In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an iheartwomen's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Welcome to another episode of In Case you missed It with Christina Williams. And it's Friday, and it's also July fourth, so if you celebrate that, happy July fourth.
But it's a Friday and you already know what time it is.
We know that we have important conversations every single Friday here on the show, and today is no different. And I'm super excited about this week's guest because she's in New York early, just like myself, but she hails from the.
Streets of North Babylon.
She's a two time national champion at Yukon, a two time Turkish Super League champion as well. Was drafted in twenty fourteen at seventh overall the WNBA. That's really made a name for herself after nearly a decade of playing pro basketball. So helped me in honoring and welcoming Bria Hartley to the show. Welcome to the show. Thanks for having me Ria. So I know that things have been super busy from you, but listen, you.
Grew up in New York ands.
You made a name for yourself at Yukon, and now you're back in Connecticut nearly ten years after being drafted. How do you feel coming into this season. Does it feel like sort of a homecoming for you to be back into w.
Yeah, No, it's crazy, especially after missing the last two seasons just with injuries. It's just been a really warm welcome, and it's honestly, it's all I've been focused on the ever since I've tore my ACL the second time, So just to have the opportunity to get back here, it's just been I'm just really really grateful. And then I just try to go out there and play the game
that I love. You know what I'm saying, Enjoy every moment of it, go out there and play hard and try to represent myself and this organization really well.
You talked about having two ACL injuries throughout your career. What was that like trying to get back to yourself and the player that you know you could be.
What was that journey like for you? Everybody knows it's not a journey that's easy at all. It was really tough. I think the timing of mine was also really tough. It's really, the beginning of my prime is when I had my first one, and then when I felt like I was coming back a little bit, my second one happened. So trying to get back now I'm thirty two, kind of towards the end of my prime, it is a lot harder. It's kind of discouraging where you're like, our
team's gonna take a risk on me? Are they gonna want me because I'm older? But I thought Connecticut kind of called me in and they saw what value I could bring, And honestly, I came in and I played really well. It wasn't for certain, but I kind of just bet on myself and I had confidence in myself and the work that I put in the last few years just to get my body right and to feel good.
And this Sun team is a young team, just still finding their way under a new head coach. So what has it been like trying to find that bedroom presence on this young team and you guys are all learning together, So what has that experience been like so far?
Yeah, I mean, we take it day by day. It's always kind of difficult when you have a bunch of new players together, a lot of young players. I think with my role being here, just the experience I have throughout the league is just trying to help these young players just kind of reach their potential and just kind of teach them how to think the game at the next level, how to play the game at the next level.
And I really embrace that role. But then at the same time, I also feel like, in order for people to value what you're saying, you got to make sure you're going out there performing and doing what you need to do. So I'm also focused on making sure I'm trying to be as consistent as possible, just working on how I feel on the core and building my confidence with it being my first season back in a few years, so I'm trying to balance all that. But it's been cool,
you know. Like I said, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to play like I love playing basketball. I'm out there having fun being able to do that kind of back in my normal routine. The last couple of years, it's been weird not playing in the summer. So I'm just happy that I'm back here and just happy to try to guide these rookies and help them in this way possible.
And he talks about having two years or moved from the w from your perspective, what's different from even just two years ago compared to now.
I will say when I first came back, I was like, was it always this physical? Like it was always more physical than college, And I don't know, maybe I know for sure it was a lot faster when I was younger, with injuries kind of slowed me down, So maybe it's that, But it does feel like it's a lot more physical than what I remember. But you know, I've gotten bit bigger physically and stronger, so just kind of adjusting to that at first, even like not playing after a while,
getting used to getting hit and everything. I think the first couple of games, I was like taking a step back. Now I'm like prepared for it and ready. So that's the biggest thing that I've noticed. And then the league is also obviously it's a lot younger than when I was here. I'm i think probably the second or third oldest on the team, so that feels a little weird when I was used to being like one of the younger ones on the team. So it's just a shift.
