You were the second player in history to have your WNBA jersey retired, talk us through your WNBA experience and what must have been a great way to close your playing careeer?

I was part of only a handful of international players selected to play in the WNBA, and to be brutally honest I was the only one who could speak English. So, I got promoted and really heavily pushed because the league wanted to show that the WNBA had an international flavour. As a result my celebrity status really took off in the first two years. It was more luck than anything, being in the right place at the right time. Once that publicity wheel got going I was lucky to be presented some great opportunities.

What did you learn from the WNBA that you could implement with an Australian NBL team?

I was part of a program there that was in its inaugural season, I got a chance to help put things in place, such as the culture and environment that’s required for a winning team. In my first season there we had 15-16,000 people at the games. In that time I was able to develop great relations with the broader public, as were the team as a whole.

I think the big difference between us and the NBA was that we were more accessible. It was during an era when it was so hard to get close to any professional sports star, as it still is, and along came the women's professional league that endeared itself to the public.

Is that something you could adapt to the national league (giving the fans ownership of the team)?

Absolutely, and that’s something I got to experience first-hand in the WNBA. I think a big part of that was clubs getting back to the roots. Clubs were out running clinics and they weren’t just sending there 12th man, or a reserve player. It was very much hands-on, and letting the public have ownership of the team and I think that’s vital to the success of any ball club.

How should the Dragons go about reinstating that connection?

It’s simple. You pick your region, zone off what the Dragons' region is, and I know it’s a lot of work for the players, but they must be committed. If your best players don’t know how to run a clinic, you hire someone that does and they run it in partnership.

There’s got to be that presence for the elite level, so kids can go home and say ‘wow, I played with a Dragons' player’.

Your coaching nomination has spiked a lot of media comment - were you surprised at the reaction?

I think one of the positive things about me is that I have really good people skills. I think the runs are on the board, I haven’t even thought this would be an issue, my gender.

Obviously it’s something that has been discussed, but I believe my knowledge of the game and the way I conduct myself, and the passion and attitude I bring for the game, combined with my people skills, I can’t see there’d be an issue.

If I was shy and reserved, and wasn’t able to relate my basketball knowledge, I could see how it could be difficult but you have to have a presence about you.

I’m not intimidated by it at all, and I must admit I’m surprised by the amount of media interest my nomination has received. I didn’t think it’d be such an issue.