Final Four Preview and A Look Ahead at the WNBA Draft with LaChina Robinson

In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Welcome to another episode of In Case You missed It with Christina Williams here on iHeartRadio, and the Elite eight is over. There was lots of things that happened. Dukon came out on top, big game from Sarah Strong, and the stage is set now for the Final four.

Us, Thank you for having me, Christina, And let me just say what I've learned over time is OG stands for you old okay, been around a long time, but thank you so much for having me. I've enjoyed watching you blossom in this sports media world, especially around women's basketball, and I'm so happy you have your own platform.

Yay yay, you know it's so crazy because I remember my one of my first times meeting you was the twenty nineteen WNBA Finals and that was the first time I met toa Rica as well.

Shout out to t hey dude, and I just remember you gathering all of the reporters of color, like we have to capture this moment, we have to capture this moment. And we all took that picture together center Court in Connecticut. But yeah, that was a special moment. And to see where each and every person who was in that picture where they ended up today in the media space, I think it's super special that we can all reflect back

Something that has brought me joy this week? You know, I had a spa day yesterday with one of my friends who had a baby about six months ago. And when I tell you I have not seen my homegirl in six months, I mean, obviously the transition into motherhood is her first child, can be rather challenging. And getting your bearings and feeling well mentally and physically and taking

Yeah, that was my joy.

And it's interesting hearing you talk about the sisterhood and all of us meeting and taking that picture. It means so much to me to be surrounded by such incredible women.

Absolutely love that, and I agree with you. I think that community is so important, especially in the women's basketball space. I'm glad that we could all lean on each other. But you talked a little bit about your journey and just finding that balance to self reflect when you think about your start in media, how did you transition from being a college athlete into becoming a member of the media in a basketball analyst?

Getting lost several times, that's how I describe even my journey, and I stay getting lost.

But I also believe that everything happens for a reason.

When I finished playing college basketball, I got into college administration. I actually worked at Georgia Tech on the administrative side. I worked with women's basketball, but my trek was I wanted to be an athletics director one day and thanks to a quarter life crisis at like twenty six, twenty seven years old, where I was suddenly like I don't

You wanted to do than I did when I was your age when you were getting into the business. But I just worked really hard. Quite honestly, I heard a lot of nose.

I had no experience on television. I wasn't a gold medalist, I didn't play for a Hall of Fame coach. Like my resume did not scream, you know, sign her up right now as your next basketball analyst, but just became a student of the broadcast, had a lot of amazing guidance on the way and thank goodness, but maybe not at that time, it wasn't a long line to cover women's basketball. There weren't a lot of people knocking down

You know, like we.

Don't have space for you in the NBA or in men's basketball. We don't have space for you in football, but if you want to cover women's basketball, sure go ahead.

Like it wasn't at high demand, so there were opportunities for me.

And I always tell people I don't feel like I've worked a day in my life because I just love what I do so much. I love the game, and I'm so excited about the growth that we're seeing in a sport.

I would have to agree with you. I honestly didn't think that I would be where I am today. I started Girls Talk Sports TV back seven years ago. Wow, there's something as a hobby as a passion because I loved women's basketball. As you mentioned, there weren't a lot of opportunities, so I had to pretty much create my own opportunity and then, you know, wait for it to pay off. But in that period of waiting, like what

The stories that needed to be told, Like I would wake up every day like why isn't someone talking about Tamika catchings? Like I want to know more about shamik Wi Hold's claw, Like there was never enough information for me about the players, about the coaches, about these teams.

And even though that meant not.

Getting paid very much for a while, even though that meant traveling to cities that most people in America haven't been to to cover the women's game, even though that meant that at that point I wasn't gonna get the spotlight of covering men's sports, like, these stories meant something to me, and I knew how inspirational they were, and I knew the impact of if you can see her,

Sport of basketball, that more young girls would follow.

So it really I wouldn't say it was a burden, but it was something that motivated me every day, no matter the circumstance, no matter the hurdle was these athletes and coaches deserved it, and just because they're women and other people didn't value it, this is the big time to me, like women's basketball is the destination in my eyes. So whatever I had to do to push the needle into to get the sport growth and the media aspect, I was going to do that.

