The All-Flowers Episode
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I mean, I'm wearing my shirt that says, if you just now tuning in to Women's Sports, we told you so, because we've been trying to tell you. Like, where have you been? Under a rock. Move the rock below. This is Queens of the Court. Welcome to another episode of Queens of the Court, an Odyssey original podcast produced in partnership with the WNBA. I'm your girl, Cheryl Swoop.

And I'm Jordan Robinson. And court. And court. Is in session. Is in session. Boom. Boom. How about that one? Way better than the first. You know, I... You would be new to this.

I ran into someone at the final four and they said, never change. So they said, never get it right. It's so endearing how off it is. So we've actually been encouraged by the listeners. I don't know about endearing whoever that is. No, because it bothers me when it's so bad off. We've been encouraged to never change. Okay. All right. Just saying. I can rock with that. I can rock with that.

We are recording this on Monday, fresh off of the women's final four weekend in Cleveland. And I want this whole episode to be one long flower segment because I'm just coming back feeling like,

overjoyed from women's hoops over these past few days. And we're going to talk a little bit about the game because we have to Iowa versus South Carolina. What went down in that game, the game plan that South Carolina had. But overall, I just want to start with the vibes of Cleveland, Ohio. My first time to Cleveland,

Wasn't feeling the weather, Cheryl. It was like rain, snow, cold. I live in LA. The sun is shining right now. I don't have any real jackets. I have fake pretty coats. So I had to find a real coat to wear and it still wasn't enough. Yeah. I'll be honest with you. Was not super excited about Cleveland. I was like,

Why can't we go to Phoenix and have the men go to Cleveland? My first thought. But I will say this, the not only the games, like the vibes, everything that I was fortunate enough to be a part of and just being around so many people who love women's basketball, like just kind of made you forget about the weather.

You know what I mean? Like it was such a great vibe. It was so good to be a part, to be around. And then you throw the games in on top of that. It was lit. It was fire. It was dope. It was whatever that word is you want to use. It was all of those things.

It lived up to the hype. It was, you know, with the final four and I think about, you know, the draft coming up or WNBA All-Star, like these are the hubs where everyone in women's basketball comes together and you just get to see everyone that is online or the things that you've seen them on TV, you've read their things and now we're all in one place.

And one of those places was the Play A Society Mitchell and Ness pop-up that me and you were a part of. Shout out to Esther Wallace and everything that she did at Play A Society this weekend. It was so incredible. And first of all, Cheryl didn't know that I was going to be moderating that panel. Didn't know. Didn't know. I found out on social media. I don't remember who. I think maybe you posted it. And I was like, that little...

Child of God. Grace, no, you didn't bring it up. So I was like, okay, maybe she doesn't know. I'm just going to surprise her. And I surprised her by wearing the Play of Society Cheryl Swoop's shirt.

At the panel. And I kind of want to just briefly talk about because when you walked into that room and you saw your shirt for the first time that had all your accolades on the back, your beautiful picture on the front that Esther drew, you seem to be just overcome with emotion. There were flowers everywhere because we've given flowers to you and Simone Augustus who were there. We'll talk about in a second. But what were those initial emotions when you walked into that room?

Well, before I even get into that, to your point, yes, shout out Esther Wallace. Esther, sis, queen, you did the damn thing.

Like she continues to inspire and uplift so many young women and older women and just our game. So just want to make sure I give her her flowers because without her and Mitchell and this, I don't know if this whole Cheryl Swoop, Simone Augustus event happens. So thank you. Jordan, you know, for me, when I...

It wasn't even the initial me walking into the building and I'm going to try not to get emotional. It was walking in the building and seeing a long line of people, of fans waiting for the doors to open so they could come inside. But

Just the appreciation of I took that as kind of a thank you. Right. Like, thank you for what you've done. Thank you for what you continue to do for women's basketball. And I want everyone to hear this and understand that, one, it never gets old. And two, it's.

I never take it for granted. I am so appreciative of moments like that. Just to feel the love and appreciation, like it really touches my heart. And I don't know, I'm just very, very grateful for moments like that. And I think the I don't even want to say the older I get, but the

The farther away I get from like retirement or from having played the game, it's just a whole new appreciation for me, for the fans. So that's what that emotion was for. And then when I walked in the room and saw the hard work and everything that Esther had put into that moment, it was just so touching and so beautiful. And yeah, just was a it was a special moment for me.

And then I saw your pretty face. I was like, oh, y'all got me good. Y'all got me good with this one. It was an honor to be able to have that conversation when we talked about on the panel just about legacy and the growth of the game. And Simone Augustus was on that panel. And this was on Saturday. And she had just found out that morning that she was going to be inducted to the Naismith Hall of Fame.

