(02:35):
to create a controversy out of thin air just so
you can have this clickbaity moment to talk about something.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
It's like and storylines doesn't mean drama, and drama doesn't
mean controversy. Like drama and storylines can exist within the
confines of a sport and it doesn't have to exceed that.
It doesn't even have to leave the lines. And I
think that's something especially as women. They're like, you, guys
all need to be competitive, but then like also hold
(03:03):
hands in patty cake and braise each other's hair, But
still we want you to compete at a high level,
and that's just simply not what we have to do
or need to do well.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
At the same time, I feel like, because y'all are
women playing and there is a level of competition, and
drama does just come with sports naturally that when there
is that sort of competitive fire that the WNBA has
always had, it comes off as quote unquote jealousy or
caddy or yeah, we're hating.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And lease eliminate that word hating and hater. We are
the best basketball players on earth. We are all out
here living our dreams. If you guys think we're hating
that it's crazy to think about that. You are making
us second guess what we're doing day in and day out,
which is chasing our dreams.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Like, I want that word to be thrown away.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Where do you think it comes from. I can even see,
like with us starting this platform and saying we want
to take back the conversation of covering women's basketball from
people actually pay attention and are actually fans and want
the best for women's basketball, I feel like that even
could come off to some people as like being a
hater trying to take the conversation back. But why do
you think that's always what the label is?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Honestly, I just think it's a word people used to
describe women, but in a completely different way than they
use it to describe a man like I. Just this year,
honestly was the first time I've seen that word thrown
around as much as it was in sports, in sports,
and in women's sports in particular, and it's like you
come on the wings of women supporting women and women empowerment.
(04:33):
But every time someone does something well or gets something like,
y'all are all mad.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
No, that's not the case.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
But do you have to be like up in arms
excited about every single thing?
Speaker 1 (04:43):
No.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Can you be happy for people in your little corner
over here, yes, absolutely, But for women it's like everyone
hastuf like a huge sign of we're so proud of
da da da da da when we've been supporting behind
the scenes for years. But because you guys, people don't
see it in your face all the time. And I
think even me, I get caught up in that. Sometimes
if I don't see the support like thrown in my face,
(05:06):
I'm assuming that I'm not being supported. And that's not
the case either. And that's like something that I've had
to grow up and realize that support isn't always like
thrown in your face all the time.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well. Also, being involved in sports, it's like you all
have a level of competitive nature and it's like, why
because it's a women's league, is it expected to have
this like kumba y'ah, we're all women supporting women, blah
bah blah. When it's like low key, with the exception
of your teammates, everyone else is kind of your competition.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Even your own teammates are your competition.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
R exactly, We're all competing for a spot at the
end of the day, and only half of the spots
are guaranteed in the w wow. So you come into
training camp on a non guaranteed contract, Yes, your teammates
are your competition. Those are your sisters, and those eventually
will be your teammates and your family. But them training camp,
we can have two weeks alwa's up for everybody. I
(05:57):
didn't realize that's been my reality this year or eight
my first season on a guaranteed deal.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
And you're like, haha, I don't have to compete exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
But I've seen people with guarantee contracts get waved too.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So it's wow.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It's cutthroat, And I don't think people truly understand how
hard it is to make a WNBA roster. And I've
said that before and people are like listening, it hard
to make any type of professional team roster. Yes, it is,
but the rules are different, the guarantees are different, the
money is different, the length of the season is different,
the lifestyle is different. So I just feel like this
(06:33):
platform is going to be a good way for us
to break it down for people, and to bring other
players and people involved in women's basketball to break it
down for other people and just see so many different
perspectives and point of view, which I think that's what's lacking.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
One thing I'm so excited about for us doing this
is the lowering the rams conversation. Brother, I feel like
every time a women's basketball player is on a podcast
or on a media platform, it comes up every time.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Every single time.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
I'm like, if you have thirty minutes with Asia Wilson,
why would you even speak about that with her?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Why this is the best player in the world who
can dunk on a ten foot rim, by the way, crazy,
And then when the girls.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Do dunk, it's not a good enough dunk.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Oh my gosh. I was just talking on TikTok about
Ashton Watkins dunking the other day and I was like, see, like,
they don't need to lower the rims. They can dunk
if they want to. Everyone's like, well, if you have
to make a whole video highlighting the fact that she dunked.
Then it's not that special.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I'm like what I'm saying, so like y'all thinking that
that would change everything about basketball, changing the rim, it
would change our shots, it would change everything.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Just for y'all to not be happy anyway, Please.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Buy and listen. No teen, no shade. But they dunk
in the NBA. The NBA doesn't need to lower the rims,
and people weren't watching it like they used to.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Hey, so what everyone's favorite players, most of them not
really dunking like that.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Being honest, Joam Marian literally told y'all he's not dunking
because he doesn't want.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
To get it. He doesn't want to get injured.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
So I'm like, but then proceeds to dunk all of
someone's head the next day.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I don't know what that was about.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Steph Curry is my VERYIT player. He doesn't dunk.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Someone doesn't dunk.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Kyrie don't really dunk, Luca definitely don't be dunking.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Sga don't dunk. Okay, let's get back because this is
a women's basketball show. But that just proves our point.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
The players that are in the talks for MVP, everyone's
favorite player selling all the jerseys.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
They're not dunking like that, So y'all need to let
that go. Let that go.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Then when everybody's missing shots, left it right because the
rooms are too low.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Hey man, just know you put that on my page,
You're getting blocked. Immediately you say that to my face,
I'm gonna just look at you and we're gonna just
be looking at each other until you realize there's movement.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Now when w players like on podcasts and stuff and
somebody brings up the lowering the ram conversation, they just
stop talking and look at them. Speaking of opportunities, I
do want to talk about Athletes Unlimited because that is
a huge opportunity for so many people to get to play.
Could you explain a little bit about what it is.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, So, Athlete so Unlimited is is the first off
season opportunity in the United States for professional women's basketball players.
And it is made up of forty players in a
pool of players, and you are.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
On a leader board. So essentially there's only one winner.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
There's a champion, and then you know, you get bonus
money for that, and then it trickles down one through
forty and what makes athletes Ulimited so different and special
is the scoring system, which is how you get.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Points on the leader board.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
There's no coaches, which is amazing, which leads to the
best part, which is the switching of the teams based
on the captain. So you become a captain if you're
in spot one, two, three, or four. There's a draft
every week, so the teams change and essentially we just
out there having a time, free flowing basketball, no coaches,
(09:52):
just vibes, good energy, and a lot of scoring.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
It's very high scoring.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That's my favorite part that the teams are differ every
single I'm like, I don't understand how going from being
in the w where you do have set teammates and
it's like you said, like not everything's guaranteed, but it's
kind of like who's going to be on your team
at the end of the day, and you have like
a system you're training for. How is it different training
for a situation where you don't really know who your
teammates are going to be.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Honestly, it's different in a good way because you get
to just train how you want to train, because you
get to just show up as your best self the
player that you want to be for that five weeks
that we're together, Whereas in the W if you're like,
for me, for example, like I'm the shooter, Okay, I
got to make sure my three point shot is on
point first and foremost, and then everything else can come secondary.
(10:37):
But at AU, like I mean, I still shoot threes,
but I typically ought to do a bunch of other
things that I normally wouldn't do because I don't got
a role in AU.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I'm just LEXI.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
So it's fun to see players who I know very
well in the W like just completely break out of
their role and they come to AU and they're like
a completely different player in a good way. And then
they take that to the W and they just blossomed
every year. I love that it is a pipeline people,
It is a proven pipeline.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Wait, I need to hear more about this.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Let's see who is our most Our most recent All
Stars were Alicia Gray, who won season three of Athletes
So Limited. Kelsey Mitchell was in AU and became an
All Star before I got sick. I felt like I
was on my way to an All Star season fresh
off of AU season. So even if you don't get
(11:33):
voted as an All Star. I feel like there is
a direct correlation of people's performance from AU to the W.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It's like a breath of fresh air that's exciting. I
hope fans, and I hope.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
When you come because Mariah coming to Nashville, I hope
you see like the energy being a little different.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Have you been with W Bacon Yeah? Okay, other than
All Star? Yes, yes, because All Star was lit.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, I've been with you. I'm not fair Weather okay, okay?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Or who did you go watch play in Atlanta? Because
you live in Atlanta? Oh okay?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Their games are popping.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
The rebrand of the Atlanta Dream is very impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
And they've got their own arena.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yeah, because I grew up in Atlanta going to Dream Games.
