For Naz Hillmon, there by no means appears to be the mistaken time to play basketball.
The Atlanta Dream’s fourth-year ahead performs the sport just about 12 months round with out skipping a beat. When she’s not in Atlanta, she’s down below in Australia enjoying for the Southside Flyers of the WNBL. She additionally signed on with Unequalled in March as a aid participant for Rose BC, winners of the inaugural Unequalled title.
Previous to all this, Hillmon honed her abilities by the trials of Massive Ten basketball as a Michigan Wolverine. At Michigan, she grew to become a basketball savant. She is this system’s all-time chief in double-doubles (52), rebounds (1,063) and free throws made (487). Hillmon is also the one Wolverine to have scored 2,000 factors and grabbed 1,000 rebounds. She additionally scored a school-record 50 factors towards Ohio State in January 2021.
That potential to attain and board instantly attracted her to the Dream, as they ended up drafting her No. 15 general within the 2022 WNBA Draft. In her three seasons, she is averaging 4.8 factors and 4.4 rebounds per recreation. In 2024, Hillmon earned a beginning function, averaging a career-high 21.7 minutes per recreation whereas averaging 5.7 factors and three.2 rebounds.
Going into this 12 months, Hillmon is anticipated to tackle an important function coming off the bench, particularly with the additions of Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones to the Atlanta roster. Whereas her minutes could also be compromised, Hillmon nonetheless can contribute when given the chance.
Her love for the sport stems from rising up in a household the place the sport was picked up with regularity, particularly by her mom NaSheema Hillmon. She performed at Vanderbilt College and was a member of the Nashville Noise of the defunct American Basketball League (ABL). Hillmon could be very shut together with her mom and has discovered an incredible deal concerning the recreation by her. She’s additionally the niece of former NBA participant Jawad Williams, presently the director of participant growth for the Sacramento Kings.
As she prepares for the upcoming season, Hillmon took time to talk to Swish Attraction concerning the upcoming WNBA season, her method to balancing a unending basketball schedule, her relationship together with her mom and extra.
On the precipice of the 2025 WNBA season, how are you feeling?
Yeah, I’m actually excited for this season. Clearly, we now have a variety of new items on our staff, whether or not it’s workers or gamers. And it’s simply been very nice to get to know everyone’s type of model, personalities, and identical to understanding that it’s an enormous 12 months forward of us. So I’m enthusiastic about it.
When fascinated by the season forward, what are you most trying ahead to?
I believe simply profitable. I believe that we will get a variety of wins below our belt this 12 months, and you already know, try this persistently, string collectively a bunch of them, hopefully. That’s clearly the plan in the beginning of each season, however persistently get wins, I believe, is what I’m most enthusiastic about.
What are your targets as a person participant for this season?
Yeah, I believe one in all my largest issues is constant to develop. Whether or not that’s increasing my recreation or as a pacesetter. I’m certain you guys will see very quickly what our model is like, and I believe that that may completely assist me to develop my recreation individually and assist me a lot in the long term, but in addition having the ability to study from a few of our vets by way of a management function is one thing that’s actually essential to me. We’ve had nice vets previously. Now we have some nice vets proper now, and simply having the ability to study from each one in all them yearly has been so enormous for me and what I need to do by way of being a pacesetter on this staff.
Talking of vets, the largest addition to the Dream this 12 months is Brittney Griner. What’s it like having the ability to play together with her, attending to know her within the preseason? Has she been capable of give you steering and mentorship?
Yeah, BG’s superior. She’s so good and at all times simply so filled with power, and simply tremendous constructive. So it’s been so good to have her on the staff. Clearly on the courtroom, it’s good having her. I really feel like I can simply throw the ball up anyplace and he or she’ll go catch it, which I’ll strive to not do to her—I’ll truly give her good passes. However she’s so dominant, and simply having the ability to study from her, simply watching her. She’s at all times in her preparation. I’m at all times type of, you already know, checking to see what she’s doing. She’s at all times getting therapy, ensuring that she’s ready earlier than observe. She’s at all times prepared when coach asks her questions, and identical to she simply brings a presence of understanding she’s top-of-the-line, if not the very best, participant on the ground each single day. In order that’s simply very nice to have the ability to have a look at day by day. It’s so good to listen to her like little bits and items, every time it’s wanted….type of bringing the staff collectively to say these are the little factors that we’d like…to be higher right this moment than we have been yesterday. And I believe generally that’s a little bit bit underrated. Individuals, after they say “leaders” generally are simply trying on the “rah, rah,” or the lengthy speeches. However BG, I really feel like is short-winded, however she will get her factors throughout, and I believe it’s so impactful anytime she speaks.
You deliver with you a depth of worldwide expertise. Having performed within the WNBL in Australia, how has that have helped improve your abilities and the way can that growth translate to the WNBA?