And you have done that with your company Rising Media Stars being able to just give back to the next generation of storytellers, reporters and analysts. And also I don't know if I'm qualified to, you know, put in an application, but come on over, girl, talk about Rising Media Stars and what it means to you to be able to you know, give back to the next generation.

Yeah.

Rising Media Stars is a nonprofit that I started wow in theory back in like twenty eleven, right, because that's when I had first started to really become a mentor. I was getting so many emails from young girls that were saying, I want to cover women's basketball, or I want to sit in your seat one day.

So whenever I could grab coffee or have.

Someone come and shadow me, I wanted to do that because I knew the impact of actually being able to reach out and touch someone that is doing the job that you aspire to do, not just seeing them from afar, but asking them questions, getting guidance. And so I started taking those emails and those requests even though I didn't even.

Really know what I was doing back then.

But I would say Rising Media Stars became a formal program back in twenty eighteen where my co founder Kevin Nixon, and I accepted our first class, And basically it's a program where we take five women of color every year and we take them through what we feel like is preparation for a long, illustrious career. And in sports broadcasting, all of our women come from different backgrounds, different levels of experience.

We have a selection committee that has a really.

Hard job of narrowing it down to five, but they get in the field experience.

They covered the final four, they cover the draft.

We work with our local sports teams here in Atlanta where they get an opportunity to do stand ups and sit in the press box and go into the locker room.

So we are giving them real.

Life experience around how to grow as towards broadcasters, but also providing them a community, a sisterhood mentors, just lots of valuable experience which we hope will be the connector that they need to encourage them and to nourish them and to educate them on this journey. I mean, career transitions are the toughest and you never know how long you're going to be there until you get your moment, and so we just want to be there as a resource,

I absolutely love that if you can see her, you can be here. As you said earlier, and also shout out to Misha Jones, producer on the Sarah Spain podcast, you came through your program as well. So I love that to get to you know, give an opportunity to the women to be able to have different opportunities in different career fields in sport. So now let's go down to the nitty gritty and reason my way here to break down this week's headlines and women's basketball in case

I was sitting on my couch and quite honestly, Christina, I am on a break from social media right now, which is the worst time to be taking a bird because everything is happening with March madness. So I'll hit treek up and like what's going on and give me the juice so I don't see a lot of things firsthand in this stretch. I gave it up for LYNT just so everyone knows. I didn't pick this time a year for my social media fast But here we are.

I was like what.

He was like, she's not going to the WNBA, and I said what And he said and she's not going back to Notre Dame and I said, okay, hold on, hold on. So that's when I broke my phone out and had to start searching for the headlines because I was like what.

And I don't know.

Why it came as a shock, because we know that these options are open for these women and looking at how much the.

College game has grown because of Nil, Like.

Of course, duh, But it was still a moment of reflection to me, like, Wow, the freedom, the freedom that women's basketball players have now to prioritize whatever it is that's most important to them in their lives in that moment in their careers. They can do that, and I'm glad that they do have more options. But I was definitely taken back.

I was as well. I think I was more shocked that she entered the transfer portal. But I think what stands out to me the most is, as you said, players have the freedom to make these choices now. And also I would be remiss if we didn't bring up the CBA that's supposed to be in process of negotiations currently and how that will have an impact on the rookie scale salaries. But when we look at the twenty twenty five draft, who do you think benefits from her absence?

Yeah? Well, I want to go back for one moment when it comes to this decision by Olivia Miles, because I think you make a fantastic point, Christina about the CBA.

The other thing to think about with Olivia Miles is her career probably didn't in the way she wanted, right, did not play well down the stretch. NCAA tournament numbers were down, and she now has a chance to come back and win a national championship depending on where she lands. Right.

The other thing that's interesting and very intriguing for me when it comes to Olivia, and this is a conversation we're having with all possible WNBA draftees. Right, It's like you're.

Making money within IL in school, and then there's the WNBA where you know your rookie salary is not great, but you get to play with the best in the league and those ANIL deals can.

Come with you. But when I think about the superstars of this year in particular, whether it's Page Beckers or a flage A Johnson, when comparing to Olivia Miles, they all had that brand attraction and that marketability. But we didn't see Olivia Miles as much.