And to be able to have that conversation with her a few hours removed from that announcement, she was overcome with emotion. And it was so powerful to see her

burst into tears at the realization that I am a hall of famer. Like I I've done it. I've, I've done it all. And so, so deserving and LSU legend, but a four time WNBA champion with the Minnesota links, the list could go on and on what she has done. So it was also really special to be a part of her moment celebrating with her family there that she's going to be a hall of famer. That was cool.

Yeah. And I know she didn't really want us to mention it or to talk about it. No, she did not. But first of all, you're at the women's final four. You're in a space in a room full of women's basketball fans, full of Simone Augusta fans. And this is big news, right? Like we need to talk about it. We need to celebrate it in Simone Augusta's

Such a competitor, such a fierce competitor, a baller, has done so much for the game. So absolutely very deserving. Want to make sure we congratulate her and give her her flowers. And another one that I want to mention who a lot of people may not remember or some may not know, Michelle Timms.

from Australia played in the W for Phoenix Mercury. I competed against her in the W in the Olympics and Timsy, congratulations, very deserving. And Michelle Tims, just like Simone Augusta, such a fierce competitor, has done so much for the game, not just here in the W, but everything she continues to do for women's basketball, girls basketball in Australia. Kudos to you. Congrats. Very well deserved.

And now that Hall of Famer is just, it's with you forever. Like, like you, Cheryl, like that is something that you can say, yes, we can list all the championships, all the accolades, but Hall of Famer, that's the, that's the time. Jordan, that has a different, yeah, like that kind of has a different,

like it has a different feel you know what i mean you can sit here and yeah you can talk about you can list all of your accolades and don't get me wrong like those are special and and they mean a lot but when you say hall of famer that means you are the best of the best and not just women's basketball but it's you know me not just men's basketball it's basketball you are in the naysmith hall of fame

that growing up as a kid, you only hear about that. And you're like, dang, what does it take to make that happen? And to see that dream become a reality. And I think for every single person, they always remember where they were when they got the call. Like good memories, bad memories. For me, I remember I was literally sitting at MD Anderson Hospital with my mom getting ready to go through chemo.

when I got the call and as tough as it was being there it was still very special to be able to share that moment with my mom and it just reminded me when Simone was talking about you know what she's most proud of is being able to share that moment with her mom and dad um so I so related to her on that and it is being being called being named a hall of famer is um

It's kind of in a league of its own. It really is. The elite league. Thank you for sharing that. And I think to be able to watch this boom of women's basketball and to be able to see the talent on the court and be able to see, like, these are some future Hall of Famers out here balling is super exciting. And I wanted to touch on that just a little bit. You know, the numbers came out.

about the Iowa-Yukon game in the Final Four. As this recording, we don't have the viewership numbers for the championship game between Iowa and South Carolina. By the time you're listening to this, I hope they came out, and I hope they are incredible and blew everyone's minds. But the Iowa-Yukon game averaged 14.2 million viewers. It peaked at 17 million viewers.

The largest audience for basketball game ever on ESPN, ever. Higher than every World Series and NBA Finals game last year. I mean, I'm wearing my shirt that says, if you just now tuning in to Women's Sports, we told you so, because we've been trying to tell you. Like, where have you been? Under a rock. Move the rock. Hello. Hello.

But I also wanted to ask to Cheryl, specifically you, because you won a national championship 1993 with Texas Tech.

I feel like the crowds at the game were still booming and roaring because the product has always been great. But how does it feel to see the viewership numbers that's nationwide, that's around the world that people are tuning into women's hoops? No, I mean, it's crazy. It's so off the chart to me. And when you bring that up, like in 1993, when we won the national championship in Atlanta,

Like that, it was a sellout. I can't remember off the top of my head what the numbers were, but it was a sellout. And I remember thinking then like, wow, this many people in an arena for a women's basketball game was pretty cool. Right. And when I, it's one thing to look at it on television or to read about it. But when you're there in person and you can see these numbers, right.

And you can hear it. You feel it. Like, I don't even know if you can put into words really truly what that feels like. But I just know the arena in Cleveland, and we're not even talking about the people who watched it at home and from around the world. The atmosphere was electric, right? It was just like...

I don't even know. It was crazy. But when you think about that, that's higher than every world series and the NBA finals game last year. I don't know if anybody ever thought that would happen, ever thought that would be possible. And, and,

And it's not just because of one particular team, one particular player. It's about the four teams that were in that final four. They all brought something different. They all have their own following and their own excitement. And so people want to tune in to see one.

