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Evina Westbrook turned a family identify in faculty basketball when she stepped foot on Tennessee’s campus as a high recruit in 2017. After two stellar seasons because the Volunteers’ start line guard, she put her identify within the switch portal with just one faculty in thoughts: the College of Connecticut. She’d spend the 2019-2020 season redshirting and rehabbing a surgically repaired knee earlier than changing into a serious piece to a Huskies squad that reached the Closing 4. Upon graduating from UConn, she’d take her skills to the W the place she was drafted twenty first general by the Seattle Storm, making historical past because the first-ever Mexican-American to play within the League. She’s at present with the Los Angeles Sparks and relentlessly working towards a breakout season.
Whereas on her approach to a exercise, Evina spoke with me about her upbringing, recruitment, trusting the method, making historical past, being a hip-hop producer in her previous life, interning with the Portland Path Blazers, and extra.
CURTIS: How are you doing? How’s the low season been treating you?
EVINA: The low season has been actually good. I positively miss taking part in, however I’ve simply been getting my exercises in loopy. I both work out in Portland or Eugene. And I stay in Salem, so I’m an hour from each. It’s similar to, I’ve acquired to get it in regardless. And I really feel actually completely different this low season, I really feel actually completely different.
CURTIS: You grew up in a basketball household; are you able to discuss your loved ones’s introduction to the sport?
EVINA: Basketball was the one sport my household ever performed; my mother was the one particular person in my household who didn’t. My dad performed at OSU and abroad. All my brothers performed. My youthful brother performs. So it’s like basketball is simply what it’s.
CURTIS: So what was the second while you knew you have been particular and knew you have been completely different out of your friends who you have been competing towards?
EVINA: I grew up taking part in with boys. Once I was getting actually good with my boys group, we’d have mother and father from the opposite groups complaining like they didn’t desire a woman on the group. It’s such as you’re getting mad that I’m a lady, however I’m beating your son’s ass. When it acquired to that time it was like, ‘okay, I feel we acquired one thing particular.’ My coach rising up at all times advised me that I used to be gonna get a scholarship from wherever I needed to, that I used to be gonna go to UConn, that I used to be gonna win a nationwide championship. He actually spoke it into existence. It was simply all coming true due to all of the work I put in.
CURTIS: Piggybacking off of that, popping out of highschool you have been a high two prospect within the nation. Are you able to converse to the preparation that’s obligatory to achieve that time? What did your day-to-day appear like rising up as you have been changing into essentially the most wanted recruit?
EVINA: Pondering again on it now, it was form of loopy–like the kind of day-to-day I used to be having, particularly at a younger age. And training youngsters now, I really feel like they don’t do what I used to be doing and simply form of eat, stay and breathe basketball. I simply beloved the sport. I beloved the sport to some extent the place I felt myself getting higher and I didn’t need to cease. I’d get up and my coach–his identify is Value–would choose me up from my home. Me and my brothers would go to the health club and get it in at like 6 a.m. Then he would take us to the donut store, we’d all go to high school, and after faculty I’d discover some approach to the health club. If my mother and father have been at work and couldn’t take me, I’d stroll like an hour to the health club. And I’d be there till like 10 o’clock and I wouldn’t depart. I missed out on a whole lot of issues, however again then it was like I didn’t need to be wherever else. The health club was my secure place, so I used to be simply there on a regular basis and I used to be good there.
CURTIS: How did your recruitment out of highschool unfold, what made Tennessee the fitting alternative initially?
EVINA: Basketball-wise Notre Dame was the place I needed to go. However the faculty half, I used to be like nah this isn’t gonna work. I keep in mind happening an unofficial go to to Stanford as a freshman and as quickly as we have been strolling away from the coach, my mother and I checked out one another and I used to be like, ‘this ain’t it.’ There was nothing fallacious with it, it simply wasn’t for me. Then after I acquired right down to my high 5, there have been positively a few colleges I didn’t need to inform no. I felt like on the time, Tennessee had every little thing that I needed. They’d a Black cultural middle. I’m like, ‘that is the place I’m alleged to be, my persons are right here, I really feel at house.’