We didn't see her on the commercials the way we saw Page and the way we saw flage And so there seems to be an opportunity now that she's come back from injury, that more people are watching her play seeing how dynamics she especially with.

Her style, the highlights, the goggles like, there's so.

Much marketing ability of there, and so she could probably looking at the potential for more NIL deals and.

To just really possibly be the face of women's basketball next year.

I mean, if obviously Juju is working her way back from injury, you have Lauren Betts there, but if la Je Johnson leaves, and there's definitely an opportunity there for Olivia Miles to take a step up from a marketing standpoint.

All right, Chal, we gonna take a quick pause and we'll have more from this conversation with the China Robinson when you return. When you think about Notre Dame next year, where do you think that program stands without a player like Olivia Miles, And how do they replace a talent like that?

You don't you can't replace a talent like.

That, you know.

Your your mind automatically goes to Hannah Hidalgo and her just taking on more of the lift with Notre Dame. They are losing a lot with Sony Ciditron, with Wes Beld, now possibly with the Olivia Miles if she doesn't make a decision to go back to Notre Dame. And so there's a lot of rebuilding that has to happen roster wise, and they have talent there, you know, I just think more from an experience standpoint, that's where they would be taking a step back. So will they be in position

Et cetera.

But that's actually where my mind goes for Notre Dame more than anything. It's not about the coaching staff, not even as much about the roster as it stands any of that. It's like, what is the university's commitment to number one, like the portal, right, because we know, depending on your school, some of those nuances and dynamics of the portal system maybe not to your advantage. But then also you know what's going on with Nil right, like what does the pocket of money.

Look like and what can they offer?

But there's definitely some rebuilding that has to be done, and in my mind, you know, Notre Dame with the roster as is, takes a major step back as a as a championship contender with losing Olivia Miles.

It's certainly interesting to see how the off season in college basketball is mirroring like a free agency. And even on the men's side, you're starting to see current active NBA players become gns general managers for their alma maters. Steph Curry's going back to Davidson to be an assistant GM. Trey Young was just named the assistant GM at Oklahoma.

Yeah, it would.

I'll say, though, is you know, with Steph Curry, I believe, and in this situation, he's also giving a big check, right, And so I don't know that w NBA players at this point, even though the money is getting there, the bag is getting there. Trey Young also cut a check so that it seems to be going along with this GM position and making sure that their schools are competitive when it comes to NIL. So yeah, not saying the w NBA bag is a deep, but position wide.

Yeah, to do the job. Yeah, they can.

They can help but I actually think this is more about the money is available to those schools absolutely well.

Looking ahead to the Final four on Friday, the stage is set, Yukon, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA will play for you know, their chance of getting a championship. When you look at the four teams who have made it to the final four, what stands out to you the most about this group of teams?

Man, Well, first of all, I love the longevity of these coaches, right, not that it is a downer if a new face or a young coach makes it to the final four, but it speaks volumes for what Gino has done for a very long time and we tend to take for granted, or what Don Staley has built in South Carolina, which I think this is like seventeen years for her. It's crazy how fast that has gone, but that's tremendous growth, and she's built it from the bottom.

So I think that's something that I'm.

Excited about, is to see how these offenses show up because every team in the final four, can lock you down.

How it's gonna be. My next question about the key fact is that will determine who will come out on top. So you're saying it's gonna be the defense that will determine.

It's the defense they have in common, but I would say the factor then in turn becomes the offense.

Can you score a bucket against these defenses? Like do you have enough offensive variety and depth in which you can do offensively? But then also do you understand your offensive priority? Let me tell you about offensive priority and how I feel like we don't talk about that enough. In the game of basketball, you need to know who.

Needs to be taking shots, when, where and why at all times because those possessions start to sh when you get to this level, when you get to championships rounds, when you get to the final four. So your ability to know and make those decisions under duress against a tough defense is important. And so while the defense is the one thing that these teams have in common, that in turn means that my key for these four teams

And then how.

Can you balance that variety in versatility and offense with knowing where your shots need to come from, because before you know it, it's a tight game. You know it's the end of the fourth quarter, and if you haven't spent those offensive possessions the way you want, you're gonna feel it down the stretch of the game. You're gonna want to get your best player going, You're gonna want to get the balls in the pay and get high percented shots.