Who will someone upset the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, right? Two, oh my goodness, Kaitlyn Clark. What is Kaitlyn Clark going to do on the biggest of stages? Three, it's UConn. It's Gina Auriemma with UConn with six, seven players. How in the world did this happen? How did they get there? What's UConn going to do? And then you have the underdog of all underdogs, NC State.

Right. And so you have people tuning in saying, can NC State upset South Carolina in the semis? I just think there are so many storylines. There was just so much excitement behind the final four that there is no wonder the numbers were the way they were.

I couldn't agree more. Yeah. On my flight from LA, there were so many Iowa fans, people just dressed in their teams, uh, colors and it was a packed flight. I was like, I just love it here. I think that was my vibe all weekend. I'm like, these are my people. I love you all. Thank you for, for Karen and, and wanting women's sports. I sat next to this woman named Sue and

during the championship game. This was her 25th straight Final Four game that she has been to. And just a super fan, an absolute super fan. And so I asked her, I was like, did you ever, like, we're all 25 like this? She said, absolutely not. This is goosebumps. She was getting goosebumps when the crowd was cheering, when teams would go on a run. Like, it was...

I think electric is really the only word that we can kind of describe it as. Absolutely. It was so much fun. I'll tell you.

I did want to lace my shoes up again. You know, I got my old lady league that will not have 18,000 people there, but you know, it would be my husband and like three other people there. So I think I'll just channel that electricity as I go out on the court again, it inspired me. I'll just say that. I'm not going to take it that far. When you come in LA, you can stop in.

I had zero desire to lace them up again. Oh, old lady league or whatever it is. No, ma'am. I'll pass. Thank you. But I will tear my butt off for you, Jordan. I will be your biggest cheerleader. There was a tweet from Izzy Harrison that, and I like, I felt it and I just pulled it up because I want to make sure I get it right. It just said, I hope every year in women's basketball feels like this. It's about time. And I,

Just in reading that, I was like, you're right. Because it did. It had a different feeling. It had a different vibe. It was just.

Yeah. Like it's about damn time is what I would have said. Not just time. It just was, it was so good. So good. So good. Well, we're going to take a quick break, but on the other side, we're going to talk about why, why the game was so good and talk about the South Carolina team who went undefeated and Don Saley and all of those things and give the Gamecocks all their flowers. We'll be right back.

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breaking news for Queens of the Court. During that break, the viewership numbers dropped from ESPN. So

No surprise here. New record has been set 18. This is insane. 18.7 million people watched Iowa during South Carolina on Sunday. It peaked at 24 million viewers, which is just wow. Here's just put in context.

It's up 89% from the 2023 national championship game. It's up 285% from the 2022 champ game. I mean, wow. Wow. Wow. Like, I don't even know what else you say besides wow. And it deserved it. That's remarkable. That's remarkable. The game was so good from the jump.

And I want to... No, from the jump, it was not good. From the jump, Caitlin Clark scored 11 points in, I think, 67 seconds. And I was like, oh, my goodness. She's on pace for 100 points. You know what? Dawn probably said the same thing. She did. Something different.

The scouter report or what South Carolina did from the jump. They put Brie Hall and Caitlin and then switched to Raven Johnson being on Caitlin. And that's when the,

Raven was just tapping into this revenge tour mindset. And she didn't have a great offensive night, but I don't think she needed to. It didn't matter. She was sucking wind. She was so tired, but she was putting all of her effort and trying to stop Caitlyn. And I think the game plan...

the scouting report, everything that South Carolina did was really impressive. Kaitlin still got 30 and Stolke still had her moment. She was running the floor still very well, but South Carolina are the national champions. Perfect season, 37 bench points to Iowa zero. Like I could go on and on, but

When that final buzzer sounded, Dawn Staley got so emotional after that win. We didn't realize that she was fighting a sickness, that she lost her mom during all of this. And like, we didn't know a lot of things, but we knew that this South Carolina team was special. Somehow it was still not talked about enough, Cheryl.

How do you feel? I see you getting emotional for your friend. I am. You know what? Yeah, I have so much to say in this moment right now. So I'm going to do like Dawn did when that one crazy reporter asked her a crazy question in that moment. I'm going to take a breath. We'll gather my thoughts before I speak. Okay? Okay. So first of all, the emotional part, right?

