My Sister’s Favorite Player

FIRE-UP FRIDAY – I was at my sister’s last night when we opened up the conversation about the best college women’s basketball player ever. She said she just tweeted out that she loves Stewie’s game, but she loved Chamique Holdsclaw’s game a little more.

“I just was talking to her at the gym,” I said.

“You what?”

“I am friends with her best friend, and I see her sometimes at the gym.”

“I think she’s the greatest ever,” Meg said.

“I will tell her next time I see her.”

I was at the gym yesterday doing my mobility stretching, which is a very sorry sight to behold. Then I heard someone say, “There’s Maureen.”

It was basketball great, Chamique Holdsclaw.

At that moment, I was the coolest person in Harlem. Granted, I do feel so small and out-of-shape (I am) standing next to someone who clearly was a professional athlete.

We chatted for a short time about her book and her upcoming documentary. We had met at a Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame event. We also connected again when I was writing some freelance stories a few years ago. Chamique also remembered my girls’ sports books, The Broadway Ballplayers, from way back. I told her I’d read her book, Beating the Odds Shot After Shot, along with several other great reads this month. I was truly impressed with her honesty as well as her effort to sit down and write such a personal story. I also thought it was interesting to read Jay Williams’ book Life is Not An Accident around the same time.

I didn’t say anything about how honest she was about all the street hustlers and agents who made her several offers, and how Jay either omitted it or glossed over it or maybe the details were axed by Coach K, who apparently had the last edit. That’s probably best saved for a later conversation or maybe a podcast.
For now, I’m just fired up that I had a chat with one of the greatest ever as we head into a new spring season of hoops.