How does it feel making you know that you set that table and you helped inspire this new generation of, of women who all grew up looking up to you?

Obviously, I think it, just given the WNBA time to grow, uh, usually the measuring stick in all of the major five sports leagues has been 30 years.

And we're here at 30 years, and we're seeing tremendous growth, tremendous investment.

Um, and I, and I really, really, really wanna highlight the young ladies that have really taken the stage and, and taken ownership of their brands and social media and their platforms.

And so I think the game is in an, in a amazing place.

I mean, we look at the star power, we look at the growth, the expansion, all of the above.

So I'm just really proud to be on this side of things.

Is there one game on the slate that you're most excited for? Anything that stood out about the schedule?

I don't know, but we had babies back to back and

then trying to win a championship.

Breastfeeding and just balling.

That's what we were doing.

No, I think as a rookie, when you come in, you don't know what you don't know.

And I'm super grateful for my vets because I think you all taught me so many lessons that I wouldn't have, I would have had to go through the bumps figuring out.

And so I always say this, like, And you have it when you're a rookie and you have solid vets and like vets that are some of the goats of all time practice is the hardest thing.

When you became a vet, who were some of the players that you had the chance to have that veteran leadership, make sure they got into the locker room, to the weight room, or eating well, all those little

That's understood.

And that is the m- most difficult thing.

Um, you're also putting together a team, right? And as somebody that was cut in 2016 from the team, you know, you understand like the levels of what goes into picking the team.

It's not always sometimes the 12 best players.

Um, it's the team that the committee or the coaches feel like can give them the, the most there.

Um, and I, and I will say that it is really important in the changing of the guards, and I think you've been a part of this, where you go from a experienced team to now a youth roster where it's changing over, and you're coming into 2028, which is gonna be in the United States, in LA, and all of our main players used to play overseas for six months out of the year, and they don't anymore.

So now I think it's-

Yeah

In your, your order.

Okay.

Well, I believe that if you are the blueprint, then you are what everyone is trying to copy, and I grew up in the Chicagoland, and MJ was like-

Yep.

I just, I idolize the little, like, footwork, and the, like, critique, and the...

I just, all of that, and you could just tell, like, Kobe was the blueprint too of blueprint.

I mean, just from working with Kobe in the gym, like, he's like, "Are you a toe spinner or are you a heel spinner?" I'm like, "Nobody's ever asked me that before."

At the line.

I'm better like, "Hey, let's add this, let's do this," encouragement, that type of thing, because that was the shift.

Like that was the aha moment, where I was like, "A'ja getting busy.

Like she's MVP, she's got years to come." I wanna help her grow in that way and be a support system.

So sitting on the sideline watching 2023 championship, I was super happy because of the great people that I was a part of it with.

But it's always an asterisk.Like, it really is.

It's always like, "Is that a cham-" Like, I know people are gonna question that championship 'cause I was not on the court for that.

What are your thoughts on kind of what's moving forward for this league and, and, and where you hope it continues to grow to?

Mm-hmm.

You know, or what, a 30-day challenge, or whether it's to learn the guitar, um, I think there's that childlike mentality that some of us lose as we get older and we get into the monotony of work and, you know, all of that, all of those things that I think it can be satisfied through other areas.

So if you don't wanna give up your career and you don't wanna completely pivot, I think it's about figuring out ways you can challenge yourself in other areas of life.

And I truly believe that.

I spent my entire career chasing that WNBA championship.

Mm-hmm.

... get up in somebody's face, and be empathetic, and all those things, and I think society is ready for that, more so as a result of the WNBA.

You look at leadership, it comes in all shapes, sizes, fortunately and unfortunately.

Like, now that you're retired, where do you get competitive edge from and fulfillment from now?

Well, unfortunately for my family, I am still the same competitor as when I played.

It's just I don't have the outlet in a game sc- scenario, so now it's like dominoes.

It's outside playing HORSE.

It's volleyball with my daughter.

It's, you know, if we're in the pool and, like, I don't know, we were shooting rings, um, you know, on the, on the little hoop in the pool, and I was like...

I stayed there until I got it.

When you look back on it all, when did you feel the most maybe misunderstood in your career?

(cheering)

Happy birthday, Mom.

Um, and it's crazy, growing up Candace, Short, Can, you know, whatever.

And then my mom extended it to Can Do because she saw...

You know, sometimes I, I, I looked at the shadows of my brothers and was, like, a little bit overwhelmed.

My older brother is a professional NBA basketball player, played 10 years, actually played with somebody you might know, LeBron James, for a couple of years.

I mean, that's a really challenging part for athletes.

Here's, here's what I will say.

The youngest sister to two older brothers, and as I read, you were always trying to keep up with them and do everything that they were doing, so your mom would say, "You can do anything." Tell me about that nickname and how it kind of became your mantra for life.

100%.

Um, my mom was the true MVP in inspiring me to be able to believe that I could do anything and be anything, and I think that mindset was cultivated at a young age by both of my parents.

And so, you know how my name's Candace, and it was shortened to Can, and my mom extended it to CAN do when I doubted myself, whether I was tying my shoes, whether I was trying to knock down game-winning free throws, whatever it was.

Um, ACTs, I still, I still have that, like, whisper, um, in my, in my head whenever I'm trying to do hard things, and so it became a mantra.

Um, the acronym standing for community, authenticity, navigating n- negativity, leaning into the dash, which is the journey, and both seizing and, you know, opening up opportunity for others.

I just wonder how you look at all that.

I think in the history of time right now, there's always been the case where there have been rivalries, and I think that rivalries fuel leagues.

Can you speak to that collective frustration that some may have been feeling and whether or not you think it's something that's being overcome as you all thrive and move forward in continuing to promote and uplift this league?

You know, it's so crazy to me (instrumental music plays) because I'm asked so many times if I...

I- I'm, you know, resentful in any type of way for where the WNBA is right now.

My job was to leave the game better than I came into it.

You think Cheryl Miller is resentful for me that I had a league to play in? No, she's being the mentor that she is and she's supporting and loving and sitting courtside cheering on JuJu Watkins, and I'm doing the same for Caitlin Clark and all the women in the WNBA.

You know, I think that rivalry is super important.

I think conversation is super important.

So, looking at the OKC side, what would a title mean for the MVP SGA's legacy?

Mm.

I was a young mom, and I'll never forget this moment.

And you know what? I might've scored a lot more points if I didn't have my daughter, and I might've won a couple more championships maybe, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself right now.

Like, I wouldn't be the human and the person that I am right now, and I know that without a shadow of a doubt.

She was born, and it was so interesting because (laughs) I remember someone telling me, like, "We didn't know that you would be a good mom." And I'm like, "Whoa.

First of all, in the heart, like, jeez, you didn't think I'd be a good mom, but guess what? Like, she's the most important thing to me." And she was six weeks old, mm, maybe a little older.

I think she was, like, eight weeks old.

Yeah.