Like I'm so emotional right now just thinking about it because I so felt that. I felt every word she said. I felt every tear she shed. And listen, Dawn is from Philly. Dawn does not do that. She never lets people see that side of her, the emotion. But I think in that moment, there was so much that she was feeling that

that she couldn't help but to get emotional. Everything from, you know, people always coming for her for whatever reason. They're always coming for her. And she always manages, always finds a way to say the right thing, to be the bigger person, to answer questions. She doesn't avoid any of it. Like, she's good. She's good. I don't think she gets...

enough credit. I don't think people really truly appreciate what Don Staley was able to do with this team. And for me, they finished the season 38-0. That is tough to do for anybody in any sport. And what frustrates me is if any other team goes undefeated, it's a big story. It's a celebration.

It's a let's make sure people know who this team is. They know who the coach is. Let's talk about it. And if that's been out there, I've missed it because I haven't seen it. And Dawn and her team deserve all the flowers, all the recognition, just like any other team does. You talk about the scouting report.

Before we even get to South Carolina scouting report, I want to go back to Connecticut scouting report. Yes. Yeah. Right. Because the job that Nick Amule did on Caitlin in that game was phenomenal. Phenomenal.

And I think Dawn and her staff, and forgive me because she mentioned her assistant coach, and I can't remember his name, but she said the scouting report he put together, she's like, he watched film after film. She said it was overload, the information. And I was just like, all right, you know what? I'm just going to listen. But I think they looked at that Connecticut game and saw what Nika Mule was able to do or really saw what Geno's defensive game plan was and said, you know what? It worked.

And I'm saying that because people are like, well, how would it work if she still had 30? Well, when you're playing a player like a Caitlin Clark who can just flat out shoot the basketball, you have to try and limit the easy stuff she gets. Right. And for me, the fact that they understood anytime she goes left, she's going left to step back and shoot the three.

So we're going to try to keep her on the right side of the floor, force her right where we know she's trying to get all the way to the basket to score or she's looking to put the ball on the floor and create for somebody else. So as crazy as this may sound, I'm going to take my chances and giving up who's who.

or her creating for someone else versus giving up threes because the one thing she has proven to everybody in the world that she can do that is flat out shoot the basketball from the three mm-hmm i'm gonna stop talking for a minute yeah i'm gonna let you talk

Well, thank you for that. I got so much to say in this segment. I know. I know. Well, first of all, Winston Gandy, the assistant coach for South Carolina, who she she gave that shout out to because, yes, the scout was great. And I think also to put it in perspective to UConn and Nika Mule, Caitlin Clark had six points.

at halftime against UConn. And again, she had 11 points in 67 seconds against South Carolina at those opening minutes. But I think it's also those adjustments, right? Like they were, we had to see how were the refs calling it? Okay. They're, they were trying to run her off the three so much that they were fouling her on the three point line, which honestly I didn't mind. Make sure to you're, you're running her off the best that you can. Um, but yes, it's,

The Dawn Staley effect at South Carolina and what she has done, 109-3 since the 2021 season. 109 wins and three losses. Jordan. She is the first Black coach to win three national championships in D1. That's crazy.

Like, this is not normal thing. She had a Naismith player of the year career herself and then turned around and is having a coach, historic coaching career. Like those things don't happen. And when you saw her break down into tears and just

Like it just felt like she could take a deep breath a little bit from the season because it was okay. Are we going to, who are we going to lose to? That was a little bit of the storyline. Are they going to lose? They almost lost to Tennessee and that sec tournament game. Like, Oh,

when are, who's going to get them? What do they have to do to stop them? This team was unstoppable. They had a perfect season. I think it was Under Armour released, uh, their graphic to congratulate them and said, you win some, you lose none, which is so tough. Oh my, I want that on a shirt. I want that everywhere. That was dope. That was dope. So when you think about it, um,

And, you know, they're not the first team to go undefeated. I think we have the list here. Texas, 1985, 86. Tennessee, 97, 98. Baylor, 2011, 2012. UConn, what was that? One, two, three, four, five, six times. And now South Carolina this season. But I think it's how the season started.

We, they were not number one in the preseason poll. We were said, this is going to be a rebuild year because she graduated five starters and not just graduated. They went on to be drafted to the WNBA. Um, Noah, Leah Boston. Okay. They're going to have to rebuild. We don't really know these names. Who's Malaysia for Wiley. Like,

nobody was really talking about them going undefeated this year. We were talking about how great they were last season and how they didn't make it there. So to do it with that commentary on top of it, they set the tone in Paris and they have not took their foot off the gas since. And Dawn getting emotional, showing that emotion was like,

I can breathe. We did it. I knew we could, but I can breathe a little bit, right? Yeah. And so it's so much that just as a coach period, right, that you have to go through when you deal with in sports and when you're coaching, you know, a group of coaches

Anywhere from 19 to 23 year olds, 24 year olds, just from an emotional standpoint, because they're just different depending on what day it is. You know what I mean? And on top of that, to be a black woman in this field, you know, you're held to a different standard and expectations of what you can and can't do are different.

