Napheesa Collier

I think it came from my parents both played sports growing up so we were very like sports family I mean I was in soccer by the time I could walk I played multiple sports volleyball softball I ran track played soccer so we're always doing something but my parents didn't play professionally and they never got into that mindset of

I think it came from my parents both played sports growing up so we were very like sports family I mean I was in soccer by the time I could walk I played multiple sports volleyball softball I ran track played soccer so we're always doing something but my parents didn't play professionally and they never got into that mindset of

You know like the crazy parents when you're at AAU tournaments and things like that? They were never like that. School is the most important thing. Family is the most important thing. Sports was a privilege. You got to do that if you were checking all the other boxes in your life. And even going to college every single summer after I was done, they're like, is this something you still want to do?

You know like the crazy parents when you're at AAU tournaments and things like that? They were never like that. School is the most important thing. Family is the most important thing. Sports was a privilege. You got to do that if you were checking all the other boxes in your life. And even going to college every single summer after I was done, they're like, is this something you still want to do?

So even when they saw that I could have my school paid for, that this could be something really important for our family and in our life, they they never made me feel like I had to do this. Like they were never living vicariously through me like you kind of see a lot, unfortunately, sometimes.

So even when they saw that I could have my school paid for, that this could be something really important for our family and in our life, they they never made me feel like I had to do this. Like they were never living vicariously through me like you kind of see a lot, unfortunately, sometimes.

So I think that also gave me the confidence of I'm not living and dying by what happens on the basketball court because my value was never that was never like even a thought in my mind that my value was tied to what I was doing when I was playing. So I think that I really commend my parents in that because they were going through everything for the first time too.

So I think that also gave me the confidence of I'm not living and dying by what happens on the basketball court because my value was never that was never like even a thought in my mind that my value was tied to what I was doing when I was playing. So I think that I really commend my parents in that because they were going through everything for the first time too.

So like when I was in college, your junior year, like a certain day, that's when all the colleges could talk to you. And some of my teammates, like college would be calling them at midnight that first night. My parents automatically said, you can call us on Wednesday nights. If we don't return your call, we'll call you on Thursdays. You can't call any other day of the week.

So like when I was in college, your junior year, like a certain day, that's when all the colleges could talk to you. And some of my teammates, like college would be calling them at midnight that first night. My parents automatically said, you can call us on Wednesday nights. If we don't return your call, we'll call you on Thursdays. You can't call any other day of the week.

So they were very like locked down with that from the beginning.

So they were very like locked down with that from the beginning.

Honestly, I don't think a lot, but in the way that they're like, if you want to be good, you have to do it yourself. They never made me go to the gym or anything. I think just naturally we're such a competitive family. I wanted to be the best, and if I'm not practicing, there's other people playing better than me, and I don't like that.

Honestly, I don't think a lot, but in the way that they're like, if you want to be good, you have to do it yourself. They never made me go to the gym or anything. I think just naturally we're such a competitive family. I wanted to be the best, and if I'm not practicing, there's other people playing better than me, and I don't like that.

So I think it was just naturally just everything we did was competitive, so it kind of translated over to that.

So I think it was just naturally just everything we did was competitive, so it kind of translated over to that.

Definitely really competitive with everything. Me and my brother, I mean, we would play all sports together. We were like cats and dogs. I mean, we would fight over everything because we're both so competitive. Our whole family is.

Definitely really competitive with everything. Me and my brother, I mean, we would play all sports together. We were like cats and dogs. I mean, we would fight over everything because we're both so competitive. Our whole family is.

Oh, I mean, of course you have like the driveway when we're playing basketball, like elbows thrown, punches thrown, tackles, because we will think the other is cheating. I'm taller, but he's faster, all that stuff. And then we would play football in the backyard with my dad. So he would be on whoever's on offense on their side. Like we would run routes.

Oh, I mean, of course you have like the driveway when we're playing basketball, like elbows thrown, punches thrown, tackles, because we will think the other is cheating. I'm taller, but he's faster, all that stuff. And then we would play football in the backyard with my dad. So he would be on whoever's on offense on their side. Like we would run routes.