Wizards assistant coach Kristi Toliver spoke with media on Monday after being named to the team. You can watch the video below:
"When I was a kid I thought I was gonna be the first woman player in the NBA...this dream's been a long time coming." - @KristiToliver pic.twitter.com/ndHpFYFX4u
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) October 16, 2018
In it, Toliver mentioned that she is honored to be in the NBA, especially with her hometown team. Second, she will talk to Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon for mentoring.
Third, she intends on continuing her WNBA career with the Mystics.
Bradley Beal also said that Toliver isn’t afraid to pull him aside and that she’s “harder on him” than other coaches. He also mentioned that Toliver won a WNBA championship (with the Sparks and made the Finals with the Mystics last year) while the Wizards haven’t made it that far just yet.
Bradley Beal on the team hiring Kristi Toliver, practicing with Dwight Howard, and more from after today's practice.#DCFamily pic.twitter.com/Idy7gjbX9Y
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 16, 2018
And the man who hired Toliver, Scott Brooks also had more where he reiterated that she was someone he wanted to target when he had coaching vacancies this past summer.
Coach Brooks on Kristi Toliver joining his coaching staff, how Dwight Howard has looked in practice, and more ahead of Thursday's opener.#DCFamily pic.twitter.com/CkvXp0T9HC
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 16, 2018
It’s great to see that Wizards players and management are happy to see that Toliver is now part of the team. Like Becky Hammon in 2014 when she started with the Spurs, Toliver will be one of the coaches sitting in the second row of the Wizards’ bench. But with hard work, it may not be very long until we see her coaching from the front row as an assistant or head coach.