And then when you defy the odds and when you do things that people say you can't do, people don't quite really want to celebrate you. Like I've been there. And so when I look at what Dawn has been able to do at South Carolina, not just this year over her entire career, but this year in particular,

I wrote this little tweet to her and sent it to her because I continue to be in awe of Dawn every single day. I watch what she does for her team. I watch how her players love and respect her, how they trust her. And

the way she carries herself, the way she handles herself. And in tough situations, Dawn always remains true to who Dawn is. I personally want to just say thank you to her from not just a former basketball player teammate, but from one Black woman to another. Just thank you for being who you are and being true to who you are. And there are so many people who watch you, we see you.

we love you and we respect you and just congratulations on an incredible career and incredible season and i couldn't be happier for her and her team and no one is more deserving

I want to say that I love us so much because I don't know if you've seen this video going around where they put the church music, the church music, the organ on when she was saying her speech, giving the praise to God. And they put the...

The internet is undefeated. I don't know who put that together, but it was flawless and it was perfect. One last thing I want to say is, you know, we talk about,

Dawn a lot based on what you just said, how her players love her. And you hear how Asia Wilson talks about Dawn. You hear how Camila Cordoso said, that was the best decision of my life to come to South Carolina and how she is very much a player's coach. I just saw a quote from Joyce Edwards, who's a five-star recruit coming to South Carolina next year. She was the co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game.

Joyce has a 5.0 GPA and it was a red flag that South Carolina didn't have her major, which is environmental engineering. And Dawn created the major for her to make sure that she came to South Carolina and because she knew how important academics was to her. So it's like we're we're going beyond that.

And Sean heard from ESPN's Anscape. He just did another great story on Dawn, and he had this quote from her. People think I'm just a player's coach, and I'm not an X's and O's coach. But if we were not an X's and O's coaching staff, how are we beating the X's and O's coaches and programs? I don't really care as long as we keep winning championships.

Like, gave the credit to her assistant. They had the scout. They had great X's and O's. They executed flawlessly. So they are very, very deserving of this championship and a perfect season, which, again, like we were talking about with Hall of Famer, you can't take that perfect season away. You can't take this ring away. Like, this is...

This will be forever. But Jordan, I know you said last thing, but I have to say this because this is kind of a flowers episode. Yes, it is. Yes. I would be remiss if I didn't call out a few players. And I brought up Nika Mule and her defense and, you know, Gino's defensive strategy and

And absolutely South Carolina brought it defensively for, for Caitlin Clark to have 18 points in the first quarter. And to only, I'm saying only end up with 30. That means she only scored 12 more points in three more quarters. And that is all due to one, the defensive game plan, but Raven y'all I'm joking. Don't get mad at me. Raven Shaniqua Johnson, right?

I just gave her a middle name. Listen, that defense

She was determined. And Raven said, I don't care if I don't make a single shot. It wasn't for her lack of shooting. Raven said, not today. Not on my watch. The defense that she played the rest of that game. You want the numbers? We got the numbers. Please give them to me. She held Kaitlyn to 27% shooting. 3-4-11. Only seven points while Raven was guarding her.

she was everything if she went to get some water Raven was there hand in her face where are you going where are you going oh yeah I'm here I'm here boo oh no no no oh you think you're going there nope I'm there before you no it was so like I enjoyed watching Nika mules defense but but I love defense right yes so then to see Raven come back and be able to defend the way she did was beautiful I'm just gonna talk about this for one second the player that I think

Change the game for South Carolina, though, was Malaysia for Wiley when she got in the ballgame. That energy that she brings every single time she's on that floor is unmatched. And I don't care if she is over.

you know that she's going to hit one eventually and it's going to change the game. But her speed, her quickness, the little swag she plays with, I love this kid. And she is just a freshman. Two more, just two more. Let me give you two more. Chloe Kitt. I thought Chloe Kitt was huge. Getting offensive boards, finishing. Chloe Kitt was huge. But my MVP of this game

I don't even know if I want to say MVP because there's so many that could have been MVP, but I'm Tessa Renee Johnson. I know her name's not Renee. I know her name's not Renee y'all, but you can't tell me that this kid's a freshman because she, the moment was not too big. It was like, coach, I am ready. I'm ready. And it was so amazing. So amazing to watch.

