“Your greatest lessons are learned in your moments of defeat” Q&A with Basketball Legend DeLisha Milton-Jones

and the kids - need it. point in their lives because the game - look at that as an occupation at some I think that people should take a hard to see the game continue to grow, then do, and you do take pride in wanting ing. If you have a passion for what you more athletes should look into coachthink that is just so special. And I think grow, and learn and become someone. I feel when they see their child, begin to can only imagine how a parent would a special thing. I’m not a parent, but I them grow. In life and a sport. It’s just into the players that I lead, and you see It’s so gratifying when I’m able to pour that I ever could be given. is probably one of the greatest honors level, and now I am a coach, I think player that has played at the highest I just want to say that being a former

would like to talk about? Is there anything I didn’t ask that you

where else. So: intentionality. was here but your mind was somement than you ever could if your body -more, you will win more in that mo serve you in a great way. You will gain in. And when you can do that, that will of the time, in the moment that you’re going to give 100% of yourself 100% you’re going to be all there. You’re means that when you are somewhere, intention as a core of your foundation of it, I would say intentionality. Having in. If I had to look over the entire scope pend on what point in my career was learned during my career would de-

The most important thing that I’ve

your career? portant thing you learned during What do you think is the most im-

And as a result, the game is flourishing. are learning and growing at an expedited pace. So this new age of basketball is one where they at a younger age. They get better, quicker, faster. how the game is played, and how good players are game, I’ve seen tremendous growth in terms of can take the torch and carry it further. In the where they can do more than what you did. They er in moments, and hopefully they’re in a position As a result, they get better, quicker. They’re smart-

you did and learn from it. you pave the way, and they’re able to look at what are inevitable as time goes on. The ones before I do see differences and I think those differences

having? What are your opinions on the topic? career, vs the experience that your players are in women’s basketball since you started your sports. Do you see any significant differences which has had a lasting impact on women’s 2022 marks the 50th Anniversary of Title IX

tionally and domestically. when you can call yourself a champion internacan call yourself an Olympian several times over, profound moment in a person’s career when you growth. And as a result, I won. And it is a pretty I did not allow to stop me, or hinder me from my of upsets, and disappointments, and setbacks that moments where there was a lot of losing, and a lot reads ‘winner’. But there were a lot of in-between result, and when they read my resume, it just become a champion. People can look at the end ments that really defined me and shaped me to your moments of defeat. And those are the moSometimes your greatest lessons are learned in

around winning. There are so many, and they don’t all revolve The most impactful moment? There’s so many!

your career? What has been the most impactful moment in the day. worthwhile, because I got the call at the end of in my integrity and my character proved to be you. But it showed me that remaining steadfast looked, that can kind of eat away at the core of you’re going through the motions you feel overand say ‘job well done’. It’s hard sometimes when for me and I finally could pat myself on the back I got that call, that was a moment of gratification like my work would stand for who I am. So when ‘hey, remember me! look what I did!’. I always felt mic or yelling at the top of a mountain saying I wasn’t the type that would be standing at the

was. top of that. Basketball was a huge chunk of who I when you add in college, that’s another four on my life, dedicated professionally to a sport. Then the American Basketball League, that’s 19 years of dedicated 17 years. If you count the two years in was this huge weight lifted off of me. Because I too. I was very emotional. And it felt like there down crying. It was tearworks and rather instant, Oh my gosh, when I got that phone call I broke

you feel when you heard the news? ketball Hall of Fame this past summer. How did So, you were inducted into the Women’s Bas-

wanted to be like them when I grew up. mother were individuals that I admired, and I as well. So I felt like my mother and my grandjust had a passion for helping, that impacted me mother being someone who serves, and who dous example for me. Then seeing my grandtimes were very trying and rough, was a tremenpoise and the posture that she had, although years old. Watching her grow and do it with the and my mother, she had me when she was 20 ing woman, she just turned 96 this past August, those individuals. My grandmother is a God-fearlife. I spent a tremendous amount of time with er and my grandmother - they were staples in my My role models growing up would be my moth-

have they influenced you? progressed - who were your role models? How When you were a child - and as your career

they can help you. game - you can apply those to life as well. And being confident, and being a good student of the sity and how you handle those situations, such as that I’m teaching in basketball, in terms of adverlives are a reflection of that. So the same things imitates art - basketball is an art form, and our you’re teaching life through sport - because life Whether you’re teaching the game, or whether they’re looking at it wrong. You are teaching. see themselves as a teacher or educator, I think I do. And I think that any coach that does not where I have a deep understanding of what my play has impacted my coaching style in a way Well, I think all of the years of service I had in

ing style? How has your experience impacted your coachYou spent 17 seasons playing professionally.

