Deja Kelly
Appearances
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
it was i mean going undrafted was tough that was um i mean i tell my family that was one of the hardest nights of my life really um especially because of how unexpected it was for me uh and you know my one of my lifelong dreams was to hear my name called walk across the stage hold my jersey like um and that was one of the main reasons why i went whether i was invited or not and um
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
to not hear my name that night and to, it was tough to figure out how do I move forward? You know, how do I, um, continue to try to prove myself? I didn't get an opportunity at that time. Um, like, what is this going to look like for me? What are the next couple of months? You know, like just a bunch of kind of, um, a little bit of self doubt, but honestly it was, it was a quick switch.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
Once I had a conversation with my family and lots of conversations with God, just, um, How do I move forward? I have a couple options here. I can either just be like, OK, well, it is what it is. I guess I don't belong. And I could have let those thoughts win. Or it was like, OK, I can move forward, put one foot forward. And really seize any opportunity that I get because all I needed was one.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
And that's all we kept saying. That's all me, my family, my team around me just kept saying, like, all we need is an opportunity. And that's all I was praying for. And once the ace is called, it was a dream come true for an organization like that, a championship organization. winning organization, um, to reach out to me and invite me to training camp and invite me to compete for a spot.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
I mean, that was something that completely shifted my perspective and like, yeah, all I needed was that one opportunity and to see how it all panned out and, uh, how I try to take advantage of every moment and every single day that I was a part of the ACEs organization. Like it was, that was something I would not have imagined three years ago. I mean, through three weeks ago on draft night.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
So yeah, the way the script flipped, it was such a blessing and it was so fun to see how it unfolded. But yeah, I mean, going from one of the lowest points and one of the lowest nights of my life to now walking out of training camp, waved or not, with my head held high with how it all went and how it all panned out. I know that I'm going to be good. And again, I know that I belong in the league.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
And to be able to get that experience these past couple of weeks, I'm truly grateful for.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
Like, there's no...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
room for doubt self-doubt like everything everyone in that gym expects greatness out of each other and they do whatever they can to help pull that out of each other and I think that's something that makes a championship team so to be a part of that and see the ins and outs of of an organization like that for my first time and and for my first opportunity and experience in the WNBA that I
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
is something I feel has prepared me more than ever for whatever my next step is, wherever that is. Because seeing how we pushed each other, how Asia and Chelsea and Jewel and Jackie and down the line, how they were all so able to bring the best out of each other, even though while everyone's already...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
at their peak like everyone like we're olympians the top of their game the best in the w like and still being able to push each other and make each other better each and every day the coaches holding everyone accountable each and every day that from the top down being able to see that uh as a as a rookie uh you can only respect it because it's like okay i these vets
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
who I'm learning so much from, they're also being held accountable too. And just seeing how that's what builds a championship culture. And again, I was just soaking up that whole culture, that environment. And I think that, like I said, has built a good foundation for expectations that I not only have for myself, but what I know I can now bring to another team or, again, wherever that is.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
It was such a humbling and grateful experience just being with them and again, seeing how they can just make each other better each and every day.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
I think first for me, it just felt like a sense of gratitude, attitude of gratitude, just being able to be on the court in that moment for Becky to trust me in that situation. Um, it was Asia's night. So it was like, I was like, we need to win this for her. Like there were so many emotions around that, having the support from all the vets hyping all of us up. Like that was, um,
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
one of the best moments of my basketball career, really. And again, for that to be how my W career starts was such a blessing. Gosh, I'm getting emotional now. Was such a blessing because... Sorry, I was not expecting it. Because... Uh, you know, it was just sense of happiness is such a joy, a sense of joy with that team.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
And again, to have all that support, especially after the game, you know, seeing all the love that I was getting on social media. Uh, I think that's the toughest part because it can be brutal sometimes. And, um, I'm so sorry. Um, okay. It's okay. Okay. Yeah, but it was an opportunity that I'll forever be thankful to that organization for.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
because it just it built my character it built um again my foundation for what's to come in the future I think you know you said it everything happens for a reason God makes no mistakes um so to be able to like I said take advantage and seize the opportunity seize the moment uh at the end of that game and really just take advantage and do my best and give my all and um
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
do anything that I can to, to just show why I belong, you know, just playing with an extra chip on my shoulder. That was my main thing. Just post draft was, that's what I got to do. I just got to continue to really not prove anyone else wrong, but prove myself right. Cause I know I belong. Um, I know that this is where I I'm supposed to be.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!
And these are the moments that I know I can be in and, and, uh, produce in. And so again, for, uh, Coach Becky to give me that opportunity and trust me with the ball in my hands at that time, you know, that just built a different level of confidence for me going into this next phase of my WNBA career.