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Toronto Tempo Postgame Following the Loss to the Mystics 82-93 · The Stop and Pop

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, guys.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_02: First question for Kiki.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously,
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: despite the tough result today,
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_02: I want to know what it means to actually be able to play at home.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: And also,
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: has the gravity of what you represent to the DMV basketball community really sunk in
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: at this point?
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's awesome to be able to,
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: play back in my first program because I couldn't play last time we played in D.C.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: But, yeah, just to have a lot of family and friends here.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just a lot to everyone who's, you know, been able to come support me and everything.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: And, yeah, I mean,
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: it's always really cool to play at home just because this area really shaped me
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: so much.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just grateful for all the support and for, you know, DMV basketball.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_02: And also one for Sandy.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously it's been a rough stretch for you guys here.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_02: Want to know if,
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_02: you know,
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_02: kind of the building blocks,
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: what you're kind of seeing for the future,
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: like you're able to kind of get at least some small wins here and there through
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_02: the stretch.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, no,
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: regardless of that,
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: I think any,
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: they're all learnings,
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: you know, they're not failures, they're learnings as we prepare for the big picture.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: Unfortunately, we haven't been able to evaluate us at full strength.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: But you've been able to evaluate individual talent and obviously this one has been,
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: we know, she's a franchise player and continue to build and invest in her.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: The injuries really hurt us.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think Lau,
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: first year in the league,
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: I think she's showing some good things and we've got a lot of first-timers
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: that are coming in and playing really good basketball.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's about building that strong foundation, isn't it?
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Making sure we have high standards.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: There's still a lot of areas we need to work on,
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: but it's really hard when you line up changes over the time.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Your rotations change and a lot of players haven't played together.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: We're not afforded the thing because we're a new team because we have lack of experiences.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: So we've got to utilise these experiences and learn as we move on.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: Kiki, for you,
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: coming off your rookie year,
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: just starting out,
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: the schedule from offseason,
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: from championship game,
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: training camp, up until now with the back-to-back last night.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_02: How are you feeling?
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: How are you adjusting to the schedule?
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I was telling Sandy as we were walking over here is my first back-to-back.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely new,
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: but I mean,
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: it's been a long year,
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: of course,
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: but at the same time, just trying to make the most of it and take everything in.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Physically,
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: it's tough,
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: but at the same time, this is my job, so I just got to get rest, get treatment.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's different now because I don't have class,
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: I don't have school,
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: so all I got to focus on is basketball,
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: but yeah, just trying to make the most of it.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: And Sandy, for you, about Diana, she just got a jersey retired over there.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: I just want to ask you about your experience coaching her and,
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_02: of course, winning a championship.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, obviously it's a great privilege to coach one of the greatest of all times.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know,
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: going into Phoenix in 2014 and,
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: you know, winning a championship right off the bat, I think that was fantastic.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: We had eight special years together.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: I wish we had one a little bit more, but I learned a ton from her.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes I just sit back and watch her because she's that special,
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: how she made other players better.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: She's one of the greatest players.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't just about scoring.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: She was the complete player that just inspired others to greatness.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: I was able to get back for one of the dinners, and the celebration was fantastic.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: I look forward to what comes next for us.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_03: Chelsea, you can go.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_03: Kiki, obviously today you had a little bit of a bigger rollout there with both Slim
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_03: and Marina out of the game.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just curious if it felt any different out there for you not having them and
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_03: if they were kind of in your ear on the bench there.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think obviously with people in and out, you know, roles change each game a little bit.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: But, yeah,
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: the entire time, I mean,
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: I was sitting against the Sloan a lot on the bench,
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: so she's just constantly,
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: giving me feedback,
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: encouraging me, you know, telling me what I need to do out there.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: So I really appreciate that because,
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: when you're not on the court,
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: you can see things that,
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: you know, you don't always see when you're out there on the court.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: So just appreciate their support.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: And, yeah, they've been very helpful.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: And just to quickly follow up,
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: what has it been like building your chemistry with Anissa
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_03: and how has it been just having her out there these past few games?
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, it's not hard to play with her just because she plays so hard.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: So anyone that rebounds like that,
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: that hustles like that, you know, I feel like they can fit in anywhere.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: So she's been such a great addition because of the motor that she brings to this team.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, Sophie.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, Coach.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, ladies.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Sophie Dumont with the Ballers Magazine.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Kiki, my first question is for you.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned being back in the DMV,
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: but what was it like playing against some of your forward teammates and then as well
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: as your former assistant coach and Michaela?
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: Could you speak to that?
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's always really cool.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, those are some of my best friends.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So just,
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: sharing some special moments with them and,
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: you know, obviously happy for their success.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we're rooting each other on.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been really fun to just watch each other through,
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: you know, a lot of our first years in the league.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: And then, Laura,
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: for you,
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: just what are some positives that you guys have seen throughout this stretch with
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: the different changes in the lineups you guys have fought and showing that effort?
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Just what are some positives that you guys can take away from these past few games?
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think everybody from our team is ready to step in at any time and play.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like today, Tione did a good job and other players that don't play that much.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: So we know we are short-handed sometimes and it's tough, but we have each other's back.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: And there is always something positive.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Today, finally, we let them score less than 100, so that's success for us.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: And there are some small wins, but at the end of the day, we want to win.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: And that's our goal for next game.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_03: OK, you can go.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: That's the only person that has it.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: KB Sports Media.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, never mind.