It's a lot of different coaches, a lot of different fas for when I first came in the league. It's been a lot of movement with the league, but then the growth of the league, the charter flights. I remember getting on the first charter flight. I was like, oh, this is nice, Like this is different from what I'm used to. So there's just a lot more things for like the quality of life that you can have when you're playing in the W now compared to when I was here a few years ago.
Yeah, I met you when you played for the New York Liberty and you've had several souless what hasn't been like to just reunited with the player like Tina Charles and be close to the New York City area where you grew up.
No, it's awesome. I mean being back here in Connecticut. I spent a lot of years here, a lot of time in New York. Especially this drive. This drive from Connecticut New York. I used to do it all the time. So it's nice to be closer to the family again. I was out in the Midwest and out in the West for a little bit. Having that option and my son loves it too, to have like my family close by. My brother's in Boston, so I'm able to see my
family a lot more, so that's good. And then being back to Tina, we had that relationship, We have that connection on the court playing together for three years and then I mean we also go back to Yukon and everything like that, so we always had a really good relationship. Even I went to Turkey this year and I saw her over there, got to watch her play. So we've always kept in touch. So it was nice just to get back and be able to play with her again.
When you think about the Bria who came into the league in twenty fourteen compared to who you are now, what would surprise her the most about who you are now?
I think just my ability to think the game now. I think when I came in, I was always like, had a decent IQ, but it just wasn't to that level where a point guard needed to be in this league yet. And I remember just kind of I run a play and I'm like, oh, I need this gardener action and I'm like, oh, I forget I need this post and the action as well, and then just kind
of thinking at the next level. So I think I did have a really good coach in Mike Tebow my first three years, and then I Haddil Lambier my next few years. So I was fortunate to come in and have coaches that really taught me the game and taught me just the next level. So they helped me become a better player than even going overseas all that experience over there, you have different coaches where you're able to learn different styles of play, either the French national team,
the Turkish League, different things like that. I've seen different styles of basketball. I've been able to adjust and to learn different aspects from all of that to incorporate it in my game now.
And he talked about having to adjust, and you're someone who's been like a journey woman in the league and you've played for so many different teams five and the nine years span, and what would you say that experience? How has that experience helped you to adapt and adjustede to different situations that you've been in.
Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me is I think I can really go to any team and kind of make an impact on any role. Like I've been on teams where I was a starter. I've been on teams where I'm a sixth man. I've been on teams where I'm towards the end of the bench, and I think I've learned how to adapt and bring a quality of leadership, whether it's from a starter's perspective or from the bench. And I think teams of value that I've played for, and that's one of the reasons I've been
able to last in this league along. I think when you go out there and you have an attitude where you're trying to get better every day, you're trying to be positive, and you're trying to help others and be unselfish and help your team in whatever way you can, I think that is valued. So it's been good. And then if you want me to come in, I'm just playing my game basketball. You know, I'm a scoring guard
that could come in. I can also facilitate for others, and I just try to embrace just who I am really.
And on the flip side, I mean, you mentioned your son earlier, but how has being a mom helped you when it came to how you moved through the league, When you come to those decisions about what team you want to play for, where you want to be with the situation is how has that helped?
I think for me, especially my first free agency when I ended up going to Phoenix. Being a mom was a big factor in that. I think going to play for coach Sandy Brundello, she just had this perspective where she really understood what I needed, and then she also just helped in her own way and like she didn't have to do those things, but you know, like I tore my acl, I'm rehabbing, I'm in Arizona, kind of buy myself with my son to be like, oh, he
can come to my house and help. We were going to the Bubble the year before that and I was like kind of figured it out and I was like, I don't know if I have anyone who can come with me. She's like, that's all right, Like we're gonna get you there. We're gonna make sure we have everything
you need. And I think that was not to say other programs different, but I think it was just a different perspective from someone who has been a mom and really understood what was needed, because I think there were certain things that I didn't even understand that I needed or needed to ask for prior to that, being a young mom in the league and just trying to figure
it out. So I think that factored in They had nanny's at the game and everything like that when I was going there, so I knew I could go there, even though I was leaving my East Coast roots. I knew I could go there and I would have the resources that I need. But then even with that new CBA in twenty twenty, we added some different things for mom.