When Angel mccattrey was there and they played in the
Big Arena, it was pretty full in there. They went
to the Eastern Conference finals. I think that was back
when they were still conferences. So much has changed in
the W, and I think people really don't understand how
much progress there's been and how much change has been
made in a good way because you've been tapped in
(12:30):
I grew up around the WNBA. I've been in it
for eight years now, Like I wish people would just
stop trying to just every time there's something good that happens,
it's like there's a group of people just trying to
stomp it out. I don't like that because that's not
how you help things grow. And if people care about
it as much as they say they do, they're going
to applaud everything that's positive, whether it's your favorite player
(12:54):
or a player you can't stand at the end of
the day, like everything needs to be uplifted because it's
good for the and I think that's the mentality that's
missing within the w within the ownership, within front offices,
and especially in the media.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
I will say, I guess some people feel like all
publicity is good publicity. And I'm curious how you feel
about this, because I do think some people feel like
creating controversy is the way to get more eyes on
the game. I don't know how you feel about it,
but I'm like I go back and forth where I'm like, Okay,
at least people are talking about it, but I'm always wondering,
I'm like, Okay, so when is this going to turn
(13:30):
into a positive thing? Because people always compare it to
like Bird and Magic at the very beginning of the
NBA becoming popular and like them having to create a
controversy there to make it popular. So do you feel
like that's going to evolve into something positive or it's
just like.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I think the thing with Bird and Magic was that
was just about who yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Boston versus La Coast to coast Obviously the racial it yeah, no,
because there was the racial undertones of that obviously, but
at the end of the.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Day, it ended up just being about who yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Those are two of the best players at the time,
at their peak, representing two different Americas, which those Americas
get united in the name of sports, and then you
take all that weird energy, that negative energy, and you
pour it into the game and it turned into something
iconic in a good way.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Magic was just on TV talking about it.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
He's like, I can't stay in the Celtics, but I
love them, but when we in between them lines, I.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Hate you, and I think that's okay.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Like within the lines, we are not anybody but players
on that court trying to win a basketball game, and
I think for men, and we're hearing it all season
right now they're missing that, like everyone is complaining about it.
But then it's okay, here we are with this what
y'all are missing, and y'all are like killing us for it.
(15:05):
I'm curious, like as fans, like what do y'all really
want to see on the court, because I feel like,
because of social media, fans are just more vocal than
they've ever been about what they like what they don't like,
which is a good and a bad thing, because I
feel like now it's affecting like decision making, which I
don't think like that's always a good thing. But I
had to tell my coaches and gms last year, get
(15:27):
off Twitter.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, get off of their.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Twitter is definitely the worst one. I will say. Being
on social media and in the sports space, one thing
I've noticed is I had to stop kind of worrying
or responding to the narratives about stuff because I'll see
something like everybody complaining about let's say, Kaitlin Clark getting
her jersey retired the same day as Asia Wilson and
like the response to that, and then I'll make a
(15:50):
video about the response. And I've realized, like people just
like to be negative about everything, like I think that
it varies platform to platform. But what I've noticed is
even in every sport right now, feels like the fan
bases take everything that happens as an opportunity to be
negative or to rag on players, or to rag on
the league, or to say something needs to be changed
(16:12):
because fans have a voice they never had before in
social media, and they've noticed, like the NBA All Star
Game changing because people are complaining about it, Like fancy
feel like if they complain, they have a voice and
they have a space and things. But it's also at
the same time, you have to realize as a fan,
you're not a player, you're not a GM, you're not
a professional, and you're talking about real people.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Like at the end of the days, we are not robots.
They're not athletic robots. It's just human beings.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
It's really not that serious. So when you take it
past the line of oh, this person had a bad game,
like whatever, to the line of telling people to go
die or like death threats or like being really evil
or racist and stuff, that's where I draw the line.
But it's become so common now.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yeah, and it's been that way in the NBA. If
you want to look at it have full That means
we've arrived.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Okay, we have arrived.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
We have made it to the point where people are
on our heads on social media platforms no matter what.
Now we have to match this elevation with professionalism, with
maturity and sometimes you really just got to get off
the Internet. And it's easier said than done. But there's
(17:21):
no money on X. There's no money there for anybody.
And the only people making money on there are the
ones who are stirring up the pot constantly with lies,
with fake stories, fake narratives, like we don't know these people.
They can be putting out completely things that go against
everything that they really feel or believe for clicks, for retweets,
for engagement. So as WNBA players, I beg beg us
(17:45):
as a collective just get off, like you can't feed
into it anymore. And I was a huge clapbacker back
when X was a civil place. I loved going back
and forth the people because it was fun. It was
funny people didn't overstep boundaries or come for you in
like disrespectful ways, because at the end of the day,
we can't really come for people like that because we
(18:08):
will face consequences for that, Like some people are.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Very low hanging fruit. Yea very low hanging fruit.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But I'm just gonna leave it there because unlike people
online that hide behind pages, I have a consequence to face.
I have people watching me. I have brands watching me,
I have CEOs watching me. If they see me attacking
the person no profile picture with hatred and just disrespect,
(18:37):
like that's a bad look on my part no matter
what this person said.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
There is a page Mariah an.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Ex page every day tweeted I will not rest until
Lexi Brown gets waved from the WNBA every day Maria
a tweet a day about that. Do you know how
like bored and strain well you.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Are in the head.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Someone sent it to me and I was like, how
how long did this go on? It was like some
weeks months?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
But you know what, that's a compliment because every day
somebody woke up with you on their minds.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Is this real?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
And again you have no idea who this person is.
It's kind of scary because it's just like where about
ops at?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I don't even know where my ops are.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
It's worse now, like you have the pages that are
like just dedicated to a player or players like when
I see those I block them in media, like I
don't have time for those type of people because they
don't care.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
And then they're not fans of the game or fans
of that player that they're trying to represent. They're fans
of controversy and they're fans of hatred. I don't think
any woman in the w wants to have a hateful
fan base or wants people to come for somebody like
just because they have competition on the court. I don't
think anybody wants that. So if people on Twitter are
acting like that and being hateful or tweeting those things
(19:51):
about you, you don't like the WNBA, you don't like
WNBA players, You're a hateful person. So what's the point.
One thing I want to talk to you about is
we've talked about this off camera, but the narrative that
WNBA players are brokey.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Crazy, you know what, that could have been true a
few years ago because actually an article that just came
out today they put my visions out. They said my
salary of the year I played for the Sky and
because it was only half of the season, I made
like forty five thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
So yes, that's a blessing.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
It's amazing I make money playing basketball, but that's ridiculous.
