While the women's basketball season came to an exciting close at a Final Four that broke attendance and TV rating records in Dallas, several Division I players spent the weekend figuring out how to navigate the end not only of the season but also of their college careers.
The NCAA's inaugural Above the Rim Summit welcomed 13 Division I women's basketball players from as many different programs to Dallas for the weekend for personal and professional programming. The event, held by NCAA Leadership Development, aimed to prepare high-level women's basketball players who've exhausted their college eligibility for potential professional opportunities in the WNBA and abroad, life beyond playing the game and various careers in athletics. These goals were reflected by the event's theme: The AncHER, staying grounded in the midst of change.
"I'm grateful that I participated in the Above the Rim Summit because it gave me the opportunity to network, learn more about myself, learn more about the people around me and just grow as a person," said Madi Williams, a two-time unanimous all-Big 12 first-team selection for Oklahoma and one of five players at the summit listed as a top-80 prospect for the WNBA draft Monday.
"I think this has been really timely for me just stepping away from collegiate basketball, moving into that professional environment, especially as an athlete, but also off the court, too," added Hannah Hank, who started all 35 games of 2022-23 for Clemson as a senior. "I've learned a lot about what athletics looks like as far as getting an agent, trying to navigate what team to go to overseas and that experience, but also looking at how I can transfer the skills I'm learning now and trying to start building those networks so that when I get done playing, I have that professional sphere to step into."
Throughout the three-day event, attendees engaged with several prominent speakers with experience in the WNBA and Europe as players and in the front office, highlighted by keynote speaker Sheryl Swoopes. Attendees, who were able to attend the Final Four semifinal games in Division I and the championship games for all three divisions, also heard from representatives of the NCAA and experts in financial management, personal branding and sports media.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin, manager of player relations and development at the WNBA who played 20 years professionally between European leagues and the WNBA, provided the attendees with insight on what professional teams look for in prospective players. Chineze Nwagbo, a former Syracuse women's basketball standout who now works for the NFL Players Association, spoke specifically to the attendees about how to handle international basketball opportunities, including the nuanced challenges of taxes and visas that come with them.
"It's so cool to get their point of view. 'Did you do this? Did you do that? What do you think is the best path?' Getting to ask those questions to people who've actually been there is incredible," said Caitlin Bickle, a three-time Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection at Baylor.
LaChina Robinson, a basketball analyst and reporter for ESPN who played at Wake Forest, held a session that aided in cultivating the participants' interview skills, personal storytelling and branding best practices.
Additionally, attendees heard from two current WNBA players — Ariel Atkins of the Washington Mystics and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx — who provided advice on how to navigate the years ahead of them.
"I'm just really grateful," Jordan Walker, who just finished her college career at Tennessee, said of the summit. "It's given me so many connections to people, especially women who are in powerful places that can take me to the next steps in life."
Lacee' Carmon-Johnson, manager for basketball advancement for the NBA's Toronto Raptors, spoke to the players about how to clearly articulate goals based on their values and strengths. Several attendees said this exercise was eye-opening and provided clarity on how to move forward through the coming weeks and months of uncertainty.
"I've definitely learned how to take the steps to learn what I want next," Williams said. "We got a chance to home in on what our strengths are, so even just knowing that will help me make the decision for what's next."
In terms of what's next, Walker said one theme she took from the summit is this upcoming phase of life is rarely a straight line for anyone, regardless of how successful their college career was.
"I've been kind of anxious wanting to figure out what's next and finding out what's next for me. I've learned that it hasn't been an easy battle for anybody. There's been so many turns and ups and downs throughout their careers," she said. "That's been comforting for me just to know that."
Bickle said she walked away comforted and inspired by all the career options that can come from a connection to basketball.
"The biggest takeaway is just all the possibilities," she said. "You never really think of them … but hearing about all of the possibilities and the areas of opportunity was incredible."