All of those things for every single one of these teams is going to be critical.

We know that this time of the year is the time where you know stars are made. So are there any players who have been standing out to you in particular throughout the tournament?

Oh?

Man, yeah, I mean I you know, Christina, you probably know this, but I have started to cover more WNBA than college.

I covered college.

For fifteen seasons and so I don't do as much college coverage.

But I still watch.

Especially a lot of the superstars that I know will be playing in the WNBA. And Sarah Strong from Connecticut has me in a whole choke hold, like as six' to, two all the things she can do in the, poise And i'm grateful AND i still can't believe.

IT i have to pinch.

Myself AND i have a relationship with her, Mother Alison, feaster who was one of my heroes growing, Up SO i was texting her in That elite eight game, like are you serious right? Now just watching her go to work AGAINST usc and how calm she is and how confident she is in her skill. Set cannot believe that she's a. Freshman so definitely keeping my eyes on her. Page beckers is always. There Asy fudd to me as THE x factor for, them BUT i would say collectively

Easy And i'm just intrigued.

By the impact and the steps forward that she will, take you, know in this final four and to see how she continues.

To grow as a.

Player and Then Lauren, Betts i'm, obsessed quite, honestly as a big girl that played the game in the. Post her, aggressiveness her relentlessness like sometimes with post players or bigs as they're, Developing like it's always a little bit later than. Guards, guards you, know they come out and they know they've got the. Ball they're small and small to meum six y four and they got big. Mouse they talk all the. Trash they want to take the big. Shots so we

Me, YEAH i agree with all three that you, said Especially Sarah. STRONG i, mean she's a, freshman but she cures herself like a senior and the maturity Of malaysia, folally just seeing her growth from last year to this, year just being able to be clutching the moment For South carolina has definitely been exciting. Basketball and as you Mentioned Lauren, BETTS i, mean she's just been phenomenal FOR.

Now you, KNOW i Can.

I've been asked this, question AND i don't know THAT i can come up with something that's just, like, oh, like CAUSE i do think there's been consistency with these teams pretty much LIKE i was gonna, say someone other than the Big stars is going to be the most outstanding player right of the final, Four but that's not A bowld prediction like that.

Can, happen, Right SO i don't know if that really.

Counts you, Know i'm wanna say something crazy AND i don't really actually have any backing for this, Whatsoever but we could see a lineup change in the final, four AND i don't know who that could. Be BUT i am leaning into these coaches and they're years of knowledge and their ability to adjust to the, Moment so we could see a starting lineup, change.

AND i will say it doesn't have to be the beginning of the.

Game it could be a starting lineup change in the third quarter of a, game, Right but that is something That i'm not necessarily a fan, of BUT i think could be an interesting wrinkle or dynamic in this final four that we might.

SEE i just want to point out To Chloe kids also came to. MIND i know that we talked about players that have been standing out the tournament, time but Also Chloe kits has been exciting to see in terms of her contributions To South.

Carolina saying it is like my.

Niece i've known her since she was five or six years, old and when she was taking those fade away one leg jump shots Against duke When South carolina needed, BUCKETS i was, like look at.

HER i was super.

Proud so, Yeah i'm with you in The gangcock inside. Game it's it's been it's been really.

Good, hey y'all are going to take another. Break and when we get back more of this week's. HEADLINES i have a little bit of a bonus question for you, now a little fun bonus. Question if you could choose or pick your own starting five out of the players who are in the final four right, now who would you pick if you had to create your own little starting five using the players from the fourteens in the final.

Four, WELL i think.

It's gonna be definitely the players THAT i just, mentioned Right, SO i would say pagebackers in the backcourt, yep With malaysia Full. WILEY i would Say Madison booker for. Sure But i'm gonna put a little twist on this and Put Madison booker in the power forward.

Position i'm gonna Put Lauren betts at my, center no.

Surprise and my last backcourt member is maybe gonna surprise some, people BUT i am the the, biggest Biggest Tessa johnson Van. LIKE i Think tessa is so, smooth her defense is much.

Improved she's like locked.

In she gives you a little bit of size in the backcourd Like i'm.

Going i'm Going. Tessa.