Yeah, an enormous factor. Once I was over there, I used to be actually enjoying…the 4. Final time I used to be on the market, I used to be extra so a 5. I did that a little bit bit this 12 months, however capturing has been the large factor that’s helped me abroad. But in addition defensively, having to protect 4s. So having the ability to assist [develop] that versatility on the defensive finish.
I perceive that you’re now with Unequalled. What does that imply for you to have the ability to play an element in a brand new league that’s flourishing with an entire bunch of investments and a spotlight behind it?
Yeah, it was nice being part of it final 12 months, although I snuck in there for, I don’t know, three weeks possibly. It was nice being there with a few of my teammates and greatest buddies, and having the ability to see them. And you already know, all being in a single space after I’d been away for what it felt like so lengthy in Australia. However it’s additionally good to see the expansion of the sport with regards to Unequalled. First, I used to be type of, not as a spectator, however after I wasn’t enjoying within the video games, I used to be within the stands, and simply how excited everybody was to be there, and to type of get an in depth have a look at a few of their favorites that they could not have been capable of see throughout the W season as a result of it was in Miami. So it was simply nice to see the expansion of it and the carryover from the W go into Unequalled. I used to be capable of watch a variety of Unequalled after I was abroad, so having the ability to see up shut and private simply how a lot progress among the gamers had in that time period and simply how aggressive it was. However, it was nice to be part of. After which clearly, being on a championship staff with solely enjoying two video games. So it was superior.
Between the W, Unequalled and enjoying in Australia, how can you steadiness all of that out? As a result of that’s fairly a schedule, and that’s a variety of basketball.
It’s a variety of basketball, however I imply, I simply love the sport. I believe that’s what helps me a lot…I really feel like I haven’t gotten to some extent the place I’m bored with it, or I don’t need to see it, or I don’t need to play in it. So I believe that’s actually what drives me. I simply take pleasure in it a lot for myself, but in addition my household loves basketball. So any probability they get to look at me play, and so they’re simply tremendous supportive. So I believe for myself, simply loving the sport, but in addition fascinated by these round me who love the sport. But in addition simply ensuring that I’m taking these moments to get a little bit little bit of relaxation, which I used to be capable of after the W season going into Australia after which after the Unequalled season going again into the W season.
Talking of your loved ones, you clearly have a really shut relationship along with your mom. How has your mom been a catalyst for you by way of not simply basketball, but in addition life?
Yeah, my mother is my greatest pal, my largest supporter. And he or she does do the entire little issues that I would like for her, that I would like from her, and I believe, you already know, after I was youthful it was extra so basketball suggestions. And clearly, now that I’m an “grownup”—I put it in air quotes as a result of, you already know, I’m an “grownup”—however simply serving to me to navigate. She’s at all times the ear after I want listening to, and he or she at all times provides any suggestions that I’m asking from her, and he or she’s at all times at most video games. You’ll see her; you’ll spot her someplace round. So I believe identical to being somebody who I’m at all times snug speaking to her about absolutely anything, whether or not it’s basketball or it’s life. It’s good that she’s been by principally something I’ve gone by for essentially the most half, so she can provide some actually nice recommendation.
Have you ever ever performed her in a recreation of one-on-one?
I’ve by no means performed her in a one-on-one.
Nicely between you and me, for those who have been to play one-on-one towards your mother, who do you assume would win?
I’d win simply.
Alright, if you wish to do it, let’s set it up. You recognize, possibly on Mom’s Day?
I’m crying. On Mom’s Day? That will be so impolite!
That’s true, that’s true. Talking of Mom’s Day…I do know you’re within the thick of getting ready for the season and all, however is there something that you just plan on doing to your mother?
Yeah, so I’ve two brothers and we often attempt to do one thing for her which is so robust as a result of all the things she likes is fairly set by way of most issues in life. However we’ll most likely find yourself making an attempt to get her to get a therapeutic massage, whether or not or not she truly goes to it to take a second for herself—we’ll see. However for my mother, if we may…possibly take her to dinner, ship my dad a pair {dollars} to allow them to go to dinner, after which she’d be with my niece, which is her grandchild. I believe that’d be the proper Mom’s Day for her, so we’ll see what we will get her to really do by way of leaving the home, as a result of she’s very a lot okay with having a house cooked meal and identical to chilling on the home and watching some basketball. However we’ll see.
The easy issues.
Sure, completely. I need to say completely satisfied Mom’s Day to the entire moms on the market, whether or not you’re going to be a mom or are mom. Additionally, pondering of all of those that have misplaced their mom, however nonetheless have a good time Mom’s Day in remembrance of her. So I want everyone an incredible day, flowers to all anticipating and present moms and particular, particular ideas for all of the all the ladies or males or whoever who’ve misplaced their moms.
