Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Kedra Holland-Corn Chat Transcript
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Detroit Shock Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel Bill Laimbeer announced that the Shock has fired the first free agent salvo of the 2006 season signing former Shock guard Kedra Holland-Corn to a two-year contract. Per team policy financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Holland-Corn's most memorable performance with the Shock may have come in Game 2 of the 2003 WNBA Finals. Trailing by four points late in the game, after losing a 19-point lead, the 5-8 Holland-Corn drilled a three-pointer, her fourth of the game, to pull the Shock within one. Nolan made two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to give Detroit the win and knot the Finals up at one game apiece. Kedra chatted with Shock fans on DetroitShock.com on Wednesday, February 1. |  |
Kedra Holland-Corn: Hello Detroit. It's great to be back in the city that we won a championship in and I'm looking forward to getting back with the team. Thanks for all the well-wishes that are coming across the chat.
Samaria (Ferndale): My guess is that it's Kedra... If it is, welcome back! I hope you remember me. What do you think the Shock have lacked in the past couple of seasons and what can you bring to the table? Good luck, whoever you are! And if it's not Kedra, welcome!
Kedra Holland-Corn: When I was away from the WNBA I was away for real. I didn't watch much of it. Now that I'm back, I hope to bring some veteran leadership to what is still a pretty young team. But overall, I'm just trying to make the team stronger. They have a great starting five, and it's equally as important to have a strong bench these days in the WNBA. I think I can make them a stronger team with my outside shooting and bringing some defensive intensity to the court, but basically, I'm there to do whatever coach wants me to do so we can bring a title back to Detroit.
Roger Porter: Detroit: Hey there Kedra glad to have you back home. What was your greatest game that you ever played as a member of the Detroit Shock?
Kedra Holland-Corn: To be honest with you, the whole season was memorable because nobody expected us to do as well as we did since we were still so young. To finish as the Eastern Conference Champion and then winning it all was incredibly special. Each game was a blast, sneaking up on people along the way. But if I had to pick one game, it would be Game 2 of the Finals back in Detroit when we needed to win to force a Game 3.
Gary (Troy): Hey, Kedra ... welcome back! We sure missed you the past two years. What have you been doing to keep yourself in shape? Do you think your role on the team this year will be similar to 2003?
Kedra Holland-Corn: After I left Houston I spent the last offseason and the winter in Budapest, Hungary. I then took the following summer off and now I'm playing in the Italian league. So I've been playing pretty regularly with the exception of that one summer off.
I'm really not sure. I think my role will be similar to what it was in 2003. I'm at a point in my career where I can be a starter or contribute off the bench, so whatever my team needs me to do, that's what I'm going to do.
Jackie (Ann Arbor): Hi Kedra! Welcome back! Since you've been gone the Shock have added some new talent to the roster. Are you familiar with Katie Smith and Plenette Pierson? Have you played them before? How do you feel about Kara Braxton?
Kedra Holland-Corn: I played against Katie in the ABL in '97 and '98, and in the WNBA afterwards. I always thought she was the best shooter in the league. It is truly an honor and a pleasure to play with her. She's an All-Star and an Olympian. What else can you say? Plenette is in the Italian Legaue, so I've played against her recently. She's very strong, very aggressive and hustles all the time. I know the least about Kara Braxton, but I've heard great things about her from people, and I'm looking forward to playing with her this season.
Jenny (Shelby): What team or which player are you really excited to play against?
Kedra Holland-Corn: There's nobody in particular that jumps out, but I'm most interested to play against some of the younger players like Johnson, the point guard in Washington, Whalen in Connecticut... I saw her a little in the playoffs, and she's fun to watch. Simone Augusts who I've seen a little on TV recently. She's a great raw talent, and it will be fun to play against her and see how well she does in the WNBA.
Brandon (Southfield): Hey Kedra...do you see yourself filling the hole at the point guard spot? If so, how do you feel about running an offense with so many weapons?
Kedra Holland-Corn: When I was in Budapest, I played the point all season long, but I'm a natural shooting guard. When you have so many threats on the floor at one time - Cash, Ford, Riley, Nolan, Smith, etc. - you can pretty much do anything you want with the ball and enjoy doing it, because that's such a tremendous group of players. If Bill wants me to play the point, then I have no problem embracing that roll.
Dan (Troy): Is Bill a tough coach to be a player for?
Kedra Holland-Corn: In my opinion, I don't think so. But in 2003 things went so well for us, there wasn't a whole lot for him to be upset about. The thing I like most about him is he's honest. If you aren't giving your all, he'll tell you, and that's what I respect in him. He tells it like it is and you know where you stand with him. I enjoyed having Bill as a coach.
Eddie (Pontiac): How did you feel when you hit that 3-pointer in Game 2 with a 1:11 left against L.A.?
Kedra Holland-Corn: It was a dream come true - One of those things you think about doing in your head all the time - shot clock running down, 4, 3, 2, 1. I'd run it through my head so many times, that having it play itself out like that was tremendous. It was probably the highlight of my career so far.
Jessie (Clinton): Welcome back!! What skill do you think you have improved the most on since you've been out of Detroit?
Kedra Holland-Corn: Maturity. I don't allow the games to get to me as much. If I don't play well or I play great, I try to keep an even keel. I take things in stride and can take the good with the bad a little better.
Leadership - as you get older you become more of a leader because you've been through so many different situations and people lean on you for those experiences.
And hopefully my overall game and skills are sharper as I've honed them over the years.
Jeni (Block): Hi Kedra, how well do you think Chicago will fair this season? Are you excited to travel there?
Kedra Holland-Corn: I'm looking forward to traveling there because I've never spent much time there and I hear great things about the city.
I think they have some talent in EP, Stacey Dales-Schuman, Brooke Wyckoff, etc. but it will take some time for them to develop some chemistry as a team and with a new coaching staff, but it's great for the league to be in Chicago, and I'm looking forward to going.
Dan (Troy): What do you think about "The West Wing" being cancelled from TV?
Kedra Holland-Corn: I'm not a West Wing season fan, but I love CSI, so that's the show that I miss the most. I have some of the DVDs over here with me to keep me company, though.
Mary (Detroit): What do you see as your second career after basketball? Are you interested in staying in basketball and coaching or commentating?
Kedra Holland-Corn: I haven't really thought about it yet. Something entrepreneurial of some kind. I love the franchise business so maybe something of that sort. Something business-oriented. Would I go into coaching? I can't rule it out. Coaching is a lot more stressful than playing, but it is a possibility. Commentating is a possibility as well. I haven't ruled anything out.
Kedra Holland-Corn: Thanks for taking the time to stop by and welcome me back into the fold everybody. I can't wait to get back to Detroit, and I'm looking forward to seeing everybody out at The Palace this summer.