TAMRYN SPRUILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> IT'S A PLEASURE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

>> THIS FASCINATING HISTORY OF "THE W," AS THE WNBA IS CALLED, THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW CONTRACTS, ALL THE THINGS, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE, WHAT GAVE YOU THE IDEA?

>> JUST LESS THAN 10 YEARS AGO, THIS WASN'T THE CASE.

I WAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AT [ INAUDIBLE ] AND I WAS FIRST TEACHING IN ACADEMIA AND TEACHING COLLEGE.

>> WHAT?

>> WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SITE AND I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN, SO THEREFORE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO RUN A WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SITE, AND THAT WAS 2018, AND IN THAT YEAR, I WAS SPEAKING TO MY THEN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD NIECE AND ASKING HER, YOU KNOW, DO EVEN KNOW OF ANY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS?

AND HER ANSWER WAS NO, SHE DIDN'T KNOW ASIA WILSON, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS LIVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT SHE COULD NAME LeBRON JAMES AND STEFAN CURRY, AND THAT REALLY GOT ME THAT THE WOMEN'S LEAGUE HAD BEEN SO PUSHED INTO THE MARGINS THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THE PLAYERS, AND IN THIS CASE THAT THE LEAGUE EVEN EXISTED.

>> A'JA WILL SEND , POWERHOUSE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THE COACH, DON STALEY, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNING COACH, SO, THE WNBA TIPPED OFF IN 1957 WITH THE SLOGAN, WE GOT NEXT.

TALK ABOUT THOSE EARLY YEARS, IF YOU WOULD.

I AM IN WASHINGTON, D. C. THE, AND IT WAS --MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT A LOT OF FAN SUPPORT FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE EVERYWHERE.

>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

UM, PEOPLE FELT LIKE IN OUR CULTURE THAT SOMETHING MAJOR HAD SHIFTED.

YOU HAD LIKE TIPPER GORE AT THE FIRST, IN 1999, AT THE ALL-STAR GAME, AND THE SOCCER TEAM THAT WON THE WORLD CUP THAT YEAR.

[ INAUDIBLE ] AND OTHERS WERE THERE TO CHEER THESE WOMEN ON, WHITNEY HOUSTON SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, SO THERE WAS WIDESPREAD EMBRACE.

BUT FROM THE SPORTS WORLD AND SPORTS COLUMNISTS ESPECIALLY, IT WAS A LOT OF DEGRADING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RULING THEM OUT BEFORE EVEN GAME 1, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SLAM DUNK BECAUSE WOMEN DON'T DUNK THE BASKETBALL, AS IF THAT IS BASKETBALL.

AND WE SEE TODAY, DUNCAN WAS A THING, AND NOW IT IS THE THREE POINT SHOT.

STILL, THAT IS NOT THE FULL GAME.

SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE , SPORTS COLUMNISTS MAINLY, WERE PRETTY DEROGATORY AGAINST THE LEAGUE AND ITS PLAYERS, AND THE COMMENTARY IS VERY SEXIST.

AND THEN REFERRING TO SOME PLAYERS AS, OH, THEY LOOK LIKE THESE ARE MUG SHOT PICTURES, AND YOU KNOW, JUST RACIST UNDERTONES, AND PEOPLE FELT OKAY TO SAY THIS, YOU KNOW?

IT'S THEIR JOB, THEIR COLUMNISTS FOR THESE PAPERS, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE PUTTING OUT.

AND ON THE COURT, THE SPORT , THERE WAS ROOM TO GROW.

THE THREE POINT SHOT WASN'T WHAT IT IS NOW.

THE FIRST GAME AND THE FIRST COUPLE OF SEASONS WERE PRETTY SLOPPY.

BUT OVER TIME, THE GAME HAS EVOLVED AT THE PLAYERS COMING IN ARE MUCH MORE PREPARED YOU MENTIONED DON STALEY AND WE HAVE OTHER FORMER PLAYERS NOW TEACHING IN COLLEGIATE PROGRAMS, SO THESE PLAYERS NOW ARE GETTING OUT OF COLLEGE AND ARE REALLY READY TO PLAY AT THE PRO LEVEL.

