WNBA Media Conference Friday April 17, 2020 Kitija Laksa 2020 WNBA

Q. It has been only 17 months since that knee injury. How surreal is this? How amazed are you by just what's happened and being drafted 11th Q. I know it's a general question, but what has it overall in the WNBA Draft? been like going back home? What was the KITIJA LAKSA: It's definitely a crazy feeling. I mean, a experience like playing back in your town there? A dream come true. Couldn't have gone any better, lot of people haven't seen you play for a while. Has couldn't have gone and joined a better team. I'm very anything changed much in your game? Have you excited. Definitely a very, very good feeling right now. improved in certain areas? Even at 5:00 a.m. though. KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, as the time goes, I get even better. I keep working on my game, keep working on Q. How is your knee now? Is it something you're everything, so I do feel very, very good about it. I still rehabbing, working back into shape, or are you enjoyed my year at home, just to -- first of all, just to 100 percent now? rehab my knee and get back on the basketball court. KITIJA LAKSA: Yes, of course. I feel like my knee will Obviously the part where I stepped on the court back, it be something I will be taking care of my whole career, was just amazing. Hard to describe it. After a long but I do feel good about it. I started playing in recovery, after a long injury, the feeling is great, and December, and I felt good. Of course there were some being at home in front of my family and the support I ups and downs, but along the way everything was got here was amazing, and I'm very thankful for that. good, everything felt good, everything felt right. Right now just keeping everything in check in these crazy I enjoyed my first year in professional basketball here in times in the world, and I keep working on my game, my Europe, so it was a great experience and will definitely rehab, my knee, my body, everything is connected. So help me in WNBA or whatever, whatever the future I'm just very excited about the opportunity right now. holds.

Q. Can you tell me a couple things, are you Q. Your game in college was so elite from the quarantined, and why didn't you join the three-point line; your free throw shooting was broadcast? And then your decision to come a year north of 96 percent in your last full year playing, later to come to Seattle? and the next step, I remember talking to you about KITIJA LAKSA: Well, yes, I'm safe, I'm safe at home it a few years ago, was about getting to the rim. So quarantining, just staying safe and not really engaging I'm wondering, in the time since we've been able to in anything and not really going anywhere, just doing see you stateside, how has that evolved and how my best not to go outside of my house and just much a part of your game is that now? entertaining myself. KITIJA LAKSA: You're right, everything you said. I believe we talked about this previously. Well, yeah, I decided to forego and kind of take my name out of the obviously the shot is my main weapon, but I've been draft just because of my injury last year, so I'm very working on the overall game, just being able to attack excited and very thankful to be here this year. off the dribble, use the pick-and-rolls better, just set my team up, find the open player and open pass. I feel like Were there any other questions? I worked on my basketball IQ and the way to win a basketball game, and obviously I can't only talk about Q. Yeah, the decision to come to Seattle late. They offense. I was actually a little afraid about my defense, said that you're going to join in 2021 instead of this just coming off the injury when people just say, it'll be season, so is that because you just started playing hard, the lateral movements, just sliding your feet. But in December, or what's the reasoning behind that me and my trainer have worked really hard on it. I for you? actually feel better, more confident and quicker than KITIJA LAKSA: That was not my decision, that was the I've ever been, and I mean, I'm excited. I'm excited to team's decision, and all together we made that return to the States. I've missed it. I've missed decision, so for us right now I'm just enjoying my draft America. I've missed the basketball there, just the night, and we're going to connect and talk about what people and friends I left in the States, so I'm very the future holds for me and the team later on. excited for the opportunity.

