Guess whose birthday it is tomorrow?? That's right, your beloved Candice Wiggins will turn 22 on Saturday, Valentine's Day.

Wiggins took some time out with lynxbasketball.com to discuss her birthday and Valentine's Day plans, her time in Spain and what she thinks of her new teammates…

Lynxbasketball.com: First off, we all know how sensitive to the cold you are, so we knew you'd be happy to know that it's currently a balmy 35 degrees here in Minneapolis and has been in the 30s and 40s the past week.

Candice Wiggins: Oh my gosh, that's wonderful. That's really good. That's like warm… The weather has been amazing here… today it's 67 degrees.

LB: Wow… that is nice. Well yeah, we're experiencing a heat wave over here.

CW: Is that really what you guys are calling it?

LB: Yeah, I mean the temperature changed 50 degrees in our favor over the past two weeks… we're celebrating here in Minny.

CW: Great. Well I'm glad it's warm all over the world.

LB: All right, let's get down to business… we hear it's your birthday tomorrow, Valentine's Day, and on behalf of all your fans, we wanted to call and wish you a happy birthday and check in with you to see how Spain is going….

CW: Thank you so much.

LB: Any big plans for the big 22?

CW: Ya know, no I don't have any. I'm not really a big birthday person. It's really just another day to me. Actually there's a big game on Saturday: Stanford plays California, so I'll definitely be checking in and trying to follow that. We're going to the Canary Islands tomorrow and get back on Saturday, so I'll just be here, hanging out.

LB: So no plans then for Valentines Day?

CW: No, not really… I like to think of Valentines Day as Singles Awareness Day. It's cool though. I really do like Valentine's Day and the idea of it. But, no, I have no personal plans. But ya know, maybe you could send me a Valentine's Day card?

LB: We'll work on that for you.

CW: OK good.

LB: Has your schedule allowed you to get out to experience Spain and check out the city at all?

CW: Actually, yeah. Right outside my house, when I go down the stairs, are a couple of big museums. I'm not sure off the top of my head the actual names of the museums, but there's one that has a huge 3-D theater and looks like an eye. There's also an aquarium across the street that looks super, super cool. You'd have to see pictures of it to really appreciate it. My sister-in-law went to the aquarium and said it was amazing. I'll probably check that out. There's also a beach nearby and Madrid and Barcelona are only three hours away, so I hope to find time to check those out as well. Spain is beautiful. Valencia really reminds me of San Diego with the beaches and just the whole atmosphere of the city.

LB: What about the food?

CW: The food is incredible. I know that's a big gripe people have about Spain, but the food is good. It's probably the best food I've ever had.

LB: What's your favorite dish?

CW: Paella is really good; that's the native dish here. It’s rice, mixed with chicken, seafood and things like that. There are also a lot of other rice dishes with Mediterranean flavors. The fish is all seasonal. They drink a lot of coffee here. I don't drink coffee though.

LB: How about the basketball… how is your Ros Casares club doing?

CW: Good, we're really good. We're doing really, really, really well. This team is so good. From the Spanish players, to the foreign players, to having DeLisha Milton-Jones on the team — I've learned so much. A lot of my teammates are older players and veterans of the overseas game. As you know, it's not like our team in Minny at all; we're a real young team. So to have a team comprised of all veterans really helps me in that I learn a lot each day. We're playing well and winning all of our games. We play Spartak in the EuroLeague playoffs soon, which is exciting. Spartak has Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird and Kelly Miller. Basically the All-WNBA First Team is on that team.

LB: When is that game?

CW: We play them Tuesday in the first game of our three-game series. The winner of that series goes to the European Final Four, which is really, really big. So Tuesday is a huge game.

LB: Compare the overseas game to that of the WNBA. Is it more physical? Fast-paced? How do you feel your skills have translated to Spain?

CW: It's really different. The style of the game is really different. The overseas game involves a lot more cuts, and the ball movement, pace and rhythm is a lot different. The American game involves a lot more half-court sets. The pick-and-rolls are different and there's a lot more movement in the game. I'd like to think that I'm pretty flexible with my game; I can play any style. The great thing about playing overseas that I've noticed so far is all the players are so unselfish. It's all about the team. For example, before every single game they call out everyone's names, not just the starters. So, much like the Olympics, everyone gets their names announced and you line up in a line and shake the other teams' hands. There's no announcement of the starting lineup; the whole team gets announced. Obviously we don't do that in America. Just little things like that differentiates the European game from the American game.

LB: How's the fan support for your team?

CW: They're great. They're very different. I remember my first game when we went to Slovakia to play Kosice - on that team is American Kathryn Kraayeveld. We were in Kosice in a small gym that seats roughly 1,000 fans and all these fans were so loud. They never threw anything, but they were really, really rowdy and into it. It's fun to see that. They're always chanting things that I don't understand. It's all good. They show us a lot of support.

