You’re part of the veteran crew on this team. What’s it been like working with younger teammates like Aliyah and Caitlin, who’ve grown up in this "everyone’s watching women’s sports" era?

I was drafted out to Phoenix and had been there for six years. I got to learn so much from our GOAT, Diana Taurasi. I know we didn’t win a championship together, but just being a sponge and soaking up her knowledge on how to be a pro, her daily things that she does in order to get those championships and how to make your teammates be their best selves, I’ve really soaked that in and I’ve cherished that. I feel like I’ve learned so much in the past six years. Me knowing that and then coming onto a team that has these rookies that are willing to win and do the dirty work, that’s where their mind’s at. At the end of the day, we all want that, but you also have to have the experience.

You don’t know what you don’t know, right? Once you’re in the league for a while, you start to understand that. When you have these types of people who are going to be legends of our game, who are going to be Hall of Famers, just to be a small part of helping them be their best selves and becoming a professional athlete maybe quicker than some, taking them under my wing, that’s what I’m there for. So I’m really excited to create that relationship, to build that chemistry, and go win some ball games with them.

With 41 of your 44 games set to be televised this year, the most of any team, how does this exposure compare to when you first joined the WNBA? And what do you think it says about where the league is headed?

I think this is something that we’ve always deserved. You have to give a lot of pats on the back to this rookie class that came in last year that brought a lot of fans from the collegiate level into the WNBA. But I think this is the very beginning of where this league is going to go. We’ve always deserved it, but for us to finally be a part of it and to have 41 nationally televised games is huge. Everything is elevated.

For me, that’s awesome. But at the end of the day, you’re still playing basketball. You’ve been doing this since you were four years old, and you’ve got to protect that locker room. There’s going to be a lot of noise. With all this recognition, there are always positives, and there are always negatives. You’ve got to keep it simple. At the end of the day, it’s basketball. Let’s push this thing forward.

I'm not going to lie— I’d be stressed about the tunnel outfits for each of those 41 games. You’ve got to play well and come through with a bomb 'fit— the pressure!

Girl, I feel you. That’s something that has changed. The first four years in the league, I’m not kidding, I was probably walking in in what I slept in the night before. No one cared. But now it’s turned into a complete fashion show. Honestly, that’s something I’m super excited about. I’m not just saying this, but Quest is such a fun brand. They are willing to support and empower women. For me to have this new platform and all these eyes on me, it makes me excited to be partnering with someone who’s fun and spunky and doing good things in the community. Last year, I had a couple of Quest fits. This year, they’re going to be a little more spicy. There’s going to be a lot more eyes not only on me, but on the brands I love, like Quest. I’m excited for it.

This interview was edited for clarity and length.

This story is brought to you by the Women's Sports Audio Network (WSAN). WSAN is the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. WSAN celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports. Check out more on the WSAN site.

Ron Wilson