Now I'm going to go on the other side. I want to go to the other side, to Iowa, because I have a question. Why didn't Hannah Stolke play more? That's a good question. She had two fouls. I'm not sure. But Stolke, she finished with 11 points. Do we know how many minutes she played total? 27 minutes. I just, I don't know. I kind of felt like, I don't know. Every time I looked up, it seemed like she was not in the game. Do you know what I mean?

I tell you what, she can run. I love that. She just rim runs. And I can't wait to see her blossom next season even more too. Like,

There were so many WNBA scouts probably in that audience like look at her go like just that mindset of I'm going to beat everyone down the court and this is going to make my job easier because I'm just scoring wide open layups. Most of the time because she knows if she gets out and runs, Caitlin is going to do a heck of a job in getting the ball to her.

Like to me, that is the best part of Hannah Stolke's game is her ability to typically outrun the other team's bigs that are defending her. Just curious because I wasn't sure how many minutes she played.

I think that's a good question because I guess I assume she was in foul trouble, but she only finished with two personal fouls. But kind of going back to Tessa real quick, 19 points off the bench in 25 minutes. Three for six from three.

Like, I saw a meme that it was a picture of Sidra from Love is Basketball. Love is Basketball. And they said Sidra would be so mad because all these freshmen would have taken her spot. Like, what? Oh, my God. That's funny. You were in high school last year and you're scoring 19 points in the national championship game? Yeah. What? It was so beautiful to watch.

It was so beautiful to watch. It was great. I think I want to rewatch the game. Like I was there and I kind of want to, I do. I we're, we're what a week away from the draft. We're going to talk about it, but the WNBA season isn't for like a month. I miss basketball already. So I might just rewatch it. Even though I know what's going to happen, but it was, it was a great game. It was, it was such a great game.

We are going to continue this Flowers episode. We're going to come back. We're going to talk about Kaitlyn Clark and how the draft is one week away.

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Overnight, Duncan's pumpkin spice coffee has sent folks into a cozy craze. I'm Lauren LaTulip reporting live from home in my hand-knit turtleneck that my Nana made me. Mmm, cinnamony. The home with Duncan is where you want to be. Welcome back to Queens of the Court. And a quick reminder...

I have not forgotten this, but the 2024 WNBA draft presented by State Farm is less than one week away. That's my alarm noises. It's next Monday, April 15th, 730 p.m. Eastern. You can see it on ESPN. Fans are going to be in attendance for the first time in years.

It's going to be so much fun. It's always fun every single year, but I, this draft is, is going to be special. And one of the reasons why it's going to be so special is because of Caitlin Clark and we are doing a flowers episode and we have to give flowers to one of the best shooters, especially in the college game that I have seen with my own eyes and seeing it in person is

It's insane. And Dawn Staley said this, we talked about her using her voice, knowing the power of her voice. She took time out of their celebration to make sure to give Caitlyn her flowers. She said, "I want to personally thank Caitlyn Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport. Caitlyn Clark, if you're out there, you are one of the goats of our game and we appreciate you."

Coming from Dawn Staley, that is incredible. And Kaitlyn just had, I don't think we have enough time in the episode to go through all of the records that she broke, but leaving her college career as the NCAA Division I scoring leader, one of the best college careers ever. And it was cool to witness and to be able to be in this moment with her for these years.

But yeah, just a few flowers for Kaitlyn. - Yeah, I, you know, Jordan, you and I were talking about this and I agree with you. Kaitlyn Clark is probably the best shooter, especially in the college game, that I've ever seen. Not saying there haven't been others, but that I've ever seen.

And I agree with Dawn when she just says everything that Caitlin has done, whether she intentionally did it or not, she has absolutely taken the women's game to a different level. She's brought more eyes, people who never watched a single game of women's basketball.

tuned in because they wanted to see who is this little girl from Iowa shooting these logo threes? Because that's the narrative, like that's what's out there. Who is this person that's shooting these logo threes? And when you tune in to watch one game, you're hooked, right? Because it's impressive. And her ability to just score...

in droves is it's very special and it's so good to see and good to watch um you know I I think what what's what what the media what what some of the fans have done though has just put so much pressure

on her and a lot of the other players. I'm going to put Angel in there too, right? I just think what they've done is put so much pressure on these young girls, young women,

to go to the league with a big target on their back. Right. I don't think there's ever been a question or a doubt that they will succeed at the next level, that they will be really good at the next level. I think it's more about the timing of it all. Right. And I want to say this one thing, because there's just so much stuff on the Internet, like always.

