WNBA DRAFT

April 15, 2021

Jasmine Walker

Q. Please tell me where you got that dog mentality from and how you're going to bring it to the WNBA.

JASMINE WALKER: That's something that's been in me, always going to be in me. I'm willing to bring that to the table, willing to bring that to the LA Sparks. I'm ready to work. I'm ready to win. I'm just ready.

Q. How has the SEC prepared you for the WNBA?

JASMINE WALKER: It prepared me a lot, being that it's one of the toughest conferences in the nation right now. I go up against one of the top players, some of them are getting drafted tonight. I feel like it prepared me for a lot. It prepared me mentally, physically, emotionally, too.

Q. I wanted to get your thoughts, what did you learn during your collegiate career that prepared you for the next level both on and off the court?

JASMINE WALKER: You can never get lazy. Day in and day out, you need to bring your best game. Even in practice, I just encourage it all the time, like go hard, day in, day out, because everything is not promised to you. Things weren’t promised to me, so I had to work.

Q. Tell me how were you able to go throughout the season and play continually hard like you were able to play hard, and to be able to get drafted here in the WNBA, and what are your plans for your first season?

JASMINE WALKER: I know what I had to do. I know what I had to get done. It was up to me to put the work in. It was up to me to get my nutrition right. It was up to me to do a lot of things, and I was willing to stay focused and make those things a bigger priority. The WNBA was a dream come true. This is what I always wanted out of my career, out of college, and I'm excited that it's happening.

As far as my career in the WNBA, I'm looking to come in, be the hardest worker and be one of the best alongside my teammates.

Q. Did you have any communication with the Sparks and have you ever been to Los Angeles?

JASMINE WALKER: No, I haven't. I've never been to Los Angeles. And yes, I have had communications with them.

Q. What did they say during the pre-draft process? What were some of the things they asked you about?

JASMINE WALKER: I don't know, I'm kind of stuck on that one.

Q. When you look at the professional game and you watch some of these players, what are some of the things you would like to add to your game?

JASMINE WALKER: Basically my ball handling, being able to come off the dribble more aggressively. Mainly ball handling, though.

Q. You're joining a team with a long and successful WNBA history. What do you hope to bring to that legacy that's individual to just you?

JASMINE WALKER: I'm looking to bring energy, effort. I'm going to be the hardest worker. I'm going to bring my shooting ability, my rebounding ability, things like that.

Q. I know one of the things you talked about throughout this entire process was how it was a dream come true, and now you kind of stand as a role model for those kids here in Montgomery at Jefferson Davis high school. If you had a message about following your dreams, what would you tell those girls right now?

JASMINE WALKER: Only you can stand in your own way. If you put it on a piece of paper -- even if you say it out loud that you want to accomplish something, find a way how to get it done and do it.

Q. I just wanted to ask you, you've pretty much accomplished everything you've set your mind to over the last year and over your career really, from getting Alabama to the tournament to getting here today drafted. What is the next thing you want to accomplish in a Sparks uniform?

JASMINE WALKER: I want to win. I want to accomplish winning a championship, as well, being my first year. It's always nice to claim a championship, so we're going to work, and it could possibly happen.

Q. I was wondering, obviously the retooling with the Sparks has been leaning heavily towards perimeter offense and perimeter play in general. I was wondering if you could speak to your fit with them in that direction.

JASMINE WALKER: My fit is I'm very good shooting off the ball, as far as threes. I can attack. I can post up smaller guards. I can post up in general. And also I'm a good rebounder as far as off the glass. I run hard in transition. So those are the things that I see that could fit their style of play.