>> THERE WERE SOME REALLY GREAT PLAYERS JUST FROM THE BEGINNING, WOULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY GOODNESS, OF COURSE, THE ONES WHO COME TO MIND THAT KIND OF SHOCKED EVERYBODY IS THE COMMENTS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE CYNTHIA COOPER WHO HAD BEEN PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY IN ITALY FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS AT THAT POINT, SHE IS IN HER MID-30s, A ROOKIE, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY EXPECTED THAT A 30 SOMETHING CYNTHIA COOPER WAS GOING TO BE AS DOMINANT AS SHE WAS.

WINNING FOUR STRAIGHT TITLES, AND I BELIEVE SHE WAS FINALS MVP WITH EACH OF THOSE WINS.

AND OF COURSE, YOU HAVE CHERYL SWOOPES AND TINA THOMPSON WITH HER, AND REBECCA LOBO AND VICKI JOHNSON AND THERESA WEATHERSPOON IN NEW YORK, AND OF COURSE, THE LEAGUE ORIGINALLY WANTED AN EAST COAST, WEST COAST RIVALRY, THE ONE IN NEW YORK -L. A. , AND THAT DIDN'T MANIFEST BECAUSE THE COMMENTS DISRUPTED EVERYBODY'S PLANS.

>> BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COMMENTS, THOUGH?

>> THEY FOLDED, AND IT IS JUST REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT THE LEAGUE DID NOT DO ENOUGH TO TRY TO PRESERVE THE FRANCHISE AND TO --EVEN IF IT HAD TO ASSUME OWNERSHIP AND FLOAT IT UNTIL ANOTHER OWNER CAME ALONG, AND IT'S JUST THEIR LEGACY, THEIR HISTORY IS JUST KIND OF SUSPENDED POINT >> BUT WHAT DOES THAT TELL US, THE FACT THAT THIS TEAM ON THE COURT WAS SO DOMINANT, BUT THEN COULDN'T --IN THOSE EARLY YEARS, THEN COULDN'T SUSTAIN ITSELF, SO WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT HOW THESE TEAMS REVIEWED BY THE NBA SORT OF OVERALL?

>> AS I EXPLORE IN THE BOOK, A LOT IS ABOUT VALUE, WHAT DO WE VALUE AND WHAT COMMITMENTS ARE WE GOING TO MAKE?

WHAT DO WE THINK IN OUR SOCIETY IS WORTH PROTECTING?

AND I CAN LOOK THROUGH , UM, THE HISTORY AND SEE THAT IN MODERN NBA, TEAMS ARE STRUGGLING, TEAMS HAVE LOST MONEY, NONE HAVE FOLDED.

BUT FOR THE WOMEN'S TEAM, IT'S, OH, WE ARE NOT MAKING THE MONEY WE THOUGHT WE WOULD, INSTEAD OF MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE ORIGINAL BUSINESS PLAN, IT WAS EASIER JUST TO GET RID OF THE TEAMS.

AND SOMETIMES VERY CALLOUSLY.

I MEAN, IF A FOUR TIME CHAMPIONSHIP --FOUR STRAIGHT CHAMPIONS, FOUR IN A ROW, IF THAT IS NOT WORTH PROTECTING, THEN WHAT IS?

>> THERE ARE JUST SO MANY INTERESTING STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT YOU POINT OUT IN THE BOOK THAT I AM NOT SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A LOT OF GAY WOMEN IN THE LEAGUE, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT WAS NOT A RUSH TO PROMOTE THEM IN A WAY THAT THEY MIGHT --THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PROMOTED HAD THEY BEEN STRAIGHT.

WHEN DID THAT CHANGE OR HAS IT CHANGED?

>> IT IS CHANGING.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD CONSIDER IT CHANGED INTO THERE IS SOMEBODY LIKE OLIVIA MILES WHO JUST WON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IS PROMOTED AS THE FACE OF THE LEAGUE, THE FACE THAT YOU SEE ON THE VIRAL COMMERCIALS WHEN YOU TURN ON WNBA LEAK PATHS, AND THE LEAGUE EVEN STRUGGLED TO PUT A'JA WILSON IN THAT POSITION, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS STRAIGHT AND IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH AN NBA PLAYER, SHE IS STILL A VERY TALL BLACK WOMAN, AND THE LEAGUE AND MARKETERS HAVE NOT -- AGAIN, HE GOES DOWN TO VALUE, HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE BEAUTY AND THE MARKETABILITY IN THESE WOMEN, AND THE WOMEN THEMSELVES, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR OWN PLATFORMS AND GETTING BETTER AGENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO PUT THEM FORWARD AND IN COMMERCIALS AND OTHER SPACES, UM, THEN PEOPLE KIND OF CATCH ON.