I think when people hear former players or current players talk about the adjustment and talk about the difference and how tough it's going to be at the next level, right? Like that's not personal. That's not hate. That's not jealousy. That's reality. And if former players and current players can't talk to these incoming rookies,

about how hard the league is and how tough it's going to be and the adjustment it's going to be. If we can't do that, then nobody should be doing it. Right. Because it's not coming from a place of hate, a place of jealousy, a place of envy. It's coming from a place of we went through it. We've been there.

And it's no knock on these players because every single player, there's an adjustment. Even on the NBA side, there's an adjustment going from being a college athlete playing against 18, 19, 20-year-olds. Now you're going to a professional league where, and I'll say Diana Taurasi said it, where these are grown women. Mm-hmm.

And so when I think about, because this is a Caitlin Clark segment, when I think about what Caitlin is going to be able to do at the next level, there's no doubt in my mind that Caitlin will make, Indiana, because that's where she's going. Yes, Caitlin will make Indiana a better team, but Indiana, they already have so many great pieces. It's just a matter of

making it all come together. How quickly will that all come together? But there's still going to be an adjustment period. Let's not forget, Aaliyah Boston is only going to be in her second year. I know. Right? Yeah, she won Rookie of the Year, but this is still just going to be her second year. So yes, there's going to be an adjustment period. But like everyone else has said, I am so excited about this upcoming W season because we have...

So much great talent coming into the draft this year. And you add that with the great talent that's already there, it's going to be a good season. It's going to be a good season.

The video of Aaliyah Boston on the ESPN desk, somebody from the crowd caught her. She was like dancing. She was so excited at the championship game because her former team just won a national championship, but she's also getting the best player on the opposite team. So she is like best of both worlds for the Indiana Fever. A couple of things based on what you said. So I got a chance to talk to Lynn Dunn a few days ago while I was in Cleveland.

just an amazing person. She's a GM for the fever. And I asked her, she wouldn't tell me who she was officially drafting yet, but we know, we know. Oh, can't wait to see who that'll be. I said, Lynn, what have you been offered? Like, have you been offered a new house, a car? Like what have you been offered for this number one pick? She said, it's going to take more than that. She

It's going to take more than that for what they have. And she talked about how her, her previous back-to-back picks was when she was a GM in Seattle, she got Lauren Jackson and Sue bird back to back. So it's like, okay. She said she was offered a full team back then. And it, it's not, it's not the same. So what she's, what Caitlin Clark is going to do at the next level is

is up to her and I can't wait to see it develop and play out. But what I do know is that people are going to be watching and that she has brought more people into this sport. And we have, we're always trying to bring people into women's basketball and the WNBA specifically the league, um, to make that connection, bridge that gap from college to the WNBA. That has been something that I have wanted to study. Like, well,

if there is a sellout at UConn every year, there's a WNBA team in Connecticut. Why aren't you guys all going to those games? So sometimes I think about bridging that gap and Kaitlyn has the opportunity and the power to do that because we wanna watch her shoot threes and we wanna watch her, how it's all gonna develop at the next level. And we already saw the aces

have already a sold out season. But when Indiana comes into town, they're going to the bigger arena. They're moving from Michelob Ultra to T-Mobile Arena where the NBA plays because they're

Everybody is going to want to see Caitlyn versus Asia versus Jackie and Chelsea and Aaliyah. Like that is what we're trying to build in the WNBA is more eyes to watch the talent that this league has. And to your point too, about Diana Taurasi saying, you know, you're going to have a welcome to the league moment, which everyone's welcome to the league moment is a Diana Taurasi story. So I,

Yeah, I think that's gonna gonna happen too. But, you know, she, Caitlin Clark tweeted kind of a after the game,

She said, words cannot express my love for my teammates, coaches, fans, and our university. Thanks for making my dreams come true. Wearing Iowa across my chest the last four years has been an honor. This place will always be home with the heart. And I talked to Lisa Bluter while I was in Cleveland too. And she talked about how like she could have went anywhere. You know, she went to Iowa, right?

And she put Iowa on the map and she put the sport on the map and she kept doing all these things, but she just wanted to hoop. Like you said, all the pressure, all the eyes, she just wanted to go out there and hoop. And by doing that, she has been a part of this momentum. And it's been cool to witness. But I will say, as I wrap,

that because of players like you, Cheryl, and because of so many women who laid the foundation of the W and of women's basketball, this is why we're here. Like it is because of how you played and it is because of your love for the game that even started all of this, that this is why we're here. And again,

We've been new about this. Now it's just cool that everybody else is on it. But you are a part of that foundation. And it is so great.

to call you a friend and to have this flower. I can't have a whole flower episode and not give you flowers directly. Are you kidding? I'm going to say right back at you. You can, but you know, when you bring that up and I want to say, yeah, we, we've been knowing that women's basketball is like this, but when I think about, um,

like Iowa and people talking about what Caitlin has done for that program, rightfully so. It takes me back to 1993 when we won the Final Four in Atlanta. Vivian Stringer was the head coach of Iowa in 93 when Iowa was at the Final Four.