So when people have these perceptions of us, that's the
information that's out there for them.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Also, keep in mind there's a pay disparity that is
not okay. But also I think it's important to note
the NBA schedule is eighty two games long, and how
many games do y'all play? Forty forty and so you're
getting paid that for twenty forms.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Our season is shorter. Our housing is taken care of
for us. If you don't have a car, and market
that's taken care of. You get meals obviously, hotels, flights,
all that is handled even overseas, the same thing. So essentially,
if you're playing w and overseas, if you're in a
position to you could just be stacking bread for years,
which is what I was blessed enough to be able
(21:10):
to do, was just stack bread because I was just
going from one living situation to another living situation, and
then I would just go home.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah that's nice, we go.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
To my parents' house and chill. But yeah, that misconception
of the salaries. I'm begging you guys to understand that
we understand basic economics.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
We're talking to you ice CBE.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
We understand that, yes, if something doesn't make money, then yes,
you can't get paid millions of dollars.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
We understand that.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I also want you guys to understand that we are
not asking for twenty million dollar contracts. We were asking
for contracts that are fair. The revenue split that we
have right now is atrocious.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That's the reality. That's what we negotiated.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Okay, we weren't thinking big enough, but you still have
to get what you can get, which is what happened
in the last CBA, which the strides we made for
the last CBA to now, the strides have been incredible.
The pay has increased, we have charter flights now. A
lot of teams have practice facilities, not us though, but
hopefully that's on the way. Sometimes you don't see even
(22:13):
bigger I'm not saying that anybody was close minded, but
there were priorities that we had seven years ago that
are different than now.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
The CBA is going to be interesting.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Well, and the WNBA was the fastest going brand of
twenty twenty four, so it's like they made completely different
now than they were even a year ago. A year
ago and I like what you said about being able
to stack bread and being in that position, because I
don't like when people paint the WNBA or women's sports
in general out like it's some sort of charity case
that needs some savior to come down and help you
(22:44):
guys up and give you a piece of bread. And
I don't think they are. I don't think it's like that. Like,
I think people need to acknowledge. Yes, there are things
that need to change within women's sports, and that's why
we're doing this. But at the same time, it's good
enough as it is as a product. Like you guys
are out there, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Glad you said that the product is fine because the
business is the issue, yeah, not the product, and we
as players have nothing to do with the business of it.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Our job is to put a good product on the
floor that people want to consume. And you can't consume
something that you can't see, which is something that the
other league is currently dealing with right now. Is how
we're supposed to watch our favorite team if we can't
find them. We have been preaching that from the mountaintops
for years. You cannot support something that you can't see.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It's that simple.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
It is that simple, and I'm no CEO, but I'm thinking, like,
if you make it easier for people to watch, I
know that you might miss out on that little like
streaming coin or whatever, but half the people are watching
it illegally anyways, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So it's like more than half exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
So if you make it accessible and people can watch
basketball on cable or whatever or for free or on
their local channel, and they fall in love with the product,
then they're following the players on social media, and they're
following the league on social media, and they're buying tickets
to go see it in person. And then people prompted
to spend more money to be a part of it.
But if you stop forcing them to spend money just
(24:05):
to watch it on television, yeah, that don't work.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
I mean I have to give a shout out to
the Liberty ownership and the Acest ownership because they like
drew a line. They're like, y'all want to win championships.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
This is the way to do it.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
You pour money into these organizations and you will get
your return on investment very quickly. You will get championships,
you will get max players, you will get full arenas,
and I think them doing that really was the catalyst
to this explosion of the W because what they did
in Vegas, from what they started from to what they
are now is amazing. What they did with the Liberty.
(24:40):
They've been an iconic franchise since the beginning of the league.
How they went from playing in the gym.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Before they went to Barclays. It was awful in there.
Now they're winning championships.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Like now they have a mascot that might be the
most famous person in the.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
League right now.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Shout out to Big Ellis.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Shout out to Big Ellie.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
So there's a divide in ownership and that's going to
be something that's interesting to explore moving forward, because we
have ownership groups that are ready to spend a coin
and we have ownership groups that are not, And that's
really becoming glaring. It's glaring.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Now.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
That's a thing on social media, like people gravitate towards
TikTok because TikTok is willing to pay their creators to
create quality content, which makes the people who are consuming
content on TikTok want to stay on the app longer.
So it's the same thing with sports. If you're putting
money into your athletes, which are your product and your facilities,
and making sure that they have the best, then the
(25:34):
fans are more encouraged to watch it for longer because
what they're watching is higher quality.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Yeah, and you want to be treated like a professional.
I'm currently living in Los Angeles, and if I didn't
have my trainers here.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I would have nowhere to work out at. That's not okay?
Speaker 1 (25:53):
No, So where do you practice?
Speaker 2 (25:55):
I practice in the valley with my trainers that I
gratefully met while I was living out here. But if
I didn't have them, like, for example, they're out of
town right now. I haven't picked up a basketball in
like a week and a half.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
But as your team, like, where's your team practice at?
So if you don't have a practice facility that's dedicated to.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
You, girl.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
And I'm not here to put anybody on blast, but
I'm here to talk the talk that needs to be spoken,
which is about how we should be treated as professional athletes.
And you want us to come out and put out
a good product and play at a high level and
be under these microscopes and scrutiny and constant criticisms, But
(26:38):
you can't give us a gym the way bare minimum.
So for me, anybody that knows me, I live in
the gym. I love working out, like gym rat to
the core. You're telling me that I worked my ass
off to become a professional athlete, and now I don't
have a gym. If I want to just go get
some shots up, I have nowhere to go.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Wait. I gotta ask you this because you were one
of the best players in college in the country, So
how is it different. I assume that the facilities at
your school.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Were amazing, twenty four seven access, shooting machines, cardio, weight room,
anything you needed to be a.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
High level athlete, a high level athlete. So you get
all that of Duke to get you to the WBA.
Then you get to the WBA and you like, where
are the facilities at of Duke?
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Where is it? For me?
Speaker 2 (27:27):
There's just been a lot of things about my personal
experience that have helped me become the woman I am today,
which is a very resilient, well rounded person. And I
feel like the opinions and things that I say about
the w I've always wanted to push the league forward,
no matter what position I have in the league. Like
I've always been a huge advocate for women's basketball in
the w ever since I've been young, But now going
(27:50):
through it, I'm just like, there's certain things that I
don't want to say. I was afraid to say, but
I just had to see things through to be like, Okay,
is this me being in my feelings or is this.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Like the reality of the league.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
And no, the reality of the league is that there's
a handful of teams that have nowhere to exercise and
work out and get better in the off season and
sometimes in season.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
That's a problem. But that's why we're doing this, because
it's so important that you have a platform to speak
about those things and you're not constantly seeing other people
i em in speak about them for you.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Yeah, because you're living.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
It's your lived experience and a lot of times like
you're not giving that platform to speak about these things.
So that's why you create your own.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Oh. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
The thing about helping things grow is you have to
be open to the critiques that are beneficial. I'm big
on Okay, you're gonna bring something to me a complaint,
like without any type of solution in your vicinity, then
why are you bringing this to me? Obviously, you're just
trying to stir the pot. Talk shit not help if
you don't have an idea of how this can be improved.
(28:48):
If you just are constantly throwing shade and shots at
things and people and organizations.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
That's not what I want here.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
I'm part of the CBA committee, like I wanted to
be in WNBPA leadership. I want to do that because
I feel like, if I'm going to have these grievances,
I need to be a part of the group that
is going to help push the lead forward. So I
had to wait a while to get my footing, and
then I was comfortable enough to be like, okay, like
I want to be a part of this, no matter
(29:15):
what my role in the league.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Obviously I'm not the face of nothing but my life.
You're the face of this podcast, I'm the face of
this podcast. Now where are the faces of the podcast?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
But at the end of the day, I want to
be in a front office. I want to continue to
do media. So at the end of the day, I
want to just push things forward as much as I
can and then go do my job on the court
and then come back here and keep it pushing and
uplift and bring people in to also uplift but also
share their experiences, and I think that's what's going to
(29:47):
make this podcast so special exactly.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
I'm excited to get into especially as like the season
progresses and ask I'm so excited it goes on us
to like have debreaths because I.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Know people be wanting to know what goes on in
locker rooms, which I'm not gonna tell no business obviously
that's code, but I'm not gonna let other people make
assumptions and throw bs out about what's going on in
between these lines and behind the scenes. And we just
don't have anybody doing that right now. So I'm very excited.