Now there is honorable. MENTION i told You Sadaia Fagan i've known, forever SO i got to put her out. There But i'm also A dmv, girl so honorable mention would Be Asy fudd And Kiki. Rice anybody could be there in, there but those two for, sure so that would be my starting. Five it would Be, Page, Tessa, Malaysia, Madison Lauren.

BETTS i like that.

GROUP i like that group all. Right moving right along to the twenty twenty five to help YOU mbah. Draft you just Mentioned Paige becker's The Dallas wings hold the number one pick And page she has officially declared for the. DRAFT i don't think it was ever a question to. ME i don't think there was ever a question if she. Would you, know it's a clear for this year's. Draft but how do you see her fitting into The wings roster if they if they draft?

Her, YEAH i see her fitting very.

WELL i, mean playing alongside A Riquet goombawala that is going to be an amazing. Backcourt and What i'll say About page's game, is right, now she is reminding us that she can score the.

Basketball we already knew that she's a great.

Pastor she sees the floor so, well and we've seen that scoring in, spurts but nothing like we've seen with the pressure on her shoulders under duress post, injury in, particular as she's been getting her.

BEARINGS i, Mean.

I've been really impressed with her and showing that she has that other dimension just makes her that much more valuable in that. BACKCOURT i already really like the acquisition of DJ A. CARRINGTON i Think Ty harris is way underrated and doesn't get the credit that she deserves as WHAT i believe to be one of the best league guards in the.

League SO i Think page will fit in very. Well AND i love that For.

Dallas right they're getting ready to make a move to a bigger facility downtown In. Dallas they'll be able to fit you, know maybe three, thousand four thousand more, FANS i, believe and so that's got to be exciting for that community to think about the prospect of Getting paige and her resilience also is something THAT i think is going to make her a great Pro and.

You mentioned her score and, ability BUT i think that the efficiency is what stands out to me the. Most like she can score at a high, level but she's really efficient at, it And i'm excited to see how

Draft, yeah let ME i want to look at My valkyrie's roster because WHAT i would say is That i've been impressed with the way these pieces have come. TOGETHER i think they could be low key, contenders.

Right and here's WHAT i.

LIKE i really Love Tiffany hayes on this roster and giving her an. OPPORTUNITY i, mean she was the woman In, atlanta but there's been lots of different chapters Of Tiffany hayes since, then whether that Is connecticut or obviously With, vegas and we have just continued to see her, blossom aging like fine. Wine So i'm looking forward to how she will be featured now with more on her.

Shoulders Julie Van lou love.

Her Stephanie talbot has always been to me one of the better underrated versatile, players AND i think having another year under her belt post injury is gonna be.

Great, timmy that was a huge Pickup Kaylen thorton From New. YORK i know we were all, like What kayla's gone because she was a.

Dog, yes excited to see What Kate martin And Monique buildings will. Do BUT i just think reinforcing what they already have Right, LIKE i don't know THAT i guess in this draft at the five pick that they're going to get someone who's going to completely transform their. Roster but WHAT i do think is that they can reinforce

Spot.

NOW i don't know how they could possibly move some pieces around to get more reinforcement at that position BECAUSE i don't think it's going to be an immediate impact out of the, draft but that is something THAT i would be looking. At is that possibly a kiky area Of finn who has an opportunity to develop and expand her game over the next few years even more than we've seen her. Growth do they maybe want to do something at the point guard spot and have a dynamic lead come in like.

A georgia A.

Moore all of those things, work BUT i am absolutely looking at the power forward. Position however they can do, it whether the draft or, otherwise To goid to get some some girth and some more versatility at that.

Spot and looking at some of the other teams on you, know the first round, board the mistakes in the. Sun they have multiple first round, picks how do you see them kind of leveraging those picks to you, know get.

Better, yeah, again lots can, Happen AND i do want to preface this by Saying i'm using the rosters that are available to, us because you know how things, happen whether it's training camp or players that are overseas that might still slide in and make a. Difference so all

FRANCE i Hope i'm saying her name. RIGHT i was actually calling the games in The. Olympics she didn't play that, much BUT i watched her AND i am just impressed with her upside and six', six, size, athleticism length all of.

