Exclusive SilverStarsNation.com Interview: Becky talks Silver Stars, casinos, bucket lists, & why women need to support women’s sports.

HFH – I have been fortunate enough to be able to go back and watch some of your very early games with the Liberty. Your game has evolved tremendously from season to season, in particular since arriving in San Antonio. Do you make a conscious effort each off-season to pick one part of your game to develop, or do work on it as a whole, and is it something you take upon yourself to decide what to work on, or do your coaches offer up suggestions on what to focus on each off-season?

Becky – I do think there has to always be self-reflection in your career. Even after a single game, whether good or bad, you need to be able to go back and give yourself a realistic idea of how you played. Always asking yourself, what did I do good, what wasn’t good, what areas do I need to improve on, etc.. You have to stay relevant and realistic with your career. So I do try and reflect on areas I can improve on, your game has to kind of be an evolvement, and there’s always something you can improve on. The moment you think you’ve arrived is the moment you might lose your job.

HFH – Name the #1 thing on your “bucket list” that you want to do between now and the retirement home?

Becky – There are a few places that I haven’t been that I’d love to go and visit. One place is Australia, I gotta dive the Great Barrier Reef, and the other is London! I’d really like to spend a week or so there (not playing! Just relaxing!! I know how my fans’ minds work, lol ) So as far as activities, I want to write a book, skydive, and dive in a shark cage in South Africa with great white sharks.

HFH – What is your greatest strength that you bring to the Silver Stars?

Becky – Oh boy, this is a tough one. I think I wear a couple different hats with the Stars, but probably the most important one is leadership. I’m going into year 12 and I think I’ve got a lot to give back to the team and the younger players. I think I’ve got a broader view of the big picture than I did when I was in my 20’s. My journey has been unique, with lots of twists and turns, so I’ve learned a lot over my career, and I’m thankful for that! My career has forced me to push myself mentally, physically, and spiritually. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, other than to work for it! When we have to work for something, we appreciate it and the journey a whole lot more than when things are handed to us. So I’m thankful, and I think that’s the attitude to have everyday going in to work!

HFH – What are some of the things fans don’t understand about being a professional athlete?

Becky – Autographs and pictures can be a touchy fan/player area. I hear fans complain sometimes that so-and-so didn’t sign their shirt, paper or whatever, and sometimes either we don’t hear you, we didn’t receive your letter, or it may not be an appropriate time or place for us to sign. As players we have certain responsibilities before the games or possibly right after, or maybe we have to warm up, etc, so there’s certain times that it’s not professional for us to sign autographs or give pictures, because we are expected to be focused on the game and the game only. Fans yell because you didn’t sign for them, and sometimes they fail to see that we’ve been signing for a while and may have time constraints ourselves, and sometimes it’s just impossible to get everyone. NOW, all that being said, I and other players are more than happy to sign or take pictures with whomever, but just try and understand sometimes it’s just not the right time or place. Overall I do think the players in the WNBA do a good job of interacting with fans and most players do realize the fans are the bloodline of the league.

HFH – What motivates you and how do you motivate your teammates?

Becky – Just giving my best effort and winning is what motivates me the most on the court! I think for the most part you have to be internally driven to be successful at anything. If you need a big rah rah speech to motivate you, you’re probably not on a professional team. There’s no one there cheering you on when you’re trying to get out of bed to go work out, or shoot, you got to get up and do that on your own! A game is the last thing you should have to get motivated for! Now practices, I can see where you may need some support here and there to go through as many practices as we do over the course of our careers, but the ones who do generally enjoy practice, are probably the ones who keep getting better and better year after year. I can tell you, the unmotivated players are often the ones that don’t last very long on a team.

STL – When you are in a casino… what table would we most likely find you at?

Becky – Haha…. well a little bit of everything…. blackjack, craps, or the poker table. I’d say mostly blackjack or poker though.

STL – You’ve caught a shark… a big one last spring, what’s on the agenda for this spring?

Becky – BIGGER is on the agenda!! Haha…. I’d like to catch a large hammerhead or tiger shark. Fishing is unpredictable though, so we’ll see what bites!

STL – What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?

Becky – Love God, Love people!

STL – When you go back to South Dakota is it like “Oh my gosh that’s Becky Hammon!!!” or is it like, “Oh, there’s Bubba….” Because worldwide you are a star, so what is the perception of you when you go back home?

Becky – I get a mixed reaction. To some people I’ll always be just Bubba, or Becky the person they’ve always known me as. And to others, I’ll always be the person they’ve known me as, Becky Hammon the All Star basketball player- I love and appreciate both views! People’s perception is their reality, and I think I lay somewhere in the middle!

STL – If you were to advise a future WNBA prospect on what she needs to do to increase her chances of playing in the WNBA what advice would you give?

Becky – Well, I think it’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses. In a training camp setting, it’s important to highlight your strengths while working on improving your weaknesses. Mentally you have to be prepared for a battle. Never let the body tell the mind what to do, but always make your mind tell your body what to do! If your body is calling the shots, you’ll lose. But if your head is in charge, you give yourself a much greater chance at succeeding over the long haul. There are very FEW players who come in right out of college and are considered elite players in the WNBA. Most of the time, there’s a learning curve of a few years before they start making serious impacts on their teams. Be patient, just keep working, and your turn will come! Also, be a sponge with information/knowledge from coaches, other players, etc, be an observer and listener first, and a talker lastly, unless it’s a question, feel free to ask questions!

STL – Charles Barkley once said professional athletes are not role models. Do you agree or disagree?

Becky – I disagree. BUT, I think in the context of what he was saying, is that its the parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, etc that should be having the most impact on their children’s lives. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of professional athletes that I’d actually want my kids to be like. It’s fine to admire their gifts, talents, work ethic, etc., but on a day to day they will learn character, integrity, honesty, and courage from those they OBSERVE in everyday settings. That being said, I think it’s extremely important to conduct yourself appropriately just as a human being and a citizen.

STL – Dan has stepped aside and remains GM of the Silver Stars, Sandy moves up to the head coaching position; how do you feel about that and is the coaching style much different?

Becky – Coach Hughes, will always be a coach to me. He’s somewhat of a life coach kind of person and I know he’s groomed Sandy and Olaf for this opportunity. So I feel very excited and confident about having Sandy and Olaf move up a seat on the bench. We did have Sandy and Olaf on the bench while Coach was attending some personal issues this past year, and we rung up over a 100 pts, so if that’s any indication, I think we’ll have a very high powered, high pace type of game flow and production. I do have the utmost confidence in both Sandy and Olaf’s knowledge and perspective of the game. I can’t express how much respect I have for all 3 of these individuals.

STL – What would you say to younger girls that play basketball but yet do not support women’s and girls’ basketball as a whole?

Becky – I think that is one of the saddest things I come across for a couple reasons….

Last point.. I get tired of hearing people say, “well you walk into a women’s basketball game and you see so many women.” WELL, I’d counter, you walk into a men’s game and you see mostly men. THIS is an important point, because at the end of the day, it can’t be an “us” versus “them” mentality. We all need each other. In GENERAL it is mostly men who watch, support, follow sports, and that’s why I go back to my point of even if you’re not an athlete, or not a woman, or you don’t know an athlete, it’s still important to support it, because in the end, it affects everyone one of us, male or female because of the bigger picture is represents in our society. UNITY is an amazing word and when its captured, produces amazing results. But ladies, how can we ask the guys to support it, when we don’t support it ourselves! WE need EVERYONE, but ladies, let’s start with ourselves!