I was a player rep with most of the teams I've played for, and I really did advocate for a lot of that stuff for moms to have so that we have just a better quality of life and a better work life balance, because I think prior to that it really it really was a bit difficult to try to manage all that. But now I think we're understanding that women can have kids and still come back and play at the top of their game and almost be better.
I mean, you look at the feast of Collier. I think me after I had my son, some of my best years are there. So it's just good that the league is now adapting to that and establishing things to help moms. You talked about how difficult it used to be.
Can you elaborate on like going back to when you were pregnant with your son and everything that you had to go through in those early years, you kind of had to take the hit in order to.
The benefits of JAM And yeah, there was a lot in the old CBA. There was like four sentences in that maternity leave, like there was no maternity leave. I remember I was young and I probably didn't understand, but I remember, like I didn't tell Coach T I was pregnant, so I was like four and a half months pregnant or something like that. I was like, I don't know, they might cut me this or that, like because you weren't protected in that same way.
Then.
I just think with my pregnancy coming back in New York, just as far as the resources you had, I think you only got a one bedroom. We just have to share hotels. So my son when I came back playing, my son was four months so he was traveling with me and I was paying for a nanny to for her flight. I was paying for the hotel room, and then I was paying the nanny on top of that, you know what I mean. So all this stuff like
that adds up. Whereas now, okay, we take charters flights and if you have a caregiver, you have a child that can come, they automatically give you a two bedroom if you're a mom. I remember I was in DC when I initially got pregnant, So I was like, Oh, I'm gonna go back to DC only like three hundred dollars a month for the extra bedroom. I get traded to New York. They're talking about fifteen hundred dollars a month for extra bedroom. I was like, I'm not paying that.
So my son's carib is in the living room and stuff like that. So there's a lot of different things I think people don't necessarily know through that experience. That is just different now and we have a lot more resources that it could still there's a lot of things we can still improve on, you know what I mean. Like that's just the first step.
But.
It is better than what it used to be.
Yeah, and the league, you guys are currently in the middle of CBA negotiations now, and I know Satoo Sobii made some comments the other day about how those negotiations were going in terms of the offer.
That the league made.
What could you tell us if you know anything about, you know, the current negotiation process and what is the conversation amongst the players when it comes to this new CBA.
I think the biggest thing for us is the business. We want to make sure that the money represents what the business is earning. So now we're approaching this as far as like, we want to make sure we're getting what we're worth and we won't want to go out there and be low balled. We want to make sure that we're making the amount of money. Especially with the growth of women's basketball the last few years. We all
see it. We see it in the stands, we see it in Jersey sales, we see it in the TV viewership. So our salaries should reflect that. And that's the biggest kind of point that we want to make this year.
And do you feel like those conversations that the league is being receptive to what you guys are trying to.
Negotiate on some things? I think that being receptive on some other things maybe not. And I think that's where we have a bit more back and forth, and the conversation is ongoing, and we're going to keep having those conversations. We're keep pushing for the things that we feel like we deserve, and that's just kind of where we're at right now. We still have a bit of time before that needs to be determined and it will still continue to be discussions. And you talked about the differences.
You said, it's like night and day between some of your earlier years in the CVA in terms of the motherhood benefits and what you received now. But I want to go back to just being a mom because I remember seeing you in the offseason this year at Athletes Unlimited.
I could not believe your son was that big. I'm like, oh my god, the Liberty days, but he was so small.
Yeah, all this it didn't like to just have him on this journey with you, And is he into sports? What is his relationship like with basketball? Is he enjoying it?