I don't no one asked me to do it. I'm
(30:20):
excited to do.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
But also I think it's important to let the listeners
know that we're also going to have women on the
podcast speak about their stories and what's going on in
these locker rooms and their experiences that haven't previously gotten
the opportunity to and people who have, but we're gonna
get like a first look at what's really happening in
women's basketball.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
I'm so excited. This is gonna be great. And again,
we're not here to throw shade. We're not here to
be negative. We're here to talk real. So anybody who
thinks me talking about the facilities is gonna's shady, it's
not shady.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
It's my current reality. So I get to talk about it.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
No, I know your teammates and we're.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Like, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Like I love the Sparks organization. They've done so much
for me. My career has changed since I've been in
the Los Angeles Sparks organization. But that does not excuse
them from being able.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
To improve, not in LA, not in LA. Not if
we want to win championships.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Again, they're about forty stadiums in here. I passed three
on my way over here.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Just let us go somewhere.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
And it is not cheap to get gym space out
here either, So yeah, okay, if I want to go
shoot a little bit, that's not cheap.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Everybody gotta make bread out here. You're gonna be on
the streets.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
So I'm just like, it's time to have these conversations.
But I hope everybody understand that it's coming from a
very genuine place. Like I just love the w I
love basketball, I love where women's sports is right now,
and I just think that we need to continue to
have these conversations. More women need to have these conversations, because,
(31:56):
like we said earlier, it has been completely taken over
by people that have no business. There was a lot
of negativity this season, or as record breaking and amazing
as the season was, I'm sure most fans can only
think of negative things that happened, and that's not how
you should leave a season like the finals was amazing,
(32:17):
but it's like they talked about the finals for five minutes.
They talked about Diana Tarassi potentially retiring for three minutes.
It was disgusting. Yeah, they sent her out.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I agree, and I but I think that one of
the beauties of the WBA having such a record breaking
season as far as viewership and everything that happened and
people covering the sport that weren't previously covering it. Was
the coverage a little bit irresponsible. Yes, at the same time,
I am glad that some of these bigger platforms that
weren't covering it before are even if they're not doing
(32:47):
it completely right yet, because I think that makes space
for people like us to come in and give it
the coverage that I feel like the game deserves. So
it's not that I want those people to stop talking
about it. I just think that there needs to be
a certain level of responsibility when you're talking about something
that is in the growing stage. But I mean, that's
what we're here for.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Yeah, I feel like when you say things like that,
like responsibility, and people are being irresponsible. They're thinking that
we want to be like coddled and babied. No, if
you have an opinion about a player, cool, tell us
why it can't just be like that's how I feel. No,
that's not how good narratives and storylines are built. Like
there's no rhyme or reason to what a lot of
people have been saying. So, yes, you can have a
(33:29):
favorite player. Just tell me why you love this player
so much. But if you don't like this player, tell
me why you don't like this player. And if you
sound like you got some weird hating stuff, then that's fine.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Be that. But there are people who are like, I'm
a proud da da da hater.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Let me say this because I said it needs to
be covered more responsibly. I didn't say you need to
be sweet, I said responsible. And the second thing when
it comes to being responsible and covering women's sports is
if you are more so talking about what is controversial
than you are talking about who is the best. And
if you're not speaking about Asia Wilson, ever, then you
(34:13):
don't need to be covering women's basketball period. If you're
speaking about really anybody more than you're speaking about her,
If you're speaking about controversy between two rookies more than
you're talking about the finals, is irresponsible. So that's my issue.
I'm not saying be sweet. I'm not saying don't talk
about those things because I cover basketball and I talk
about those things too, But at the same time, when
the finals come, you talk about that lock in.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
I think the biggest miss this season was the coverage
of the Minnesota Links, who also retired Minmore's jersey in
the midst of this amazing season.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
They had their complete.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Domination of the w for the most part, Like it
wasn't close for the most part. I thought they were
going to win the finals. A lot of people thought
they were going to win the finals. But it was
Crickets the entire season. That is an organization that has
already won one four championships, and you guys had nothing
to say about them the entire season, their best player
(35:07):
came second in MVP voting, and one defensive Player of
the year.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Nothing, y'all don't have nothing to say about.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
And that's a void that we're gonna fill is talking
about these players that deserve flowers now, because I'm very
tired of us being like, oh, let's give this person
their flowers and they played twenty years ago.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Why did you give them their flowers twenty years ago
when they earned them.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I'm happy to give them their flowers now, twenty years later,
but I don't want players playing now.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
To feel that way. And there's enough flowers everybody, right,
That's what people are also missing. There's not only four flowers.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Yeah, exactly, there's an abundance of flowers.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Exactly. There's not abundance of people to give them, but us,
we gonna give them everything.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Everywhere you get a flower, Oh my god, we should.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Do a segment you get a flower?
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Yees. Cute way to conclude this is who is somebody
that you feel like deserves their flowers today right now?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (36:05):
I mean, I'm going to go with Fee. I think
she deserves her flowers right now.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
I think she got a few during the finals run
because she was playing out of her mind the whole playoffs.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
She was playing out of her mind.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
And now she's about to start her own league unrivaled,
which I think is incredible.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
So yeah, who gets a flower today is an Pisa Collier.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
I was her teammate when she was a rookie, and
I had a blast playing with her. She was amazing
to play with and she's also amazing to play against.
She challenges everybody. She's pretty much unguardable. But yeah, flower
of the day goes to an the Fisa Collier.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
I'm gonna give my flower to the LS Park because
I don't realize y'all had no practice facility. I don't realize. No,
the girls on the team, oh you girl, Oh, I
thought you were given the organization flowers.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
I was like, they get rocks.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
No.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
No to the players for fighting through Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Yes, because that is wow.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
It's tough, and I felt bad for our rookies. Listen,
they were probably like what is this?
Speaker 3 (37:02):
And I had no explanation for them, and I was
just like, it's just.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
What we are. I'm gonna be done with the being
spicy after I say this, But I just am gonna
say if we started treating WNBA players just as well
as we treated women's college basketball players. I think things
will be a lot different. But Lexi, I can't wait
for everyone to listen to our next one because I
feel like we have so much to say and I
could send talk to you about this for hours, but
(37:25):
I don't think they want to listen to much.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
They after that, Yes they do, guys, this is Full
Circle Podcast.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
We will see you next week.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Thanks for listening to Full Circle. We'll be back next
week with more basketball for the girls, by the girls.
We want to hear from you. Leave us a review
on Apple Podcasts, and tell us what you want us
to talk about. Full Circle is hosted by Lexi Brown
and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer is Jesse Katz. Our
supervising producer is Grace Fuse. Our producer is Zoe dan Klaub.
(37:56):
Listen to Full Circle on America's number one podcast network, iHeart,
open your free iHeart app and search Full Circle with
Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose and start listening.