So I'm only putting that out there for the people who are just tuning in. Right. Like, yeah, Iowa hasn't been there in a while. But Coach Vivian C. Stringer took an Iowa team to the women's Final Four in 1993. And I was a part of that one. Dang.

You're good. Jordan, I'm getting old. Yeah, I didn't want to rub it in. I was negative one. I was not born yet. I don't know. No, no, no, no. Yeah, but I just kind of like thought about that because the...

It's just like so much great stuff has happened in women's basketball. Sometimes like, yeah, we talk about, you know, players who came before and what players have done and, you know, kind of like the doors that we've been fortunate to open. But there were coaches who played a huge part of where we are today as well. I just I think it's great that we celebrate women.

the talent today and the coaches and just where we are today. But I also think it's important that we remember all of those who did the work and didn't get recognized for it because without, and I say this all the time, there was someone who came before me, right? That opened up those doors to give me that opportunity. And it's my job to leave things better than I found it. But in saying all that, there is absolutely no doubt that

where we are and where we're headed, where this game is headed is in great hands. And I can't wait to see what happens and where we go from here. Lisa Bluter told me she was playing six on six where they were only playing up to the half court. So to have a full 360 that she gets to be a part of this boom is crazy. And then my favorite part about all this, honestly, Cheryl, is that

who's the next? Like we have the best freshman class like ever. And it's because all these eyes are looking that we get to say, okay, come back next year. Cause Juju is still here. And Hannah Hidalgo is still here. And Madison Booker is still here. And Malaysia Fulwiley. Like we have so many names. And so you can't just. It's exciting.

It's all year round now. Welcome to our life. Where you're gonna watch the W, then it's college, then the W. Welcome to our life because it doesn't stop. But yeah, that

I'm excited. I'm just, I'm still really asleep. I don't know what time it is. I was just on the East Coast time yesterday, back on the West Coast. It was an eclipse today, but I'm just so, I'm so excited that the draft is coming up and WNBA season is almost here. I was just going to end it there, but did you want to say anything else? Did you watch the eclipse or did you see the...

Well, it was super cloudy here, so we weren't in the path of totality, but I was outside and it got it did get dark. But I'll tell you, it was crazy. I felt like it was so peaceful.

It was, it was very, it was raining here like hard and then it stopped and it got dark and my husband and I, we were just sitting outside, but I'd like felt this great sense of, of calm and a great sense of peace. Yeah, it was, I did. It was. That's you. That's cool. I, I,

I didn't care that much. And I don't know if that makes me a bad person, but like, it doesn't make you a bad person. I was telling you on the phone that at one of the activations at the final four, they gave me glasses for,

for the eclipse, but they didn't tell me. They just gave me a little goodie bag and it was so awesome. But I threw them away because I thought they were 3D glasses. For an event you were doing at the Final Four?

That's how much I prepped. I think that gives a little insight, but it's still cool. We'll see it again in 2044. So see where the W and women's basketball will be in alignment with the eclipse. Keep up. It will be interesting. I don't have anything else to add. I'm just going to end mine with once again,

Congratulations, Dawn Staley in South Carolina, Gamecocks. Congrats. I'm trying to get to the parade. Well, that'll do it for us this week. Thanks to all of you for subscribing and make sure to keep subscribing. Tell your friends. We already put out that PSA. Tell everybody you know.

It was great to see all of that, everybody. It was great to see all of our listeners in person in the Final Four. That also never gets old. Thank you for always hanging out and rocking with us. If you have any questions or feedback or just want to say hi, send an email to queensofthecourt at odyssey.com.

And y'all know how we do. Y'all can always find us on social media. I am at Arishoops22. And she, her, Jordan is at, I'm going to give it to her even though she took some Y's off. But she is at Hey! Hey!

Jordan R. Someone just came up to me and said, Hey, Jordan R. Like that's, that's just my name now. So I appreciate that. I appreciate that. Queens of the Court is an Odyssey original created in partnership with the WNBA. This show is produced by Alex Ozzie, the executive producers, Lena Moss Glazer, social media assistance from Isabella Apple, imaging from T-Storm Battle.

And court is adjourned. Booyah! You'll get a flower, you'll get a flower.