What's going on now? It's awesome. It's awesome. Honestly. I will say when I got injured a couple of years, he started kindergarten and it was just kind of like figuring out where I was living and all that stuff. So I had some time away from him a bit more than I would have liked. But every time around him, like he's definitely like attached to me very much. So, uh, he still does his own thing. He's independent at the same time, but then like he's like, where's my mom?
So it's cool then to see how much he's grown, Like he's gotten so tall, like it's crazy.
Uh.
Then with basketball, he actually doesn't play as much basketball yet. I feel like every time we try to do basketball, it's like in the winter, and it was like the COVID years then a lot of times if I was overseas or something, he'd come visit me for extended period of time and you missed like the whole window. So he's really big into soccer. So he was playing for a soccer club in Minneapolis that they're pretty good. It was eight and under. They actually we just played in Minnesota.
He had a soccer tournament the day before our game and they played up nine and under and the kids didn't even score. They won every game by like four plus goals, So like they're really good. He really likes soccer. He really favors that right now. But I'm knocking too because most people don't know that I played soccer a lot when I was younger. Soccer is my first sport. I actually didn't start playing basketball till I was like nine, So I played soccer since I was four or five
years old. So I'm like, okay, he kind of just take that same journey. I do want him to kind of try basketball a little bit. I think right now he's just used to being around adults in the gym, where sometimes he gets discouraged and he's like, nah, I don't want to do that. Like if we're making all our shots, he gets mad because he's not making it. But if you put him out, he's done some like basketball sessions and stuff, and when he's with kids his aide,
then all of a sudden he wants to play. So it's just getting him around, getting him more organized basketball and like little like training sessions. Then he's fine with it. But sometimes moving around all the time, finding a new program here and there has kind of been the difficult part of it. I love that for him, and I'm.
Looking forward to seeing what sport he chooses in the future. Saying, so, going back to those Yukon days and you want to titles and championship teams have a certain mindset and culture. What's one thing from those Yukon runs that you find yourself trying to implement on this Connecticut Sun team, even if it's not about necessarily winning. Right now, I think the.
Biggest thing is paying attention to the small details and building those good habits even in games sometimes, like you know, there's been some games where we've kind of gotten blown out, and I like to remind the rookies like we're still building, Like we're still out here, we're down, like we still need to execute, we still need to work on the things we need to work on. You know what I'm saying. We're not just out here like oh, we're losing, like I'm gonna give up, Like no, I'm going out there.
I'm playing hard. We're building our confidence, you know what I'm saying. We have Anissa, she had back to back double doubles. We want her to go out there and still play her game. We want to know I to come on. She's a defensive stopper, she can get to her mid range all that, Like we want her to be on attack. So that's the biggest thing I tried to implement with her. And then another thing is just like I think sometimes when people train, we're like, oh we do this, like, oh, yes, I got it right.
And the biggest thing is like you don't do something till you get it right. You want to do something you can't get it wrong, so you want to constantly, like stay on that and keep perfecting your craft.
At the end of the day, this Connecticut Sun team is really gained the reputation around the Lake.
For being a team that takes no e as.
What's the chemistry like amongst all the players and just the sisterhood that you guys have been able to build and develop in a short amount of time.
Yeah, I think we're continuing to grow. I think we came in, like I said, we had a bunch of new players. They only had two returning players from last year. And I mean I played with Tina for three years. I played with La for I think one season, but that's really it. I don't really play with anyone else. So like we're building that chemistry, and I think as the year goes on, we're building even more and more chemistry on the court and then off the court. I think,
you know, we had some games. These games are physical. You know, they get physical, they get chippy. Like we're not gonna back down either though, Like you know, we're gonna step up, We're gonna fight for each other. We're gonna make sure that we're out there. We're kind of coming together and always gonna have our teammates back.
What's the philosophy that coach Rashid is trying to implement with this spot. I think the biggest thing for us is like coming out with toughness, coming out with energy is the biggest thing that we need to do because I think there's some games that we're kind of on our heels and then the team comes out physical and with this physical energy and we kind of get knocked back and we're like, oh snap, and it's like no, we got to come up.