Full Circle is an iheartwoman's sports production and partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey everybody, Hey y'all, this is Lexi Brown here and
I'm here with my girl Mariaros, and welcome to Full
Circle Podcasts.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This is episode one.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Yes, and we're going to get into why we're starting
this and why it is so important.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
And I'm so excited me too, because I've had a
lot to say and I've been taking a Twitter break guy,
so I've been able to compile my thoughts a lot,
and now I have my own platform to express my
feelings and this is like my dream come true.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I know, I can't wait. First of all, let's talk
about what led us to do this and to give
you and I this platform to talk about women's sports
in a way that isn't the way that we've been
so frustrated with seeing it as of recently.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
For me being a player and then hearing from Maria
who's a media member slash fan, I just feel like
the dialogue around women's basketball has been completely commandeered by
men and men that have no idea what they're talking.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
About, men that are not fans.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
And let me take that back, because I feel like
our fans, the new fans, they feel attacked at times
because they are new, like little.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Babies, like people are gatekeeping it from Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I have a little bit of grace for the new fans. Welcome,
love that you're here. I hope you stay.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
We're not talking about them.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
We're not talking about them.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah, we're We're not attacking them, the new fans. We're
attacking the people who are acting like there are some
sort of experts on women's basketball because they decided to
cover it when one, two or three players came to
the league, and they only cover those specific situations.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Right, And I just feel like there are so many
players in this league that deserve being highlighted, their stories
being told. And also I feel like the game of
women's basketball needs to be covered objectively and with statistics
and facts and not just opinions. And I feel like
this entire summer, I was just hearing opinion after opinion,
(02:11):
and now no one really even knows what's going.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
On, and it's clickbait, like people want to talk about
the biggest situation in controversy that's happening and not really
what's happening on the core or the most talent or
the actual finals matchups, trying to create controversy out of
nothing to give them a reason to be talking about
women's basketball. But it's really like, what's happening on the
court and the games are enough, Like we don't have
(02:35):
to create a controversy out of thin air just so
you can have this clickbaity moment to talk about something.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
It's like and storylines doesn't mean drama, and drama doesn't
mean controversy. Like drama and storylines can exist within the
confines of a sport and it doesn't have to exceed that.
It doesn't even have to leave the lines. And I
think that's something especially as women. They're like, you, guys
all need to be competitive, but then like also hold
(03:03):
hands in patty cake and braise each other's hair, But
still we want you to compete at a high level,
and that's just simply not what we have to do
or need to do well.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
At the same time, I feel like, because y'all are
women playing and there is a level of competition, and
drama does just come with sports naturally that when there
is that sort of competitive fire that the WNBA has
always had, it comes off as quote unquote jealousy or
caddy or yeah, we're hating.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And lease eliminate that word hating and hater. We are
the best basketball players on earth. We are all out
here living our dreams. If you guys think we're hating
that it's crazy to think about that. You are making
us second guess what we're doing day in and day out,
which is chasing our dreams.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Like, I want that word to be thrown away.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Where do you think it comes from. I can even see,
like with us starting this platform and saying we want
to take back the conversation of covering women's basketball from
people actually pay attention and are actually fans and want
the best for women's basketball, I feel like that even
could come off to some people as like being a
hater trying to take the conversation back. But why do
you think that's always what the label is?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Honestly, I just think it's a word people used to
describe women, but in a completely different way than they
use it to describe a man like I. Just this year,
honestly was the first time I've seen that word thrown
around as much as it was in sports, in sports,
and in women's sports in particular, and it's like you
come on the wings of women supporting women and women empowerment.
(04:33):
But every time someone does something well or gets something like,
y'all are all mad.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
No, that's not the case.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
But do you have to be like up in arms
excited about every single thing?
Speaker 1 (04:43):
No.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Can you be happy for people in your little corner
over here, yes, absolutely, But for women it's like everyone
hastuf like a huge sign of we're so proud of
da da da da da when we've been supporting behind
the scenes for years. But because you guys, people don't
see it in your face all the time. And I
think even me, I get caught up in that. Sometimes
if I don't see the support like thrown in my face,
(05:06):
I'm assuming that I'm not being supported. And that's not
the case either. And that's like something that I've had
to grow up and realize that support isn't always like
thrown in your face all the time.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well. Also, being involved in sports, it's like you all
have a level of competitive nature and it's like, why
because it's a women's league, is it expected to have
this like kumba y'ah, we're all women supporting women, blah
bah blah. When it's like low key, with the exception
of your teammates, everyone else is kind of your competition.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Even your own teammates are your competition.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
R exactly, We're all competing for a spot at the
end of the day, and only half of the spots
are guaranteed in the w wow. So you come into
training camp on a non guaranteed contract, Yes, your teammates
are your competition. Those are your sisters, and those eventually
will be your teammates and your family. But them training camp,
we can have two weeks alwa's up for everybody. I
(05:57):
didn't realize that's been my reality this year or eight
my first season on a guaranteed deal.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
And you're like, haha, I don't have to compete exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
But I've seen people with guarantee contracts get waved too.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So it's wow.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It's cutthroat, And I don't think people truly understand how
hard it is to make a WNBA roster. And I've
said that before and people are like listening, it hard
to make any type of professional team roster. Yes, it is,
but the rules are different, the guarantees are different, the
money is different, the length of the season is different,
the lifestyle is different. So I just feel like this
(06:33):
platform is going to be a good way for us
to break it down for people, and to bring other
players and people involved in women's basketball to break it
down for other people and just see so many different
perspectives and point of view, which I think that's what's lacking.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
One thing I'm so excited about for us doing this
is the lowering the rams conversation. Brother, I feel like
every time a women's basketball player is on a podcast
or on a media platform, it comes up every time.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Every single time.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
I'm like, if you have thirty minutes with Asia Wilson,
why would you even speak about that with her?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Why this is the best player in the world who
can dunk on a ten foot rim, by the way, crazy,
And then when the girls.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Do dunk, it's not a good enough dunk.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Oh my gosh. I was just talking on TikTok about
Ashton Watkins dunking the other day and I was like, see, like,
they don't need to lower the rims. They can dunk
if they want to. Everyone's like, well, if you have
to make a whole video highlighting the fact that she dunked.
Then it's not that special.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I'm like what I'm saying, so like y'all thinking that
that would change everything about basketball, changing the rim, it
would change our shots, it would change everything.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Just for y'all to not be happy anyway, Please.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Buy and listen. No teen, no shade. But they dunk
in the NBA. The NBA doesn't need to lower the rims,
and people weren't watching it like they used to.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Hey, so what everyone's favorite players, most of them not
really dunking like that.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Being honest, Joam Marian literally told y'all he's not dunking
because he doesn't want.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
To get it. He doesn't want to get injured.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
So I'm like, but then proceeds to dunk all of
someone's head the next day.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I don't know what that was about.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Steph Curry is my VERYIT player. He doesn't dunk.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Someone doesn't dunk.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Kyrie don't really dunk, Luca definitely don't be dunking.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Sga don't dunk. Okay, let's get back because this is
a women's basketball show. But that just proves our point.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
The players that are in the talks for MVP, everyone's
favorite player selling all the jerseys.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
They're not dunking like that, So y'all need to let
that go. Let that go.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Then when everybody's missing shots, left it right because the
rooms are too low.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Hey man, just know you put that on my page,
You're getting blocked. Immediately you say that to my face,
I'm gonna just look at you and we're gonna just
be looking at each other until you realize there's movement.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Now when w players like on podcasts and stuff and
somebody brings up the lowering the ram conversation, they just
stop talking and look at them. Speaking of opportunities, I
do want to talk about Athletes Unlimited because that is
a huge opportunity for so many people to get to play.
Could you explain a little bit about what it is.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, So, Athlete so Unlimited is is the first off
season opportunity in the United States for professional women's basketball players.
And it is made up of forty players in a
pool of players, and you are.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
On a leader board. So essentially there's only one winner.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
There's a champion, and then you know, you get bonus
money for that, and then it trickles down one through
forty and what makes athletes Ulimited so different and special
is the scoring system, which is how you get.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Points on the leader board.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
There's no coaches, which is amazing, which leads to the
best part, which is the switching of the teams based
on the captain. So you become a captain if you're
in spot one, two, three, or four. There's a draft
every week, so the teams change and essentially we just
out there having a time, free flowing basketball, no coaches,
(09:52):
just vibes, good energy, and a lot of scoring.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
It's very high scoring.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That's my favorite part that the teams are differ every
single I'm like, I don't understand how going from being
in the w where you do have set teammates and
it's like you said, like not everything's guaranteed, but it's
kind of like who's going to be on your team
at the end of the day, and you have like
a system you're training for. How is it different training
for a situation where you don't really know who your
teammates are going to be.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Honestly, it's different in a good way because you get
to just train how you want to train, because you
get to just show up as your best self the
player that you want to be for that five weeks
that we're together, Whereas in the W if you're like,
for me, for example, like I'm the shooter, Okay, I
got to make sure my three point shot is on
point first and foremost, and then everything else can come secondary.
