Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Kara Braxton Chat Transcript
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In 2005, the Detroit Shock selected Kara Braxton with the 7th overall pick in the WNBA draft. In the 2005 season, Braxton averaged 6.9 points, 3.0 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game and shot 46.2% from the field. Braxton scored a career high 20 points against Houston on July 5, 2005.
During the offseason, Braxton played basketball with Wisla Can-Pack Krakow in Poland. She has since completed her obligations there and is currently exploring her options with regards to other overseas opportunities. Kara Braxton chatted with Shock fans on Tuesday, January 24 |  |
Kara Braxton: Hi everybody. Thanks for logging in. I can't wait until the season starts up again, and I'm ready for your questions.
Jeni (Clinton): Hi Kara! How was playing overseas? Had you ever been to Europe before? What was your favorite part?
Kara Braxton: Playing overseas was great. It was a good learning experience, I got to travel and see a lot things I'd only heard or read about. I had been overseas in Brazil before.
Christina (Macomb): What have you been working on in the off-season? Is there anything that you think you have really improved on?
Kara Braxton: I've worked a lot on my conditioning and my post moves around the basket. I've been talking to Bill and Rick a lot during the offseason to make sure I'm working on the right things.
DTP, Flint Mi: Do you ever play pickup games during the season with Bill and/or Ricky, and if so, who wins?
Kara Braxton: I play with them and against them in practice during the season all the time, and I always win (laughs.)
Vickie (Dearborn Heights): How hard was it for you to play basketball then have a baby then come back and play basketball?
Kara Braxton: It actually wasn't that hard for me because I love playing basketball and I love my son. I'm passionate about both, and I want to be the best basketball player and the best mom I can.
Bethany (Detroit): Hey Kara, who's going to dunk first in a game - you or Deanna?
Kara Braxton: Me (laughs). Actually, it doesn't matter. We're teammates so whoever gets it, we're all going to be excited . . . but it is going to be me. (laughs)
DTP, Flint Mi: Who you got in the Superbowl Seattle or Pittsburgh?
Kara Braxton: I haven't really thought about it since Cincinnati got beat.
Stacey, Bloomfield Hills: Do you think that the Detroit Shock have enough talented players to recapture the Championship with a healthy Swin Cash leading the way?
Kara Braxton: We need everybody to bring their A-games to get back to that championship level, and having Swin healthy will be a big part of that. But if we're all healthy, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't compete for the title.
Keithous (Jackson, MI): Hey Kara, I see that you are looking into playing somewhere else overseas. So where would you like play if you had a choice to pick from?
Kara Braxton: Right now I'm looking at Korea, but I just want to go somewhere where I can work on my game and experience new things as a person.
Shanika, Detroit: Hey what's up K.B. Have you been to any of the Pistons games so far since you've been here? Oh hey, what's it like being a mom?
Kara Braxton: I've been to a few games this season and I've been very impressed (anybody have extra tickets to the Pistons-Lakers game on Sunday?). They've got the best record in the league, and I think we feed off of that as Shock players, seeing the kind of success they're having and working towards that same kind of success on the Shock side. Being a mom is the best, because you never have to worry about being alone. You have the best thing in the world to look forward to when you get up in the morning. I wouldn't trade being a mother for anything.
Sue (Armada): Hi Kara. What do you think of the three new rule changes for 2006?
Kara Braxton: The shot clock should speed the game up a little more. It might take a little while to get used to, but we're professionals - we'll adjust.
Houston TX: I'm a post player myself in highschool, a freshmen on varsity, what do I do to deal with the girls that are taller then me?
Kara Braxton: Heart and footwork. Don't be scared. Remember David and Goliath. If you have good positioning and are fast on your feet, you can out-quick taller players.
DTP, Flint Mi: Hey Kara, I'm a big Shock fan, go to alot of games even have couple of your headbands, but anyways my question is what player or team do you most enjoy playing against?
Kara Braxton: Hmmmmmm. Los Angeles and Houston. There's a lot of good post compeition on both of those teams, and I love being challenged.
Pilight: Were you surprised to be drafted by a team that already had an All Star center?
Kara Braxton: I was a little surprised, but I was also thinking Detroit would be a great place to be because my famly is close to Detroit, and I would have All-Star talent all around me to learn from - Ruth Riley, Swin Cash, Cheryl Ford, Deanna Nolan and on down the list. I can't think of a better situation for me, as a young player, to come into than the one I had in Detroit.
Roy Fowler, Detroit: Hey what's up Kara welcome home. I have two questions for you sweetie. With four months away from the start of the 2006 season what can the Detroit Shock do in order to have a strong season like they did three years ago? You guys not only lost Powell but Asst. Coach Laurie Byrd. Do you know if that will effect the defense by any chance during the season? Thanks and good luck to you ladies & GO SHOCK!
Kara Braxton: I was really close to both Elaine and Coach Byrd, so it'll be tough not to have them out there with us this year, but that's the nature of professional sports. We knew we were going to lose a good player in the Expansion Draft, and coaches and players move on all the time. That just means that the rest of us have to pick things up on both ends of the floor and on the sidelines.
Alex Valenta: Hi Kara, Is it hard to get used to the time difference and if so, what is most hard for you?
Kara Braxton: The time difference wasn't that big a deal for me. I just kept on my normal time. The toughest part wasn't anything to do with the basketball, it was being way from family and friends.
Kara Braxton: Thanks for all the questions everybody. Wish I could have gotten to more, but I've got to run. I appreciate all the support from Shock fans and WNBA fans, and I'm looking forward to getting back out on the court this summer.
See you then.