We gotta show up ready. And we're continued to build on that. We have a group of that's really talented, you know what I mean, and then we got some players with experience, and so we just want to continue to go out there and bring our energy no matter what.
How would you say that you view what success looks like in this part, in this journey of your career, through all of the adversity that you've been through.
The biggest thing for me, I've always say like it's me against me every time I'm in the gym, like I'm making sure I'm getting better and being a better version of myself. And I try not to compare myself to anyone else because everybody's journey, everybody's adversity that they've dealt with is completely different, you know, Like everyone has some adversity, but you know what I'm saying, it's all different. So I make sure like for me at first, it's like, okay,
just getting back to lead. Like I remember Alyssa Thomas tried to talk trash to me in Again and she was like, oh, you on a sorry team or something like that. I'm like, girl, I'm grateful to be on a team, like it was taken away from me for two years. So like you could talk trash, that doesn't affect me because I'm here. Like most people after two
acls kind of stop. So that's my perspective is that I'm getting one percent better every day and I'm reaching the little goals that I set for myself every day. And then also on top of that, at the end of the day, I'm an example for my son. So through this process and everything I've been through, he's been right by my side and he's been watching me, and I want to make sure that I'm the best example for him and how to deal with adversity and how
to kind of approach life. You know, sometimes things don't always go your way, But that don't mean you got to get knocked down and stay down. You can still push her. He talks about, you know, I wanted to keep going.
Was there ever a time through those two injuries that you felt like it was a rap, like you.
Didn't want to go on? And what helped you push through? So I'll say, I don't think there was ever a moment where I didn't want to go on, but there was a moment where I felt like I wouldn't get the opportunity. I felt like kind of people just wrote me off. They're like, ah, she even injured, she's done. And I mean people said these things to me, you know what I'm saying, like, oh, she's probably done or this and that. So I do think there was moments.
I mean, even I didn't get signed to Connecticut. I didn't get signed to a training camp before camp started this year, so it kind of just felt like, you know, people just wrote me off. I'm older, They're like, she has injuries, she can't do this. And even though I played well in AU, I just kind of felt like, you know, maybe they're just moving in a different direction. And then when Connecticut called and I did get the opportunity. I just tried to make sure I make the most of it.
And then even last year I ended up getting cut from Vegas. I was living in DC for the summer. I went to a few games and people were like, oh, you were tired, and it really used to piss me off because I'm just like, no, I'm not like I'm trying to get signed with a team.
You.
I'm trying to do all this stuff. And like I said, I think the biggest thing for me, like the W was always the goal. Don't get me wrong, but I was to the point where I was just like, I just want to play basketball. I knew I could play overseas, and then we have AU now in different leagues in the States that I was just like, I'm just grateful and I want the opportunity to play basketball. And I think once I got that perspective and kind of stop pressing about the W, then all of a sudden, that
W called came. So I'm just grateful.
Yeah, And the league this week announced three new expansion teams by twenty thirty. How excited are you to see the league continuing to expand?
No, I love it. It's just crazy because I don't know if I ever thought I would see it in my playing career, even like the charter flights and everything like that. So to be able to kind of still benefit from that and see all that stuff is really really cool. I'm excited for them to add to Toronto team next year in Portland, right, so that'll be really cool.
I'm just excited to see the league grow and to have more opportunities because I still feel like there's a lot of players that are pretty good that aren't on teams now or that have been way from teams this year that also deserve opportunity to play on some teams. So we just want to continue to grow our league and show case they're really good women's basketball players that we have. So I'm a little biased because we're from New York and I feel like New York has the
best hoopers in the world. Like New York pretty different, right, very different?
Uh, just talk about your upbringing and who inspired you growing up in New York City to want to play basketball to get into the sport.