(10:37):
But at AU, like I mean, I still shoot threes,
but I typically ought to do a bunch of other
things that I normally wouldn't do because I don't got
a role in AU.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I'm just LEXI.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
So it's fun to see players who I know very
well in the W like just completely break out of
their role and they come to AU and they're like
a completely different player in a good way. And then
they take that to the W and they just blossomed
every year. I love that it is a pipeline people,
It is a proven pipeline.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Wait, I need to hear more about this.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Let's see who is our most Our most recent All
Stars were Alicia Gray, who won season three of Athletes
So Limited. Kelsey Mitchell was in AU and became an
All Star before I got sick. I felt like I
was on my way to an All Star season fresh
off of AU season. So even if you don't get
(11:33):
voted as an All Star. I feel like there is
a direct correlation of people's performance from AU to the W.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
It's like a breath of fresh air that's exciting. I
hope fans, and I hope.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
When you come because Mariah coming to Nashville, I hope
you see like the energy being a little different.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Have you been with W Bacon Yeah? Okay, other than
All Star? Yes, yes, because All Star was lit.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, I've been with you. I'm not fair Weather okay, okay?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Or who did you go watch play in Atlanta? Because
you live in Atlanta? Oh okay?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Their games are popping.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
The rebrand of the Atlanta Dream is very impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
And they've got their own arena.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yeah, because I grew up in Atlanta going to Dream Games.
When Angel mccattrey was there and they played in the
Big Arena, it was pretty full in there. They went
to the Eastern Conference finals. I think that was back
when they were still conferences. So much has changed in
the W, and I think people really don't understand how
much progress there's been and how much change has been
made in a good way because you've been tapped in
(12:30):
I grew up around the WNBA. I've been in it
for eight years now, Like I wish people would just
stop trying to just every time there's something good that happens,
it's like there's a group of people just trying to
stomp it out. I don't like that because that's not
how you help things grow. And if people care about
it as much as they say they do, they're going
to applaud everything that's positive, whether it's your favorite player
(12:54):
or a player you can't stand at the end of
the day, like everything needs to be uplifted because it's
good for the and I think that's the mentality that's
missing within the w within the ownership, within front offices,
and especially in the media.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
I will say, I guess some people feel like all
publicity is good publicity. And I'm curious how you feel
about this, because I do think some people feel like
creating controversy is the way to get more eyes on
the game. I don't know how you feel about it,
but I'm like I go back and forth where I'm like, Okay,
at least people are talking about it, but I'm always wondering,
I'm like, Okay, so when is this going to turn
(13:30):
into a positive thing? Because people always compare it to
like Bird and Magic at the very beginning of the
NBA becoming popular and like them having to create a
controversy there to make it popular. So do you feel
like that's going to evolve into something positive or it's
just like.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I think the thing with Bird and Magic was that
was just about who yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Boston versus La Coast to coast Obviously the racial it yeah, no,
because there was the racial undertones of that obviously, but
at the end of the.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Day, it ended up just being about who yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Those are two of the best players at the time,
at their peak, representing two different Americas, which those Americas
get united in the name of sports, and then you
take all that weird energy, that negative energy, and you
pour it into the game and it turned into something
iconic in a good way.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Magic was just on TV talking about it.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
He's like, I can't stay in the Celtics, but I
love them, but when we in between them lines, I.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Hate you, and I think that's okay.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Like within the lines, we are not anybody but players
on that court trying to win a basketball game, and
I think for men, and we're hearing it all season
right now they're missing that, like everyone is complaining about it.
But then it's okay, here we are with this what
y'all are missing, and y'all are like killing us for it.
(15:05):
I'm curious, like as fans, like what do y'all really
want to see on the court, because I feel like,
because of social media, fans are just more vocal than
they've ever been about what they like what they don't like,
which is a good and a bad thing, because I
feel like now it's affecting like decision making, which I
don't think like that's always a good thing. But I
had to tell my coaches and gms last year, get
(15:27):
off Twitter.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, get off of their.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Twitter is definitely the worst one. I will say. Being
on social media and in the sports space, one thing
I've noticed is I had to stop kind of worrying
or responding to the narratives about stuff because I'll see
something like everybody complaining about let's say, Kaitlin Clark getting
her jersey retired the same day as Asia Wilson and
like the response to that, and then I'll make a
(15:50):
video about the response. And I've realized, like people just
like to be negative about everything, like I think that
it varies platform to platform. But what I've noticed is
even in every sport right now, feels like the fan
bases take everything that happens as an opportunity to be
negative or to rag on players, or to rag on
the league, or to say something needs to be changed
(16:12):
because fans have a voice they never had before in
social media, and they've noticed, like the NBA All Star
Game changing because people are complaining about it, Like fancy
feel like if they complain, they have a voice and
they have a space and things. But it's also at
the same time, you have to realize as a fan,
you're not a player, you're not a GM, you're not
a professional, and you're talking about real people.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Like at the end of the days, we are not robots.
They're not athletic robots. It's just human beings.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
It's really not that serious. So when you take it
past the line of oh, this person had a bad game,
like whatever, to the line of telling people to go
die or like death threats or like being really evil
or racist and stuff, that's where I draw the line.
But it's become so common now.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yeah, and it's been that way in the NBA. If
you want to look at it have full That means
we've arrived.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Okay, we have arrived.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
We have made it to the point where people are
on our heads on social media platforms no matter what.
Now we have to match this elevation with professionalism, with
maturity and sometimes you really just got to get off
the Internet. And it's easier said than done. But there's
(17:21):
no money on X. There's no money there for anybody.
And the only people making money on there are the
ones who are stirring up the pot constantly with lies,
with fake stories, fake narratives, like we don't know these people.
They can be putting out completely things that go against
everything that they really feel or believe for clicks, for retweets,
for engagement. So as WNBA players, I beg beg us
(17:45):
as a collective just get off, like you can't feed
into it anymore. And I was a huge clapbacker back
when X was a civil place. I loved going back
and forth the people because it was fun. It was
funny people didn't overstep boundaries or come for you in
like disrespectful ways, because at the end of the day,
we can't really come for people like that because we
(18:08):
will face consequences for that, Like some people are.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Very low hanging fruit. Yea very low hanging fruit.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But I'm just gonna leave it there because unlike people
online that hide behind pages, I have a consequence to face.
I have people watching me. I have brands watching me,
I have CEOs watching me. If they see me attacking
the person no profile picture with hatred and just disrespect,
(18:37):
like that's a bad look on my part no matter
what this person said.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
There is a page Mariah an.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Ex page every day tweeted I will not rest until
Lexi Brown gets waved from the WNBA every day Maria
a tweet a day about that. Do you know how
like bored and strain well you.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Are in the head.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Someone sent it to me and I was like, how
how long did this go on? It was like some
weeks months?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
But you know what, that's a compliment because every day
somebody woke up with you on their minds.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Is this real?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
And again you have no idea who this person is.
It's kind of scary because it's just like where about
ops at?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I don't even know where my ops are.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
It's worse now, like you have the pages that are
like just dedicated to a player or players like when
I see those I block them in media, like I
don't have time for those type of people because they
don't care.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
And then they're not fans of the game or fans
of that player that they're trying to represent. They're fans
of controversy and they're fans of hatred. I don't think
any woman in the w wants to have a hateful
fan base or wants people to come for somebody like
just because they have competition on the court. I don't
think anybody wants that. So if people on Twitter are
acting like that and being hateful or tweeting those things
(19:51):
about you, you don't like the WNBA, you don't like
WNBA players, You're a hateful person. So what's the point.