LB: How do you think you've played so far?? Things you've done well… thing's you'd like to get better at…

CW: It's tough coming to a team halfway through the season, because they have their rhythm and understand how each other plays. Like I said before, the players over here are a lot older, so that means they're all seasoned vets. I am still a rookie overseas, so playing with all veterans has been the biggest adjustment. Having said that, I'm really starting to get comfortable. I'm coming off of an injury too. I'm finding my place on the team and whatever role they ask me to fulfill, I'm going to give it all and fulfill it to the best of my abilities.

LB: Speaking of that knee injury… how's it holding up?

CW: It's really holding up well. Coming off surgery I just have to make sure my muscles are strong. I feel better each day and things are going really well.

LB: So with all this talk of Spain, we're starting to wonder if you miss us at all?? You have to miss California and Minnesota a little bit, right?

CW: Oh yes, absolutely. The States are my home. It's not like I'm going to forget about my people in California and Minnesota. I never realized what living in another country can do for your mindset. My time over here has opened me up to new experiences and I love that about coming over to Spain. Us WNBA players are so blessed to have the opportunity to come overseas for the winter. You definitely get a perspective on what it's like to be a foreigner and what other cultures are like from the opposite side of the world. Some people stay in their houses while they're overseas, but for me, I love to explore and see new things. But of course I miss Minnesota and California. There are little things you don't realize that you miss.

LB: What are your living arrangements like?

CW: I live by myself in a really nice three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. It's beautiful.

LB: All right, now that we got that out of the way, let's get to the excitement that's happening here in Minny with your Lynx club. I'm sure by now you've had the chance to see all of the moves and let them sink in a bit… what do you think about them?

CW: Ya know, I haven't had too much time to sit and think about them, but I'm really excited about all three of the moves. I've obviously watched Kelly, LaToya and Christi play, and have played against them as well… I think Kelly does a great job of running her team. I'm really excited to play with her. I think she's going to bring a lot to the team, including her poise and leadership. I was actually watching her play with Spartak, and she was doing great there too, playing with Diana, Sue and Sylvia. I think she's so steady. LaToya is in my class, so it's going to be great to have her and add another young player to our nucleus. I'm going to feed off of her energy she brings with her to the court. She's an amazing shot-blocker and she's going to add another dimension to our team that's never been seen before in Minnesota. I think we're all going to come together. We have a great core group and now we're adding to that. Now that we're both overseas, Seimone and I are talking a lot. We're both so excited about the moves and to get back to Minneapolis for the WNBA season. I'm almost sick of talking about it because I just want it to get there.

LB: All of us here share your excitement, and I know the fans do as well…

CW: Yeah that's great. I'm so excited. It's going to be such a great year. I think the biggest thing that people underestimate is how big of an adjustment it is for incoming rookies their first year. A year under our belt is going to make such a big difference for myself, Nicky, Charde and LaToya. I'm not saying it's going to be completely different, but mentally we'll be absolutely prepared for what is to come. I think I can play even a bigger part in that personally. I know the other girls are going to be the same way.

LB: With the recent trades, the Lynx now have three of the top 15 picks in this year's draft… have you had any time to watch the college game and is there anyone that sticks out to you right now?

CW: I'm very close to this class… I love a lot of these girls. A lot of these players bring a lot to the table. Personally I love Courtney Paris. She's my all-time favorite person because I've played against and with Courtney for a really long time. I don't think there's anyone out there that can match her physicality. Obviously there are plusses and minuses to every player, but to me what Courtney does, and what she has done in the college game speaks volumes to the player she is. I think Kristi Toliver is incredible. She had a phenomenal game last year when she played against us in the NCAA Tournament. She's a very special player. Angel McCoughtry is ridiculous. I know she's having a tremendous senior season. I'm not surprised at all because I've seen it first-hand. Renee Montgomery is running the show at UConn. I've played with Marissa Coleman for forever. She's a unique athlete and player. Kia Vaughn, DeWanna Bonner… they're all great players and bring something different. Having three of those top 15 picks will be a huge advantage for us. I'm excited to see what's going to happen.

LB: Lastly, anything to say to the fans to help them get through this long offseason?

CW: Just to keep up that excitement, yet enjoy the time off because come summertime they'd better be ready for us. With this recent heat wave, hopefully the great weather will continue when we come back in the spring. Hold on to your hats fans, the Lynx are coming this summer. It's going to be great. Be patient, but keep that excitement level high.

LB: All right, well Candice, thanks so much for your time. Enjoy Spain and have a great birthday and Valentine's Day