A shining success of the recent EuroLeague Women season, the Proudly Woman campaign concludes the year with the premiere of the Proudly Woman Chit-Chat, a 25-minute roundtable discussion featuring some of the league’s biggest stars.
EuroLeague Women MVP Kahleah Copper of Perfumerias Avenida, Final Four MVP Gabby Williams of Sopron Basket and Fenerbahce Safiport ace Satou Sabally all sat down together for a chit-chat during the Final Four in Istanbul to talk about various elements of basketball and life.
The roundtable opportunity was an integral part of the Proudly Woman campaign which has been implemented to further empower female athletes, by giving them the platform needed to inspire, engage with fans and promote the women’s game.
The three stars opened up to Giulia Zecchini, showing more of who they are off the court and what drives them to be among the very best athletes in the sport.
One of the most intriguing topics the ballers discussed was about the concept of building a legacy that they can reflect on with pride when their respective careers end – even if they are all still relatively young at the moment.
Copper shared her view on which message she would love to leave behind.
“For me, it’s really about: anything is possible. I went from not playing much to playing a little bit, to winning the WNBA championship and getting the MVP, playing my first year in EuroLeague Women and getting the MVP. I think the sky is the limit, really, if you just do what you’re supposed to do. Be a good person and support other people. This is what I want to be remembered for.”
On the other end, Sabally revealed how shes learning to become more confident in herself.
“I’m slowly growing into saying to myself that I’m the best, I want to be the best, but my best. I never used to say that, but I need to tell myself that I’m confident, that I’m more than what I thought. Because one bad game would destroy me, and really rock my world, and I just think that I really need to learn the process of growing. This is who I want to become.”
Another big talking point was the celebration of diversity that the players get to enjoy in a league such as EuroLeague Women – something highlighted by Sopron standout, Williams.
“It’s cool – I mean how many languages have I heard just in the last 24 hours? My teammates next to me speaking Serbian, Hungarian and me speaking on the phone in French, and we are witnessing this game in Istanbul… How many people get to experience what we get to experience as athletes playing in Europe? I think it’s something really special,” she smiled.
You can watch the full and complete Proudly Woman Chit-Chat involving all the players and host Giulia Zecchini below.
Source: FIBA
Frederick Marfo is a sportswriter and social worker well known for his advocacy for equal chances and rights for all athletes, especially those with disabilities.
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