Rev #4 by #242 at 2020-04-18 03:00:00 GMT page 1 of 3 Q. I just wanted to see what your buildup was this Q. I'd like to ask you if your early experience could morning; how did you watch the draft and what did help you in your WNBA career. you do leading up to it since you had pretty much a KITIJA LAKSA: My earlier experience? Yes, definitely. I real long wait to watch it since it was about 2:00, mean, I feel like I will take advantage of the fact that I 3:00 in the morning when you got selected? played in college in the USA. I played for my national KITIJA LAKSA: Yeah, thank you. It was a long day for team last year. I participated in a couple European me. Woke up pretty early, worked out, had a couple championships, in a World Cup, played one of the best errands to run before heading back home and just players in the world already, and the fact that I played meeting up with my family, my mom, my dad, my in Euroleague this past season with my professional brother was here, my sister-in-law, my nephew, so we team was -- altogether it was a great experience and just spent the day together at home, had a nice lunch, something that will always follow me. So just basing my had a nice dinner, just enjoyed each other's company basketball skills on all of that and all the experience and waited for the draft. Needed to do some things to putting all that together will definitely help me fit in the just set up and be ready for the draft, some media stuff team. and things like that. It really has been a very, very long day. What is it, like -- I've been up like the last 22, 21 Q. Obviously you played international basketball hours, so I am tired, but I'm happy. I'm happy that I'm a this last season. What was that experience like, part of the . It's definitely been worth it. and what areas did you find the most success in and what areas do you still want to improve upon? Q. said on ESPN tonight that her KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, I've always said there's always getting drafted so high really is a good thing for room for improvement no matter what, and it doesn't European basketball, and in your case, too, really matter in what like subject or topic. I'm always especially since you have a lot of former very hungry to get better, to get back in the gym when teammates at USF and a lot of people at USF all of this is over and I can actually work out normally looking up to you as someone from Europe. What as I'm used to. The previous experience taught me -- do you think you being drafted tonight kind of not taught me but I would say showed me how the helps with European basketball and helps getting European professional basketball works, and you're at them noticed? the highest level you can get in Europe, and most of KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, it does mean a lot. As Satou the top players in the world play in Euroleague, so it said, just means a lot for the whole European was a great experience that I won't take for granted. I'm basketball, for showing us that it is possible. That it level going to learn from it, and maybe my season over doesn't really matter -- you walk out straight from a here was not the best one or something I would be the U.S. college like she did, or I had my three years of most proud of, but it definitely was an experience I basketball in the States and I came back, played a year learned a lot, and just seeing and being a part of this professionally and I was able to be a first-round pick. team helped me just to probably fit in in another team Hopefully that paves the way for younger kids to just in the future in professional basketball. look up and dream bigger and dream about the WNBA, that it is an opportunity and a possibility for us Q. To get back to your injury for a minute, you had Europeans, as well, because we do look up to a lot of All-American aspirations heading into your senior players. I have, when I was a kid. So hopefully that's season, you guys were poised to make a deep run something others can do in the future. in the NCAA Tournament this year. Just what was that feeling like when you went down that night in Q. You look at some of your new teammates and the third game of that season? you see and you see . KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, it's still a memory, very sick Obviously you won't be with them until 2021, but memory that I have and that I will probably carry for a just kind of your initial thoughts to being able to very long time. I obviously had high expectations for play with two WNBA stars? that season, but as I said, I put that in the past, and I'm KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, I'm very excited. I'm excited to not really focusing on the injury no more or the season just learn from them and see and learn how they see that could have, would have happened. I'm glad that basketball just -- it's an amazing feeling. I would have that year just -- I learned a lot of different things while not expected that, and I don't think it -- all these pieces staying the fourth year at USF, just seeing the could have fallen in a better place. I do believe Seattle basketball from the other side I would say, seeing how Storm is the best team in the league, so I'll stand by it the team and just college sports work in general, so and I'll enjoy my time and hope for my opportunity to there was a lot I can take out of that that I learned. So come and prove myself and be a part of the team and I'm happy that I decided to go pro this past season. be a part of the upcoming season the next season. Unfortunately it got cut short, but it is what it is. We're

Rev #4 by #242 at 2020-04-18 03:00:00 GMT page 2 of 3 all working on it, trying to do our best to get sports back.

Q. Have you been in contact with Coach [Jose] Fernandez this past year since leaving USF? KITIJA LAKSA: Yes, a little bit. We've been messaging each other for a little bit, and he congratulated me tonight, as well. Very thankful for the opportunity he gave me at USF. I wouldn't have been the player I am right now if it wasn't for the system over there and the opportunities I got at South Florida.

Q. Given that your experience playing internationally, I know the basketball in Latvia was a little bit different than how it's going to be in the WNBA, but I just want to know, what kind of skills did you learn in Latvia that you can carry over to the WNBA, and how is the transition going to be different for you? KITIJA LAKSA: As I said before, I feel like I have taken a lot of different types of basketball previously with my experiences in college, with my national team, now with the professional team, and I think I will be ahead of maybe different rookies that will get in the league because I've played in different kind of levels, and I know what it takes to just be able to fit in, be able to learn from the best and be able to listen to the coach and just execute the things that they ask from us.

I don't think I will have problems with all of that. I think I'm coachable, and I'm just always hungry for basketball, so I'm very excited.

Q. And your future teammate will be Sue Bird. There's a picture of you two from a couple of years ago. How excited are you to play with her? KITIJA LAKSA: I mean, I don't know if I should tell you about my excitement because it's off the charts. I cannot explain how excited I am about it. Yes, the picture was taken my freshman year, and it's crazy. It's crazy how it works. I'm very excited. I'm thankful for the opportunity. I can't wait. I can't wait.

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