CURTIS: So after having two impactful seasons, you determined to switch; what went into that call and why UConn?
EVINA: There was simply a whole lot of stuff happening at Tennessee. I nonetheless don’t have any regrets. I’m nonetheless tremendous grateful that I went there and spent my time there. I met some unimaginable individuals who I nonetheless discuss to. And it’s not like I wasn’t getting taking part in time. I used to be the place to begin guard each years, main the group in scoring and assists. I advised myself I by no means needed to be the child to switch and go to a different faculty. After my first yr, there was a lot happening exterior of basketball that was affecting us on the court docket. However I needed to stay it out and do no matter was potential to make issues higher. However then it acquired worse. I didn’t really feel like we had a real tradition. The yr I transferred was the primary yr of the switch portal. I put my identify within the portal and my AAU coach was involved with UConn. I had a whole lot of colleges attain out however I used to be turning individuals down left and proper. I just about knew the place I needed to go. I didn’t need this elaborate course of. I knew if I had an excellent official go to that I used to be gonna commit on the spot.
CURTIS: After two nice years at UConn, it was time to determine what your subsequent steps have been. Did you think about using the additional yr of eligibility that was granted because of COVID?
EVINA: Hell no, I used to be able to go [laughing]. 5 years was already an excessive amount of. I had a very good redshirt junior yr, I actually virtually left after that. I performed tremendous nicely within the event they usually had me projected within the high ten, however we didn’t win. We misplaced within the Closing 4. Me being stingy, I used to be like we acquired unfinished enterprise and ended up coming again the subsequent yr, which I don’t remorse both.
CURTIS: How did your time at UConn put together you for the W?
EVINA: Actually, the transition from UConn to the professionals was fairly straightforward, and I feel it’s as a result of we have now a pro-like system already embedded in UConn. Each on the court docket and off the court docket, at UConn, we have now to decorate and current ourselves a sure means. It was annoying at occasions, however then you definitely get to the league and it’s like, ‘oh shit, this is sensible.’ So transitioning, I don’t suppose was exhausting in any respect. Nevertheless it was positively completely different in figuring out there’s solely 12 groups and barely 12 roster spots. There’s solely about possibly three individuals on every time with assured contracts. You’re coming in pondering they’re gonna maintain you, however they don’t care the place you come from. Generally it’s not even about whether or not you performed good or dangerous. For instance, after I acquired drafted to Seattle, it was the proper group, excellent state of affairs, fallacious time. Nevertheless it’s such as you simply gotta maintain it pushing. And it’s exhausting for a younger participant to leap round. I’ve been on 5 completely different groups in two years.
CURTIS: Are you able to converse to trusting the method and what that appears like for you?
EVINA: It’s positively been a journey and it’s tremendous powerful not letting your thoughts get to some extent of pondering you’re not ok. However all over the place I’ve been, each place I’ve been to, I’ve continued to place the work in, whether or not I used to be taking part in or not. You simply gotta maintain your thoughts into it. All of the work I put in helps me by no means waver from figuring out I’m ok and belong within the league. I’m getting higher. I’m gonna get my time on the proper time. And I feel while you simply proceed to place the work in–like particularly this low season, I simply really feel completely different.
CURTIS: What do you love to do while you’re not hooping?
EVINA: I really like music. I’m listening to music on a regular basis. All of the completely different phrases, the completely different beats. Possibly I used to be a producer in my previous life. Both that or a mob spouse, I feel [laughing]. However yeah, I really like listening to music and simply vibing for actual. I like going to live shows. I simply be chillin’, watching films. I don’t actually be on nothing loopy.
CURTIS: Who’re your favourite hip-hop artists?