OH, YOU KNOW, IT IS MARKETABLE TO HAVE TWO PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN A SECRET COMMERCIAL.

PAIGE BUECKERS AND A'JA WILSON, WHO BETTER TO ADVERTISE DEODORANT THAN PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MISSING THAT HAVE NOT ALLOWED THESE WOMEN TO BE CULTURAL MAINSTREAM.

>> LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE THIS HAS BECOME A HUGE THING THIS SEASON FOR LOTS OF REASONS POINT I MEAN, SHE IS A GREAT PLAYER, SHE IS CONSISTENT, AND MAKING THOSE THREE POINT SHOTS FROM HALF COURT, SUPER EXCITING.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> RIGHT?

ON THE OTHER HAND, SHE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN , IN THE MINDS OF SOME, SORT OF PITTED AGAINST ANGEL REESE, WHO IS BLACK, WHO IS FROM BALTIMORE, AND THE TWO OF THEM SEEM TO HAVE SORT OF BEEN CAST AS KIND OF HERO AND VILLAIN.

YOU KNOW, NEITHER OF THEM ASKED FOR THIS.

IN FACT, CAITLIN CLARK HAS SAID MANY TIMES, I JUST WANT TO PLAY BASKETBALL, I DO NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCOURSE.

AND ANGEL REESE , SIMILARLY, SHE SAYS I'M HERE TO PLAY, I'M HERE TO WIN, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM.

SO, WHO IS IT OR HOW IS IT THAT THIS IS SORT OF BEING PLACED ON THEM?

THAT'S A REALLY DOES START WITH THE MEDIA AND SPORTSWRITERS AND WHO IS IN THE NEWSROOMS AND WHO IS NOT, AND WHAT PERSPECTIVES ARE BEING PUSHED FORWARD.

IN WORKING ON THIS BOOK AND DOING RESEARCH, UM, I FOUND A STUDY WHERE THE 2020 SEASON WHEN SABRINA CAME INTO THE LEAGUE, THE NUMBER OF MENTIONS OF HER NAME VERSUS PEOPLE WHO WERE WINNING , HAD AWARDS, WHAT HAVE YOU, WHICH IS EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER, AND SO, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO GREAT PLAYERS COMING IN AND ONLY ONE IS GETTING THE SHINE, THEN THE FANS OF THE OTHER ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TAKE ISSUE WITH IT, AND OF COURSE, ONLINE THERE IS THE DISCOURSE.

BUT MEDIA BIAS NOT ONLY IMPACTED INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES, INTEGRATED THE ENTIRE LEAGUE, BY NOT JUST SHOWCASING THE STORY LINES THAT ARE DEVELOPING FROM THE COURT, AND SHOWCASING THE PLAYERS WHO ARE DOING THE AMAZING THINGS, AND LETTING THAT DETERMINE THE NARRATIVE, RATHER THAN HAVING IT IMPOSED.

AND BECAUSE OF WHAT CAITLIN CLARK LOOKS LIKE AS A WHITE WOMAN, WHO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CAN RELATE TO, WE HAVE THE GREAT WHITE COAT WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE A WHITE ATHLETE SUCCEED IN SPORTS THAT ARE DOMINATED BY BLACK PEOPLE, AND I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT THAT PRESSURE ON TO HER, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW HER TO JUST PLAY, AND COMING INTO A LEAGUE LIKE THIS, I FEEL LIKE THE NEWER PLAYERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN THROUGH, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE LEAGUE A LONG TIME, AND HAVE RESPECT FOR THAT POSITION, EVEN WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE, BECAUSE IT IS LOADED POINT >> SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH, LIKE IN 2018, LAS VEGAS ACES PLAYERS POSTED PICTURES OF THEMSELVES ON AIRPORT AFTER MORE THAN 25 HOURS OF COMMERCIAL TRAVEL DELAYS BEFORE ULTIMATELY DECIDING THAT THEY WERE JUST TOO TIRED TO SAFELY PLAY THEIR NEXT GAME.

HOW DID LETTING THE PUBLIC KIND OF SEE THE BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE OF THEIR LIVES CHANGE THINGS OR WHAT DID THAT OPEN UP?

>> THAT OPENED UP TWO THINGS, FIRST, IT CHANGED --OR JUST GAVE AN UNDERSTANDING FOR FANS OF THE LEAGUE WHAT THE WOMEN WERE GOING THROUGH.

