Noelle Quinn and Shay Murphy may fit in perfectly under the bright lights and bright sun in Los Angeles, but the two California girls have no trouble standing out in Minnesota. Throughout their rookie season, the bubbly pair showed off a set of personalities that quickly proved to be a hit with their coaches and teammates. Throughout the offseason, Lynxbasketball.com will try to give you a taste of what Q and Shay are like off the court. We here at Lynxbasketball.com are lucky enough to see this from them every day. We have no doubt that you will enjoy this side of them as much as we do, beginning with this first edition of "Q&A with Q and Shay."

Going back to your senior seasons in college, it's been a long time since you've had some time away from the basketball court. How much of a relief is it to finally get a little bit of a break?
Noelle Quinn: It’s a huge relief just because I’ve been playing non-stop. My body AND mind needed a bit of a break from basketball, although as soon as I returned home I was in the gym working out. So even though it’s a break from the WNBA, I really can’t stay away from the game. It’s addictive!
Shay Murphy: It felt amazing to take a break. I took seven consecutive days off for the first time in a while. My body really appreciated the time off.

Now that the offseason has arrived, what is the best part about having some time off?
Q: The best part of having time off is spending time with family and friends. I finally got a chance to watch all three of my nieces play basketball. The first game I saw, my oldest niece was the only girl on her team that day. She played so well and I was so proud. My two youngest nieces are the only girls on their team and it was pure comedy to watch their game. They are 6 and 7 years old, so the game was full of traveling violations, double dribbles, and air balls. But all in all, being around my family again is the best part of being back home.
Shay: The best thing about time off is being able to catch up with family, friends and visit my old stomping grounds, such as school, the playgrounds and the YMCA.

What do you miss the most about the Minnesota Lynx?
Q: One thing I miss about the Lynx is how much everyone made me laugh, especially Tamika Raymond! There were plenty of times that I would laugh so hard and so long and couldn’t stop laughing because she would go on and on with her jokes. I’ve come to the conclusion that she’s the funniest person I know.
Shay: The practices and getting better competing against the best players in the world.

What are your offseason plans? Where will you be playing and when will you leave to join your new teams?
Q: My offseason plans are not finalized yet, but I should know very soon.
Shay: I left on September 9th to play for a team in Greece called Apollon.

Looking back on your rookie seasons, what was your most memorable moment?
Q: My most memorable moment was getting 14 assists in our last game. It was an awesome feeling just because everyone was behind me. One moment during that game that will forever stick with me came in the fourth quarter. I was five assists away from breaking Coach Teresa Edward’s single-season record, and when we were walking back on the court after a timeout, Coach T called me over and said, “Go get that record!” It was as though she was giving me her blessing and approval to break the record she set herself. I felt honored that someone who I admire so much was so supportive and happy for me in that moment. Even though I didn’t break her record, tying it was quite an achievement for me.
Shay: Probably beating the Sacramento Monarchs, 78-73, at ARCO Arena.

What was your "Welcome to the WNBA" moment?
Q: That moment came when we were playing the Sparks at the Target Center for the second time. The Sparks were coming down in transition and I was trying to stop the ball. Taj McWilliams-Franklin hit me with a blindsided pick and I bounced off her body and landed hard on my side. There was no whistle blown, so I figured it was legal according to the non-existent rookie-veteran handbook. (In case you didn’t know, this handbook states that veterans can do anything illegal to rookies and get away with it!) I couldn’t get up right away, so I just stayed on the ground until I came back to earth. That will forever stay with me.
Shay: That would have to be scoring 11 points with 12 rebounds for my first career double-double against the New York Liberty on June 1. It was the first time that I was able to play a lot of minutes (19) and make a significant contribution to the team after I injured my right ankle during preseason. But, we lost that game (70-60), and I would have taken a win over that performance any day!

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Q: When Tamika Catchings crossed me over badly ON NATIONAL TELEVISION (May 29 at Target Center)! She gave me a step-back move, along with a combination of two other moves. And what made things worse is I fouled her and she made the basket. I waited up all night to make sure that move wasn’t No. 1 on SportsCenter. That would have been more embarrassing. Thank God it wasn’t on there, but a couple of my friends caught the game and gave me a hard time about it.
Shay: When I played at the STAPLES Center and the first time I entered the game I air balled a 3-pointer and got my shot blocked immediately after the air ball. I was so embarrassed because I had around 40 people at the game supporting me. But after the game was over, we all got a kick out of it and I was able to laugh about it.

What was your favorite off-day activity during the season?
Q: The Lynx Go Pink event was very fun. It was an event that featured carnival games and auctions, and it was held for a great cause — breast cancer awareness. My grandmother died from breast cancer, so I take this disease and its effects very seriously. It’s so important for women AND men to get checkups. The Lynx Go Pink event was a great idea and I had lots of fun.
Shay: Sleeping and eating ... duh.

What was your pre-game routine?
Q: I really didn’t have a set routine, but for home games, I found myself going to Subway right after shootaround, ordering the same ham sandwich and going back to my place to relax. When I got to the gym I just changed, got taped up, and warmed up in preparation for the game.
Shay: Breakfast, shootaround, sleep, shower, eat, read the Bible.