EVINA: Most likely Kendrick proper on high of Cole. However then typically I’ll throw in Younger Dolph or BigXThaPlug, just like the Tennessee will come out, you are feeling me? It actually relies on what my temper is. Generally Dame D.O.L.L.A can be within the combine. Dame can actually rap.
CURTIS: Apple Music or Spotify?
EVINA: I’m an Apple Music woman.
CURTIS: What’s your Apple Music replay trying like, who’s on the high?
EVINA: It’s fairly versatile. I do know Larry June acquired it. I’ve been listening to him like loopy. His album that got here out this yr might be my favourite from high to backside. I take heed to a whole lot of Mexican music making an attempt to work on my Spanish a bit bit.
CURTIS: Oh wow, that’s an ideal segue as a result of I needed to ask you about that. You’re the first, and solely, Mexican-American to be drafted in WNBA historical past and be taking part in within the League. Are you able to discuss your roots and what it was like while you first discovered that you just’d made historical past?
EVINA: I feel it was my mother who advised me as a result of somebody had mentioned it on Twitter. She was like, ‘I didn’t know you have been the primary Mexican-American to be drafted.’ Man, after I acquired my Mexican passport, I cried, like actually tears popping out my eyes. Simply because it means a lot to me. I’m half Black, half Mexican and all my life, as a result of I could not seem as a Mexican, individuals didn’t consider me. So after I acquired my passport, I’m like you’ll be able to’t inform me shit, that is legit. I’m actually Mexican, my mother is full Mexican. So simply having the ability to have that passport, how a lot it means to my household, it actually does imply lots to me. Hopefully, in the future I’ll have the ability to put a Mexico jersey on.
CURTIS: How has your identification formed you as an individual?
EVINA: Simply feeling the love from my household–I feel that’s what it’s about, proper? They arrive as much as me and inform me I make them proud. They inform me to maintain going and that I give them hope and only a completely different perspective. I’m like ‘rattling, actually? I’m simply placing the ball within the hoop.’ Once I hear them discuss to me like that, it’s similar to I don’t ever need to cease–figuring out the affect I’ve on my household and for the individuals who at all times believed in me. I performed down there this previous yr and that was tremendous cool. And I feel that’s the primary cause why I’m making an attempt to be taught Spanish now. That’s positively my purpose. I advised all my Mexican teammates to solely converse to me in Spanish. That’s the one means I’m going to be taught.
CURTIS: I learn that you just interned with the Portland Path Blazers. What was that have like: what’d you do, what’d you be taught? There’s a wave of W gamers actually rising within the NBA/media house. Are you able to discuss why you selected to intern with the group, and what a few of your off-court aspirations are?
EVINA: I used to be an intern for basketball operations. I used to be studying every little thing–salaries, wage cap, contracts, scouting. There are such a lot of layers to it. I discovered the way to lower up movie. I used to be serving to with warmups and a bunch of different stuff. It was an enormous studying course of, simply to form of see the opposite aspect of issues. I’ve been the participant, so not being on the participant’s aspect of issues was completely different. The cash the NBA is taking part in with is completely completely different. I’d somewhat do a 10-day within the NBA than a full season within the W [laughing]. However yeah, I wanna hoop so long as I can, however I wanna produce other stuff going whereas I’m hooping.
CURTIS: Final query: What’s one factor individuals can be shocked to learn about you? May very well be something.
EVINA: Possibly that I’ve a giant and fairly humorous persona, simply not taking life too severe[ly]. Individuals round me are like, ‘I didn’t suppose you have been gonna be like this, I believed you have been only a cute face.’ I hate individuals like that. You realize, he or she seems good or seems cool, however their persona is trash. I by no means needed to be that sort of particular person.
Pictures through Getty Pictures.
As at all times, right here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Every part Black playlist. It’ll be up to date weekly with every column. Add the playlist to your library to remain within the know, and make sure you comply with SLAM on Spotify.
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