Teresa Weatherspoon was in the middle of her thank-yous when she stopped, paused and stared straight ahead.
The Hall of Famer, overcome with emotion, choked up when she started to thank Sky co-owner and operating chairman Nadia Rawlinson, who was sitting to her right. She said she couldn’t find the words to convey what this moment meant.
By this, Weatherspoon was referring to the news conference at Wintrust Arena to introduce her as the Sky’s new head coach.
‘‘It hasn’t been an easy journey,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘You can take a look at all the accolades, but nothing was easy.’’
Weatherspoon, the youngest of six children, was raised in Pineland, Texas, a town of 888 people, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. She credited her family for where she is today.
‘‘There was a lot that they expected of me to carry the Weatherspoon torch,’’ said Weatherspoon, a five-time WNBA All-Star. ‘‘They expected it to come from me. I didn’t know how that was going to happen. But they saw something in me as a young kid. Without them, I would not be where I am right now.’’
Weatherspoon, with franchise pillar Kahleah Copper seated to her left, talked about what she has learned most through her experience coaching in the NBA for four seasons and as the head coach at Louisiana Tech.
‘‘The most important thing is relationships,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘I’ve learned along the way the X’s and O’s are the X’s and O’s. They’re going to be able to do the X’s and O’s and execute properly.
‘‘But the most important thing is to have a relationship, find out what makes them go. When you gain that relationship with them, your conversations — your deepest conversations, your hardest conversations — are easy because they’re going to know that you are for them in the right way.’’
Weatherspoon played eight seasons in the WNBA before being enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. She has the credibility of being a former player armed with 10 years of coaching experience and wants to build bonds with players.
‘‘You have to know the strengths and weaknesses of every player,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘It’s just gaining that relationship of knowing what makes each one of the players I played with go, studying film of each player to know what makes them go, what makes them the best versions of themselves. I can’t be the best version of myself if that person isn’t the best version of themselves.’’
Her fiery personality was on display throughout her news conference, and Copper described Weatherspoon’s energy as ‘‘electric.’’
Copper, who re-signed with the Sky on a two-year contract extension, said she is excited to be part of the next era of Sky basketball and to play for Weatherspoon.
‘‘I think that we’re going to do something really special, like Nadia said,’’ Copper said, addressing Weatherspoon. ‘‘Beyond the accolades, you’re an amazing person and someone that can really relate to someone and want to really give my all to.’’
The Sky finished 18-22 this past season. Weatherspoon said she wants to do things differently and establish the Sky’s identity early. She said she isn’t playing catch-up to anybody. Under Weatherspoon, the Sky will do things their own way.
‘‘I’m coming through the window,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘They don’t call me ‘Spoon’ for nothing. We’re coming here to stir things up.’’