I think that’s why it’s within me. large family, we were always serving one another. focus on charity, and because I grew up in a very someone else. So because I was brought up with a what you want and need, and you provide that for you have, but also going beyond yourself and ing of service to others, having gratitude for what something that you are taught at an early age, beI feel that I grew up in the church. And that’s

Why do you feel a desire to serve others?

as coaching? Do you also have a passion for teaching as well upbringing, you like to serve your community. You mentioned earlier that because of your

comfortability with one another. It just worked. I knew the guys. We had a level of respect and the interim head coach. So I said sure, why not? tunity was presented for me to step in and be because I’m a basketball junkie. And the opporended up leaving. I was always around, obviously, playing on that semi-pro team and their coach know, my husband who was on my staff, he was That opportunity fell into my lap! Actually, you

you have a passion for teaching? ketball team. What drew you to coaching? Do the second woman to ever coach a men’s basYou’ve been coaching since 2005 and you were

tions as I possibly can. where they are, and depressurize as many situain their current lives. I try my best to meet them things based on who they are and where they’re at deeper understanding of how to communicate players are thinking and feeling. And I have a position where I could serve others. directed people. So I would definitely be in some I was a receptionist; I answered the phones and people. My first job was at the health department. Yep, that was my passion, I always wanted to serve If I didn’t play basketball I’d probably be a nurse.

picked up basketball? Where do you think you would be if you hadn’t

many. time, all because of a game that is beloved by so you can crown yourself champion at the same and we can be on one accord for it, but then also sports are, and how it can bring people together, the Olympics, that just shows you how powerful different countries. And being a participant in expansive it is, and the ways it’s played from many And I’ve been able to see this game, and how different continents and many different countries. times over, and I’ve been able to win on many bestowed upon me, where I’ve seen the world ten dous ways. I have had wonderful opportunities Playing basketball has affected my life in tremen-

better and understand the game. it, and it grew fonder as I began to develop and get NBA games on TV. So there was a natural love for grandmother telling us stories, or us watching the whether it was my uncle in the rec league, or my life that played the sport. So I grew up watching it, were a lot of individuals surrounding me in my ketball, my grandmother played basketball, there that lay within me, because my dad played basI think it probably was a deeply embedded passion

practice? from day 1 or was it something that grew out of this ‘was it’ for you? Did you have a passion What was the moment when you realized that

basketball. ball.” And so eventually, it was inevitable. I played you don’t play basketball, you need to play basketwent, people would say “Do you play basketball? If feet tall since I was 11 years old. So everywhere I something to do with the fact that I have been 6 had a liking for, and I think it probably also has I wanted to be involved in the same things they athletes: friends. My friends were involved and are the same things that would attract younger I think the things that attracted me to basketball start playing? school. What attracted you to it? How did you You were introduced to basketball in high

Belt Conference for the first time since 1991. coaching. This year, the team will play in the Sun en’s basketball team to success in her two years Basketball coach, and has helped to lead the womIn 2020, Milton-Jones started as ODU’s Women’s

cord-setting 499 WNBA games during her career. San Antonio Stars, and more, and played a recareer. She played for the Los Angeles Sparks, the the WNBA’s All Star team three times during her a two time WNBA champion and was selected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She’s also and 2008), and has recently been inducted into ketball, is a two time Olympic gold medalist (2004 She has spent 17 seasons playing professional bas-

that was only the beginning of her sports career. basketball in high school. Unlike for many people, DeLisha Milton-Jones was first introduced to

clarity. This interview has been edited for length and