One thing I want to talk to you about is
we've talked about this off camera, but the narrative that
WNBA players are brokey.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Crazy, you know what, that could have been true a
few years ago because actually an article that just came
out today they put my visions out. They said my
salary of the year I played for the Sky and
because it was only half of the season, I made
like forty five thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
So yes, that's a blessing.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
It's amazing I make money playing basketball, but that's ridiculous.
So when people have these perceptions of us, that's the
information that's out there for them.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Also, keep in mind there's a pay disparity that is
not okay. But also I think it's important to note
the NBA schedule is eighty two games long, and how
many games do y'all play? Forty forty and so you're
getting paid that for twenty forms.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Our season is shorter. Our housing is taken care of
for us. If you don't have a car, and market
that's taken care of. You get meals obviously, hotels, flights,
all that is handled even overseas, the same thing. So essentially,
if you're playing w and overseas, if you're in a
position to you could just be stacking bread for years,
which is what I was blessed enough to be able
(21:10):
to do, was just stack bread because I was just
going from one living situation to another living situation, and
then I would just go home.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah that's nice, we go.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
To my parents' house and chill. But yeah, that misconception
of the salaries. I'm begging you guys to understand that
we understand basic economics.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
We're talking to you ice CBE.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
We understand that, yes, if something doesn't make money, then yes,
you can't get paid millions of dollars.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
We understand that.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I also want you guys to understand that we are
not asking for twenty million dollar contracts. We were asking
for contracts that are fair. The revenue split that we
have right now is atrocious.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That's the reality. That's what we negotiated.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Okay, we weren't thinking big enough, but you still have
to get what you can get, which is what happened
in the last CBA, which the strides we made for
the last CBA to now, the strides have been incredible.
The pay has increased, we have charter flights now. A
lot of teams have practice facilities, not us though, but
hopefully that's on the way. Sometimes you don't see even
(22:13):
bigger I'm not saying that anybody was close minded, but
there were priorities that we had seven years ago that
are different than now.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
The CBA is going to be interesting.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Well, and the WNBA was the fastest going brand of
twenty twenty four, so it's like they made completely different
now than they were even a year ago. A year
ago and I like what you said about being able
to stack bread and being in that position, because I
don't like when people paint the WNBA or women's sports
in general out like it's some sort of charity case
that needs some savior to come down and help you
(22:44):
guys up and give you a piece of bread. And
I don't think they are. I don't think it's like that. Like,
I think people need to acknowledge. Yes, there are things
that need to change within women's sports, and that's why
we're doing this. But at the same time, it's good
enough as it is as a product. Like you guys
are out there, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Glad you said that the product is fine because the
business is the issue, yeah, not the product, and we
as players have nothing to do with the business of it.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Our job is to put a good product on the
floor that people want to consume. And you can't consume
something that you can't see, which is something that the
other league is currently dealing with right now. Is how
we're supposed to watch our favorite team if we can't
find them. We have been preaching that from the mountaintops
for years. You cannot support something that you can't see.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It's that simple.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
It is that simple, and I'm no CEO, but I'm thinking, like,
if you make it easier for people to watch, I
know that you might miss out on that little like
streaming coin or whatever, but half the people are watching
it illegally anyways, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So it's like more than half exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
So if you make it accessible and people can watch
basketball on cable or whatever or for free or on
their local channel, and they fall in love with the product,
then they're following the players on social media, and they're
following the league on social media, and they're buying tickets
to go see it in person. And then people prompted
to spend more money to be a part of it.
But if you stop forcing them to spend money just
(24:05):
to watch it on television, yeah, that don't work.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
I mean I have to give a shout out to
the Liberty ownership and the Acest ownership because they like
drew a line. They're like, y'all want to win championships.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
This is the way to do it.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
You pour money into these organizations and you will get
your return on investment very quickly. You will get championships,
you will get max players, you will get full arenas,
and I think them doing that really was the catalyst
to this explosion of the W because what they did
in Vegas, from what they started from to what they
are now is amazing. What they did with the Liberty.
(24:40):
They've been an iconic franchise since the beginning of the league.
How they went from playing in the gym.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Before they went to Barclays. It was awful in there.
Now they're winning championships.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Like now they have a mascot that might be the
most famous person in the.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
League right now.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Shout out to Big Ellis.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Shout out to Big Ellie.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
So there's a divide in ownership and that's going to
be something that's interesting to explore moving forward, because we
have ownership groups that are ready to spend a coin
and we have ownership groups that are not, And that's
really becoming glaring. It's glaring.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Now.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
That's a thing on social media, like people gravitate towards
TikTok because TikTok is willing to pay their creators to
create quality content, which makes the people who are consuming
content on TikTok want to stay on the app longer.
So it's the same thing with sports. If you're putting
money into your athletes, which are your product and your facilities,
and making sure that they have the best, then the
(25:34):
fans are more encouraged to watch it for longer because
what they're watching is higher quality.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Yeah, and you want to be treated like a professional.
I'm currently living in Los Angeles, and if I didn't
have my trainers here.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
I would have nowhere to work out at. That's not okay?
Speaker 1 (25:53):
No, So where do you practice?
Speaker 2 (25:55):
I practice in the valley with my trainers that I
gratefully met while I was living out here. But if
I didn't have them, like, for example, they're out of
town right now. I haven't picked up a basketball in
like a week and a half.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
But as your team, like, where's your team practice at?
So if you don't have a practice facility that's dedicated to.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
You, girl.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
And I'm not here to put anybody on blast, but
I'm here to talk the talk that needs to be spoken,
which is about how we should be treated as professional athletes.
And you want us to come out and put out
a good product and play at a high level and
be under these microscopes and scrutiny and constant criticisms, But
(26:38):
you can't give us a gym the way bare minimum.
So for me, anybody that knows me, I live in
the gym. I love working out, like gym rat to
the core. You're telling me that I worked my ass
off to become a professional athlete, and now I don't
have a gym. If I want to just go get
some shots up, I have nowhere to go.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Wait. I gotta ask you this because you were one
of the best players in college in the country, So
how is it different. I assume that the facilities at
your school.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Were amazing, twenty four seven access, shooting machines, cardio, weight room,
anything you needed to be a.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
High level athlete, a high level athlete. So you get
all that of Duke to get you to the WBA.
Then you get to the WBA and you like, where
are the facilities at of Duke?
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Where is it? For me?
Speaker 2 (27:27):
There's just been a lot of things about my personal
experience that have helped me become the woman I am today,
which is a very resilient, well rounded person. And I
feel like the opinions and things that I say about
the w I've always wanted to push the league forward,
no matter what position I have in the league. Like
I've always been a huge advocate for women's basketball in
the w ever since I've been young, But now going
(27:50):
through it, I'm just like, there's certain things that I
don't want to say. I was afraid to say, but
I just had to see things through to be like, Okay,
is this me being in my feelings or is this.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Like the reality of the league.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
And no, the reality of the league is that there's
a handful of teams that have nowhere to exercise and
work out and get better in the off season and
sometimes in season.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
That's a problem. But that's why we're doing this, because
it's so important that you have a platform to speak
about those things and you're not constantly seeing other people
i em in speak about them for you.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Yeah, because you're living.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
It's your lived experience and a lot of times like
you're not giving that platform to speak about these things.
So that's why you create your own.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Oh. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
The thing about helping things grow is you have to
be open to the critiques that are beneficial. I'm big
on Okay, you're gonna bring something to me a complaint,
like without any type of solution in your vicinity, then
why are you bringing this to me? Obviously, you're just
trying to stir the pot. Talk shit not help if
you don't have an idea of how this can be improved.
(28:48):
If you just are constantly throwing shade and shots at
things and people and organizations.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
That's not what I want here.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
I'm part of the CBA committee, like I wanted to
be in WNBPA leadership. I want to do that because
I feel like, if I'm going to have these grievances,
I need to be a part of the group that
is going to help push the lead forward. So I
had to wait a while to get my footing, and
then I was comfortable enough to be like, okay, like
I want to be a part of this, no matter
(29:15):
what my role in the league.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Obviously I'm not the face of nothing but my life.
