Getting to know… Los Angeles Sparks rookie Andrea Riley
12/19/2009; after setting OSU's all-time scoring record
Andrea Riley is going to La La Land as the newest draftee of the Los Angeles Sparks.
Riley, identified as a crazy shooter by some, is more than just that and is already working to prove that she can adjust and transition to the world of the WNBA.
After she was selected in the 8th slot by the Sparks, the former Oklahoma State star and all-time leading scorer for both the university and the Big 12 took some time to reflect on her collegiate career while looking forward to moving west and moving up.
On her time at Oklahoma State -
It’s been a journey. It’s been so fun and I think words can’t explain how I feel about Oklahoma State. My coaches and my teammates I’m going to miss and it’s just overwhelming to know that I’m finished. I had a great career there and I had great people supporting me, you just can’t find that a lot in life.
On being drafted by Los Angeles -
It’s very exciting. I’m going to be playing with one of the greatest players in the world in Candace Parker, so I think that I look very forward to it and it’s just something that you can’t even explain the feeling because it makes you just so happy.
It’s a great honor. They have such a winning tradition and it’s just going to be great out there. They have a lot of fans that come out and support them which is great and I think that playing in that kind of atmosphere will make you work for your fans and for your team.
I’m going to L.A. I was just like ‘oh my God, I’m actually going to L.A. where all the movie stars are’. It just makes me feel great and excited to actually go somewhere where there’s sun most of the time, not as much snow. I’m just looking forward to the atmosphere.
I feel great! L.A. Is somewhere that I’ve always dreamed of actually staying, because I always visit there but actually being able to stay in L.A. Will make me kind of feel like I’m a movie star. So many people there and I think that it will be a great environment to live in.
On what she will contribute to Los Angeles -
I just want to bring heart and hard work and do the 30 things you have to do in order to win. I think that looking at playing with Penicheiro – with Ticha Penicheiro – will make me just feel like I’m somebody on top of the world because she’s such a great player and such a great leader and I think that I can learn so many things from her.
On playing for Coach Gillom -
I actually know her so it will be great. She was a coach at Texas A&M and we always went to their camps when I was growing up, so I have a lot of experience with her. She knows my dad and everything so I think that it will be great to play for her. I seen her when we was in Tempe and I seen her looking at me but I didn’t know she was going to pick me. I think that it will be great playing under her.
On who she’s looking forward to playing with -
Candace Parker! She’s just an all-around athlete and she just goes hard all the time and I think that just me dishing the ball to her will make it very fun.
On not being the shortest lady on the roster -
It will actually feel great. I will feel taller than somebody finally so I won’t be the shortest person on the team anymore. It’ll be great playing with [5'2” Shannon Bobbitt] because I think that she’s an outstanding point guard also.
On transitioning to being more than a shooter -
That’s what I’ve always wanted to do because I’m a point guard. I was just a scoring point guard in college so I think that I had to play that role at Oklahoma State in order for us to be successful and that’s what I did. It’s not problem with me adjusting to being that disher because it’s just an amazing opportunity to have teammates surrounding you and a better supporting case.
On her mentors -
They always just tell me to go in there working hard because the first impression means everything, so I just want to go in there with a working hard mentality. I don’t want to go in there just to be that person that watches everything so I’m looking forward to going there and playing with my teammates and helping us get to a championship.
On her unusually serious demeanor at the draft -
It’s just about business. I know it’s about fun, but it’s about business. Especially when you’re a rookie, they don’t show you mercy. I think that you’ve got to have that mentality to go in and take care of your business.
One Comment on “Getting to know… Los Angeles Sparks rookie Andrea Riley”
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A new movie star…..cool.