What was your favorite pastime on the road?
Q: My favorite pastime was chilling in the hotel room watching television or typing on my Sidekick. I went shopping a few times on the road, but being on this rookie salary, I had to budget wisely. I couldn’t splurge too much.
Shay: I didn’t have a favorite pastime, but the best time we had on the road had to be karaoke at Kristen Mann’s dad’s house while we were in Arizona.

What did you learn most from Coach Z and how will that help as you advance in your pro careers?
Q: Two important answers stick out. First off, one of the things I respect most about Coach Z is his spirituality. His faith in God and his foundation as a Christian man did not waver one bit, although we were tested and faced adversity. He constantly reassured us that God has bigger plans for us and that everything works according to his purpose. As a Christian woman, I respected his efforts to keep God constant throughout his life and this season without forcing his faith or beliefs on anyone else. Secondly, Coach Z has an immense passion for the game. You could see that in his coaching style, and it remained constant from the time training camp started to our final game. From his passion, I learned how important it is to give my all just as he gave his all when he coached us. This is something I will definitely retain and try to incorporate in my game, and I know this will help my game continue to grow.
Shay: Coach Z and his wife taught me that in the real world you must compete and not back down from anybody, especially in this profession. If you cannot get the job done, there is someone else that will. I also learned how hard you must fight in order to perform every day. No matter if you lose a family member or you are ill, these are challenges that everyone will encounter during life, and true champions such as Mrs. Z do not make excuses. They suck up and perform, which is great because Coach Z, being a spiritual man, always said our life on Earth is an audition to what it is going to be like in Heaven.

What was your favorite WNBA team growing up?
Q: The Sparks, of course. Being from Los Angeles, they are my hometown team. My mom has had season tickets since the inaugural season and we were faithful fans, following them from the Forum in Inglewood to the STAPLES Center downtown. I witnessed one of Lisa Leslie’s dunks. I was there when they won their championships, and I was there to witness Penny Toler making history when she made the first basket in WNBA history. I’m a fan! But now, my favorite team is the Lynx, of course.
Shay: I didn’t really have a favorite but I liked the Houston Comets because of Cynthia Cooper, because she wore No. 14, and Tina Thompson. I love my USC Trojan family.

We played two games in your old stomping grounds in Los Angeles. What did it feel like to play at the pro level in your hometown?
Q: It was a bit surreal to be playing on the Sparks floor because I’ve watched them for so many summers and only dreamed about being out there playing with the best of the best. A lot of family and friends came out to watch, and that was even better. Although we were playing a road game, I heard people calling my name from different sides of the arena. Being home was great because I hadn’t been there since the start of training camp. There’s no place like home! Even better ... there’s no place like L.A.!
Shay: The feeling was amazing. It was such a blessing and an honor to play professionally in front of the people who have helped me in my life, such as my mom, friends, family and coaches. For them to see me at the professional level was a very proud moment for me.

What was the reception like from the fans in L.A.?
Q: When they announced my name before the game, it was so overwhelming to hear the cheers and applause. It didn’t even feel like an away game. During the game, it seemed as though we had just as many fans the Sparks.
Shay: AWESOME! They showed us Cali girl mad love.

Was reaching the pros the "Dream of a lifetime" that everyone talks about?
Q: Yes, playing professional basketball has been one of my goals since the inaugural season of the WNBA. Knowing I had a chance to get a college scholarship and then have the opportunity to pursue something that I love on the professional level became a dream that I wanted to fulfill. A lot of people have great jobs and make a good amount of money, but they do not enjoy what they do for a living. A lot of people do not get the opportunity to pursue their true passion. What’s better than doing what I love and getting paid for it? It is a dream of a lifetime and truly a blessing.
Shay: Playing in the WNBA is definitely a dream come true. It has some ups and downs, but hopefully all that hard work will pay off with a championship in the near future!

What was your least favorite part about your rookie seasons?
Q: My least favorite part was the 10 wins and 24 losses, but I’m a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, this season was a stepping-stone for this team. And next season we are going to be that much stronger, both mentally and physically, and ready to compete with the best of the best in this league.
Shay: The fact that everyone knew you were a rookie and tried to take advantage of you. The pace of the game and the officiating was also difficult to get adjusted to.

What is the best part about Los Angeles that most people don't know about?
Q: The best part about L.A. is how convenient and accessible it is. You can do so many things and go so many places and see so many people. There’s never a dull moment out here. Anything you want to do, anything the mind can imagine, it can probably be done in Los Angeles.
Shay: During the winter, we have some nice mountains, such as Mountain High, Mammoth, and Big Bear that provide great slopes for some awesome runs ... Yeah!

If I wasn't drafted in the WNBA, I would be ... ?
Q: Doing something basketball-oriented or studying to get my real estate license.
Shay: I would be upset, first of all. But if I wasn’t playing ball, I would be pursuing my entertainment career in hopes of making a popular record or starring in a movie or television show. Look out for Shay-Marie, which is my stage name.