THE things i could totally see her complimenting those. Players WELL but i would think that the profile of a Player like washington would look something like that and supporting what they already have in.

Their core.

In terms Of The connecticut son very intriguing to ME because i can't really pin down the style of play based on the roster and again new, head coach new. Playing, style yes You Have Diamond miss Deshields And marina Maybury And, tina charles AND so i think it really comes down to best. AVAILABLE talent i don't know for them it's going to be a lean into playing. Style, NECESSARILY again

Went up maybe It's A sedonah prince who has six seven gives you.

More Size so connecticut's a little bit harder to. Pin down but that's a lot of picks there in that. First round and gms on other teams, are watching right they're WATCHING the ncaa tournament, to, see well maybe we should put something or someone on the table to make them available for some possible Picks from Connecticut.

OR washington i don't know that that will happen at. THIS point i think the draft is takes a step down in terms of Talent If olivia Miles And flaje johnson do not enter, the draft and so that's also something to potentially. Look, at yeah that.

Was gonna be my next question to you in terms of the position group you think would be the strongest in this draft based off. Team NEEDS and i feel like just through free agency and, you know talking to, you know some some teams throughout, this offseason a lot of teams are prioritizing just continuity and more veteran players on. Their roster we saw how beneficial it was For The New york liberty last year to get players with. Overseas contracts my, only pee bitch was so crucial to them

Team, MEETS yeah, i Mean Before olivia miles decided to.

PULL out i was like excited about the. Point guards to have pal Pal AND.

Georgia a Moore and miles like players, you know page run the point like players that can really play that league. Guard spot, you know that was kind Of where i'm leaning TO and i still Feel like i'm leaning. There again in the w N, b a everyone has to be able. To Score so i'm not saying like a point guard who doesn't have any scoring ability would be at a premium at.

This POINT but i do believe that there's still an.

Eye for the past point point guard and how they run teams and their leadership and, their intangibles and that's obvious through all the PLAYERS that i, JUST named i would say the. Point guards but also there's been an uptakeing interest for me at the center slash power. Forward

Guards are, okay you know it's so interesting you, talk ABOUT versatility and i look at some of the coaching hires in the off season that the, seven new coaches and a lot of them are like coaches who thank

WALL and why i Would say probably seattle because life has probably changed quite a bit For Them since olivia miles, made her announcement not saying they said They, were TAKING miles but i would think with.

Her, on the board that gives you so. Many more OPTIONS but when I look, at SEATTLE'S roster and i did that just in general, BEFORE our call i Really like where.

Seattle's ROSTER is and i think despite The Injury, to jordan horsten which you, hate to see the Key Pickup of alicia, clark was HUGE right like I Think, her lexi brown The Fact That skyler diggen smith can play one or two that just gives you a little bit MORE than what i thought they would have Had in losing miles at this, number two pick and honestly gives them a little bit more freedom in my mind.

Again with just being able to move.

The Pieces around so i'm wondering with having options where? Do they go but not having the option that they thought that they were, going to, have right like where Does where does seattle? Go FROM here so i WOULD probably say i would definitely want to be in their war room and here kind of how they.

MAKE this, decision i mean the decisions.

Are always made before we get to, the war room but kind of how they talk through their options at. The two spots so maybe it's the PRE war room i would. Want to hear but, all, IN all yeah i think my Eyes are on seattle now with that.

Number, two Pick.

Yeah so i'm excited. For the draft for all, of YOU listening the wnbh draft Kicks off, on april fourteenth but before, all of that make sure you tune into the Final. FLOUR in tampa i just want To Thank with china robinson again for joining, us this week and in case, you Missed It, With christina williams it's been such a pleasure to. Chat with you it's always fun to.

Chat with you thank you for having me, and don't listen pick up the phone and call ME back because i want to be ON during, The wnba season so don't.

Be a stranger don't. Forget about, Me you know i'm one of, the Old heads but i'm still here if.

You need me.

Thank you with china and looking forward to having you. On the season look front of the show. Through and through thank you so much, For being here thank you, for having me and that's kin do it for this Special Edition Of In Case you Missed It. WITH christina williams i just want to Shout Out with china robinson again for joining us this week as a guest, on the show and We're. Heading to tampa we're taking The.