You're the face of this podcast, I'm the face of
this podcast. Now where are the faces of the podcast?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
But at the end of the day, I want to
be in a front office. I want to continue to
do media. So at the end of the day, I
want to just push things forward as much as I
can and then go do my job on the court
and then come back here and keep it pushing and
uplift and bring people in to also uplift but also
share their experiences, and I think that's what's going to
(29:47):
make this podcast so special exactly.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
I'm excited to get into especially as like the season
progresses and ask I'm so excited it goes on us
to like have debreaths because I.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Know people be wanting to know what goes on in
locker rooms, which I'm not gonna tell no business obviously
that's code, but I'm not gonna let other people make
assumptions and throw bs out about what's going on in
between these lines and behind the scenes. And we just
don't have anybody doing that right now. So I'm very excited.
I don't no one asked me to do it. I'm
(30:20):
excited to do.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
But also I think it's important to let the listeners
know that we're also going to have women on the
podcast speak about their stories and what's going on in
these locker rooms and their experiences that haven't previously gotten
the opportunity to and people who have, but we're gonna
get like a first look at what's really happening in
women's basketball.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
I'm so excited. This is gonna be great. And again,
we're not here to throw shade. We're not here to
be negative. We're here to talk real. So anybody who
thinks me talking about the facilities is gonna's shady, it's
not shady.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
It's my current reality. So I get to talk about it.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
No, I know your teammates and we're.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Like, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Like I love the Sparks organization. They've done so much
for me. My career has changed since I've been in
the Los Angeles Sparks organization. But that does not excuse
them from being able.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
To improve, not in LA, not in LA. Not if
we want to win championships.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Again, they're about forty stadiums in here. I passed three
on my way over here.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Just let us go somewhere.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
And it is not cheap to get gym space out
here either, So yeah, okay, if I want to go
shoot a little bit, that's not cheap.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Everybody gotta make bread out here. You're gonna be on
the streets.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
So I'm just like, it's time to have these conversations.
But I hope everybody understand that it's coming from a
very genuine place. Like I just love the w I
love basketball, I love where women's sports is right now,
and I just think that we need to continue to
have these conversations. More women need to have these conversations, because,
(31:56):
like we said earlier, it has been completely taken over
by people that have no business. There was a lot
of negativity this season, or as record breaking and amazing
as the season was, I'm sure most fans can only
think of negative things that happened, and that's not how
you should leave a season like the finals was amazing,
(32:17):
but it's like they talked about the finals for five minutes.
They talked about Diana Tarassi potentially retiring for three minutes.
It was disgusting. Yeah, they sent her out.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I agree, and I but I think that one of
the beauties of the WBA having such a record breaking
season as far as viewership and everything that happened and
people covering the sport that weren't previously covering it. Was
the coverage a little bit irresponsible. Yes, at the same time,
I am glad that some of these bigger platforms that
weren't covering it before are even if they're not doing
(32:47):
it completely right yet, because I think that makes space
for people like us to come in and give it
the coverage that I feel like the game deserves. So
it's not that I want those people to stop talking
about it. I just think that there needs to be
a certain level of responsibility when you're talking about something
that is in the growing stage. But I mean, that's
what we're here for.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Yeah, I feel like when you say things like that,
like responsibility, and people are being irresponsible. They're thinking that
we want to be like coddled and babied. No, if
you have an opinion about a player, cool, tell us
why it can't just be like that's how I feel. No,
that's not how good narratives and storylines are built. Like
there's no rhyme or reason to what a lot of
people have been saying. So, yes, you can have a
(33:29):
favorite player. Just tell me why you love this player
so much. But if you don't like this player, tell
me why you don't like this player. And if you
sound like you got some weird hating stuff, then that's fine.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Be that. But there are people who are like, I'm
a proud da da da hater.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Let me say this because I said it needs to
be covered more responsibly. I didn't say you need to
be sweet, I said responsible. And the second thing when
it comes to being responsible and covering women's sports is
if you are more so talking about what is controversial
than you are talking about who is the best. And
if you're not speaking about Asia Wilson, ever, then you
(34:13):
don't need to be covering women's basketball period. If you're
speaking about really anybody more than you're speaking about her,
If you're speaking about controversy between two rookies more than
you're talking about the finals, is irresponsible. So that's my issue.
I'm not saying be sweet. I'm not saying don't talk
about those things because I cover basketball and I talk
about those things too, But at the same time, when
the finals come, you talk about that lock in.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
I think the biggest miss this season was the coverage
of the Minnesota Links, who also retired Minmore's jersey in
the midst of this amazing season.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
They had their complete.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Domination of the w for the most part, Like it
wasn't close for the most part. I thought they were
going to win the finals. A lot of people thought
they were going to win the finals. But it was
Crickets the entire season. That is an organization that has
already won one four championships, and you guys had nothing
to say about them the entire season, their best player
(35:07):
came second in MVP voting, and one defensive Player of
the year.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Nothing, y'all don't have nothing to say about.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
And that's a void that we're gonna fill is talking
about these players that deserve flowers now, because I'm very
tired of us being like, oh, let's give this person
their flowers and they played twenty years ago.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Why did you give them their flowers twenty years ago
when they earned them.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I'm happy to give them their flowers now, twenty years later,
but I don't want players playing now.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
To feel that way. And there's enough flowers everybody, right,
That's what people are also missing. There's not only four flowers.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Yeah, exactly, there's an abundance of flowers.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Exactly. There's not abundance of people to give them, but us,
we gonna give them everything.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Everywhere you get a flower, Oh my god, we should.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Do a segment you get a flower?
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Yees. Cute way to conclude this is who is somebody
that you feel like deserves their flowers today right now?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (36:05):
I mean, I'm going to go with Fee. I think
she deserves her flowers right now.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
I think she got a few during the finals run
because she was playing out of her mind the whole playoffs.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
She was playing out of her mind.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
And now she's about to start her own league unrivaled,
which I think is incredible.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
So yeah, who gets a flower today is an Pisa Collier.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
I was her teammate when she was a rookie, and
I had a blast playing with her. She was amazing
to play with and she's also amazing to play against.
She challenges everybody. She's pretty much unguardable. But yeah, flower
of the day goes to an the Fisa Collier.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
I'm gonna give my flower to the LS Park because
I don't realize y'all had no practice facility. I don't realize. No,
the girls on the team, oh you girl, Oh, I
thought you were given the organization flowers.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
I was like, they get rocks.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
No.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
No to the players for fighting through Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Yes, because that is wow.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
It's tough, and I felt bad for our rookies. Listen,
they were probably like what is this?
Speaker 3 (37:02):
And I had no explanation for them, and I was
just like, it's just.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
What we are. I'm gonna be done with the being
spicy after I say this, But I just am gonna
say if we started treating WNBA players just as well
as we treated women's college basketball players. I think things
will be a lot different. But Lexi, I can't wait
for everyone to listen to our next one because I
feel like we have so much to say and I
could send talk to you about this for hours, but
(37:25):
I don't think they want to listen to much.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
They after that, Yes they do, guys, this is Full
Circle Podcast.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
We will see you next week.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Thanks for listening to Full Circle. We'll be back next
week with more basketball for the girls, by the girls.
We want to hear from you. Leave us a review
on Apple Podcasts, and tell us what you want us
to talk about. Full Circle is hosted by Lexi Brown
and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer is Jesse Katz. Our
supervising producer is Grace Fuse. Our producer is Zoe dan Klaub.
(37:56):
Listen to Full Circle on America's number one podcast network, iHeart,
open your free iHeart app and search Full Circle with
Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose and start listening.
Hosts And Creators
Lexie Brown
Mariah Rose
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