AND THEN I THINK IT KIND OF CRACKED SOMETHING ON THE INSIDE WITH THE PLAYERS, BECAUSE THE PLAYERS, I INTERVIEWED MONIQUE CURRY, WAS WITH THE WASHINGTON MYSTICS AT THE TIME, AND SHE WAS LIKE THIS IS CRAZY, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE CHOOSING NOT TO PLAY, BECAUSE THIS IS STUFF THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH, AND WE THINK THEY SHOULD BASICALLY SUCK IT UP, AND YOU KNOW, SHOW UP AND PLAY THE GAME.

SO, IT KIND OF SHOWS A DIFFERENT MIND-SET IN THE DIFFERENT ERAS -- >> I'M SORRY, THE MEN WOULD HAVE HAD A CHARTERED FLIGHT.

>> THE MEN WOULD HAVE HAD A CHARTERED FLIGHT, AND I THINK THAT THE PLAYERS IN THE PAST, LIKE KIND OF GETTING UP TO THAT 2018 AREA, LACKED THE LEVERAGE TO DEMAND BETTER , AND THE LEAD WAS ALWAYS SAYING THAT IT WAS LOSING MONEY.

BUT PUTTING --PUTTING AN IMAGE TO IT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE ERIN CLANAHAN BE LAYING ON AIRPORT CHAIRS AND OTHER PLAYERS ARE TAKING A STAND, AND BY CHOOSING NOT TO PLAY, THEY COUNTED THAT AS A LOSS, AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS BECAUSE OF THAT.

THEY NEEDED TO WIN THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON AND DID NOT.

AND IF THEY PLAYED THAT GAME THAT THEY FORFEITED AND WON, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS.

THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE TEAM, BUT THEY COLLECTIVELY WERE SAYING THIS IS ENOUGH.

AND THE PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE LEAGUE A WHILE, FIRST, THEY WERE RESISTANT TO THE IDEA, BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST BEEN CONDITIONED TO PUT UP WITH THIS STUFF, BUT IT REALLY DID SPUR A CHANGE.

>> SO, TALK ABOUT TAKING A STAND, THE 2020 SEASON STANDS OUT, UM, BECAUSE AFTER THE KILLINGS OF BREONNA TAYLOR AND GEORGE FLOYD, THE ATLANTA DREAM PLAYERS PUBLICLY OPPOSED THEIR OWN CO-OWNER , THEN SENATOR -- UNITED STATES SENATOR, KELLY LOEFFLER, AFTER SHE CRITICIZED THE LEAGUE'S SUPPORT FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER, SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT EPISODE THAT STANDS OUT?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THE SUCCESS OF THEIR ACTIVISM WAS VERY MUCH A RESULT OF THE MOMENT WHEN SOCIETY WAS THAT ANOTHER RECKONING POINT OVER RACE AND POLICE VIOLENCE.

I THINK IT WAS SUE BIRD WHO MADE THE SUGGESTION THAT WE CAN HELP FORCE HER OUT BY CAMPAIGNING FOR HER ARRIVAL IN THE SENATE RACE, SO SHE WAS UP FOR RE-ELECTION, AND A BUNCH OF PLAYERS LIKE ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, WAS A BIG PART OF THE PLAYERS UNION, SHE WANTED TO SIT DOWN WITH RAPHAEL WARNOCK, AND TO SEE IF HIS VALUES ALIGN WITH THEIRS BEFORE THEY'RE GOING TO THROW THEIR SUPPORT, AND HE MET WITH THEM, AND THE ATTENTION THEY GAVE HIS CAMPAIGN JUST TRANSFORMED HIS CAMPAIGN.

IT JUST SHOWS THE POWER THAT THIS LEAGUE HAS REPORTS PROGRESS WHEN PEOPLE REALLY WORK TOGETHER.

BUT WE CAN SEE HOW NOW WE HAVE A BACKLASH TO THAT, AND I FEEL LIKE IN THE 30th SEASON, A LOT OF THE STORY LINES THAT ARE COMING UP ARE RESULTING SPECIFICALLY FROM THAT POWER THAT WAS EXERTED, AND THEN NOW YOU ARE VISIBLE, WE ARE GOING TO ATTACK YOU, YOU KNOW?

>> ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED THIS SEASON AS THERE SEEMS TO BE THIS DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER TRANS WOMEN SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT PLAY IN THE WNBA.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE NOT ANY TRANS WOMEN OR SELF IDENTIFIED TRANS WOMEN CURRENTLY IN THE WNBA.

BUT THE FACT IS, THIS IS A THING THAT HAS EMERGED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'S ABOUT?

>> I THINK IT'S ABOUT ATTACKING A LEAGUE THAT HAS BEEN SOCIALLY PROGRESSIVE, AND NOW INCLUDES PLAYERS WHO MAYBE DON'T HAVE THOSE SAME VIEWS AND VALUES, SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM OF INDIANA FEVER, WHO KIND OF SAID SOMETHING ABOUT WANTING TO PROTECT THE LOCKER ROOMS FROM BIOLOGICAL MALES, WHICH IS A VERY --DOG WHISTLE FOR ANTI- TRANS BELIEFS.

AND IT'S NOT ANY CURRENT ISSUE THAT I KNOW OF ON ANY TEAM , OF ANY PLAYER.

>> WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT IN THE WNBA?

IN THE W, THE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE, OR WAS SHE MAKING A GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT GIRLS SPORTS AT THE LOWER LEVELS?

>> ON, ALL OF SPORTS AND AT THE LOWER LEVELS.

IT'S --YOU KNOW, THERE IS A MOVEMENT BANNING TRANS KIDS FROM PLAYING ON VARIOUS TEAMS, IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S REALLY --HER STATEMENT WAS KIND OF ALIGNED WITH THAT MOVEMENT AND WHAT THOSE VALUES AND AGENDAS ARE.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HIJACKING A BEAUTIFUL SEASON, 30th CELEBRATORY SEASON, TO INTERJECT THESE ISSUES THAT ARE NOT EVEN RELEVANT RIGHT NOW.

THERE HAS BEEN ONE TRANS PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE, SHE CAME OUT FIRST IS NON-BINARY, AND THEN TRANS, AND THEN TOWARDS THE END OF THEIR CAREER, UNDERWENT SURGERY AND IS LIVING A GREAT LIFE AND DOING ACTIVISM TO THIS DAY, BUT IT HAS EVEN BEEN A TOPIC IN THE LEAD THAT I AM AWARE OF, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THERE HAS BEEN A PLAYER WHO IS OUTSPOKEN ABOUT ISSUES KIND OF ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE LEAGUE WAS IN 2020, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT EQUALITY AND JUSTICE.

SO, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF INTERNAL CHALLENGES I FEEL THE LEAGUE NEEDS TO WORK OUT.

>> SO, WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS GOES NEXT, THE CURRENT COMMISSIONER KATHY IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS SEASON .

AS WE JUST POINTED OUT, THERE IS RECORD ATTENDANCE IN VIEWERSHIP, RAPID EXPANSION, RISING FRANCHISE VALUES.

THE GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES, THE FIRST BILLION-DOLLAR TEAM, WOMEN'S TEAM, OKAY?

SO, THAT IS A WOW.

WHERE DO YOU THINK IT GOES NEXT?

>> I FEEL LIKE THE PLAYERS NEED TO HAVE A COMMON GOAL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GALVANIZE AROUND.

SO, THE LEAGUE WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE JUST LIKE, WE NEED TO KEEP THE LEAD HERE, WE NEED TO GROW, WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO BUILD THIS THING UP.

NOW THAT THERE IS SO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED AND PLAYERS ARE KIND OF COMING IN WITH A KIND OF PRIVILEGE, BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE GETTING MUCH MORE AIR TIME IN COLLEGE, AND MAYBE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY.

SOME OF THE PLAYERS NOW, THE STARS, WERE BORN WHEN THE LEAGUE STARTED.

[ INAUDIBLE ], PC 96, '97, THEY WERE BABIES.

AND SO, I FEEL THAT ESPECIALLY AROUND THESE DIVISIVE ISSUES THAT ARE KIND OF BEING IMPOSED ON THE LEAGUE, THE UNION AND THE PLAYERS NEED TO WORK WITH A NEW COMMISSIONER, TO KIND OF HAVE A HARD STANCE ON PRESERVING WHAT IT DEFINES AS, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE OF THE WNBA, AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT MESSAGE IS IN THE WORLD, AND EVERYTHING THAT IT DOES TO HOPEFULLY TAMP DOWN SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE STORY LINES THAT ARE CREEPING UP THIS SEASON.

>> TAMRYN SPRUILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH ME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

>