So you know, it's crazy. Growing up, I was like a really active kid. My dad was a pro boxer, so at first he took me to the boxing gym with him all the time. And then I have a brother. I have two older brothers that play sports. So my brother, like I did everything he played besides football, but like everything he played. And then I was a kid. We grew up like we had the basketball hoop in the driveway. We was playing kickball out there. We had a bunch of kids on the box. So I was just active
and always did a bunch of sports. But then I think like as I got older, I just kind of shifted more towards basketball, and especially when I started playing in New York City, so I had a I was playing like a Long Island team, which we were local, like we were all right, we wasn't really that good. And then a coach like kind of found me just like, nah, I want you to go to AAU Nationals. And at this point I didn't even play AU. This is like
twelve under. I didn't even play AU at all. I was playing more soccer at that age in the summertime. So he was like, nah, you're gonna go. I'm gonna put you on this team from Harlem, like they're going to AU Nationals. Go play with them. So when I went out there, and I started playing. That's when I feel like that's when I just started to grow. And then I started playing like on the A Circuit and everything.
That's when I started getting looks and everything. And then I just think my passion for basketball group and then like that street ball, like we would play Nike Swiss League, We're playing at Riverbank State Park, We're playing at Rockeup Park and everything. Like I still think, say, we used to play on concrete, because I'll never play on concrete again.
But it was just a different toughness and a different like you know you out there in New York too, those tournaments, like you got the announcer kind of talking trash, like sorry about the game, Like it's a different it's a different breed out there when you when you're playing in New York City. So I think I just love that competitive side of it and it's kind of that g and then I think that's when I really started to be like, Nah, basketball is it for me?
I asked Super this question when she's on this show.
She's from New York.
Yeah, but what do you think separates New York City guards from everyone else in the country?
Makes what makes me different? I think it's that I always say, like we play basketball, but then we a little rough around the edges, like we come out there like we're trying to hoop, and then like we talk trash. Like I always say, like talking trash is a love language for New Yorkers and everything. So I feel like just that grit that you have, like you know, they say it's the concrete jungle. You have that extra grit about you. You got that extra toughness and confidence, borderline
arrogance when you come out there playing. So I think that's really what separates New York guards. Who's the best trash talker in the week because you run up trash talk Listen Thomas for sure, Like she just me talking.
I'm like, girl, you always she's quiet vibes and those she don't She's quiet everywhere else, but on the court, Like when you on the court, it's just like, nah, she always are.
It's a few, but she's always the one that stand out for me. That's hilarious.
No, But like from the from the surface level, Alyssa comes off very quiet, very introverted. So it's it's so crazy to hear she's one of the craziest.
Trash talkers in the league. For her. We ain't played Kelsey Plumb this year, nough, But Kelsey's my dog. But Kelsey me talking too. She definitely did.
And a few more before you get out of here. We always like to ask players to reflect on that welcome to the W moment. And you came into the league at a very unique time. So who is that player who gave you your welcome to the W moment?
I always say this, and it's just like people may not even like remember her, but I always say our MINSI Harrington was my welcome to the W moment. And I remember like it was like an emphasis on the scout, Like she plays passion lane and she plays passing lane. She pays plass and lance and literally like I come out there and I go to make a cross court pass, she just jumps the gap. And I remember Coach she was like sub, like, just sub me right out right back to the bad He's like, what do we say
on this scout? And I was like, dang, Like so that was my welcome to the W moment. What excites you the most about this new chapter for your career? For you, I'm just excited to be out here playing you know what I'm saying, at thirty two years old, still being around here in my body, like I feel great. Like obviously the last couple of years I have been moved, but like I feel like I'm moving really well and I continue to get better and better the more that
I play in these games. So I'm just really excited to play, going into this league and then seeing this league grow the next two years. I'm just hoping I have the opportunity to play for a few more years.
So for you, I want to thank you for joining us on In Case you missed It with Christina Williams this week. I'm excited to continue to see.
You who and I know that all.
The fans listening are excited to see the Connecticut son and what you all do this season.
Thank you.
In Case you missed It with Christina Williams is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.