← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
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- [00:00]
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- [04:51]
Zena Kaeda
For the Athletic. I'm Zena Kaeda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball show presented by Michelob Ultra oma. Welcome back to the Athletic Women's Basketball show folks. I'm excited for today. Today is a good day, not only because the NCAA is just killing the game, but because we got a special guest that has made her mark on the ncaa. But before I get into that, I'll tell you a little bit about what to expect in today's show. And I don't know if you guys have noticed, but the WNBA has this changemaker program. These are these partners, these big time partners that have been supporting the W and their initiatives and they're not your typical partners. They go above and beyond and integrate themselves with the players and the league in a way that elevates everyone. And the one that we're talking about today is U.S. bank. They just joined the WNBA's Changemaker program as the official banking partner of the W in 2022. And one of the things that they've been doing is something that, let's just be real, all of us need, especially in this economy, and that is saving our coins, understanding what to do with our money. And they've been working hand in hand with some players within the league around financial education in general and trying to help them plan how to achieve generational wealth. Yes, I know that's the term we all love. And what I absolutely love is that the things that they're doing with these players are available to everyone. These are things that anyone can sign up with U.S. bank to be able to accomplish. But I want to talk about one of the players and talk to one of the players that's benefiting from this program and in her journey around generational wealth and saving coins and financial education, because women's basketball, women's sports in general, that is the number one place that you got to watch your coins if you want to grow them. So I want to welcome onto the show Nafeesa Collier, three time WNBA All Star, Team USA Olympic gold medalist. Make sure you get your medals right. And NCAA champion at UConn. Nafeesa, welcome to the show.
- [07:03]
Nafeesa Collier
Thanks so much for having me.
- [07:05]
Zena Kaeda
Of course. Of course, we're taking a bit of a detour from our NCAA world right now that we're in, but we are just really, really excited for you to join us, particularly on this conversation around finances. Because when you talk about the landscape of the ncaa, and particularly nil, there has been this huge debate around finances, women's sports, the blowup that it's had, the investment that it's had, but still, players have to watch their money. They have to be able to be smart about it. So I want to ask you first, what has been your perspective evolution, I would say, on your finances since you got into the league?
- [07:44]
Nafeesa Collier
It's been a slow one, I can't lie. Which is like one of the reasons why partnering with U.S. bank, with our league was, like, so awesome for me. Because, you know, we didn't have nil. That happened, like, just after I left, so I just missed the boat on that. But financial literacy is something that should be taught honestly. Starting, like, middle school, some people get chore money or you know, money for birthdays, and I would go that as soon as I got it. You know, I never really learned, budgeting wise, you know, anything about taxes, like growing your financial wealth, anything like that. And I really believe it should start, like, in schools with mandatory classes, because it's something that affects so many Americans where they're adults, they have no idea what to do. I mean, we have people coming into the league who don't even know that you have to pay taxes. Like, that is something that should never happen. So learning about that early, I'm a really big advocate of, and especially, like with nil deals, I really think at the very least it should be a minimum requirement for, you know, freshmen because they're getting so much money so fast and they're so young. And when you go from having no money of your own to having, you know, $80,000 endorsements or whatever it may be all at once, it's really easy to blow through that. It's really easy to just be like, oh, I want to get these shoes and this looks cool. I can get this and not think about your future. And like you said, especially if you're in sports, women's sports in particular, right now, this is not going to last forever. You have a limited amount of time to make this money. And even the people in college, like, what percentage of them are going to become professional athlet athletes, they're not going to have that much money forever. They have to go into the job force. So learning how to budget, how to save, and how to create wealth with what you have now I think is so important. So U.S. bank is really helping us in that and helping to our individual needs that may be different from, you know, like the average person. So it's been an amazing partnership.
- [09:24]
Zena Kaeda
It is kind of crazy to think that there are people that don't know. Yeah, just because you're a professional athlete doesn't mean you don't pay taxes. Like, this is a part of what you have to do. I want to take you back to your UConn senior year. Going into the league. What was it for you that you didn't know? What do you know now that you wish you would have known? Coming into the league after, you know.
- [09:44]
Nafeesa Collier
Graduating, I think just how to manage my money better, because like I said, I was kind of the one where we would get, you know, like a stipend for, you know, like two grand or whatever a semester. And to that, even then, that was like, a lot of money. More than, like, having any money is a lot and then, you know, I would just vote on, like, clothes or food or whatever it is and not, you know, just wait till the next semester where I could get my next stipend check. So I think just, like, learning that, okay, I could have put a little bit into savings. I could have started looking at different investments. I didn't have a lot of money, but I could have put that towards then and towards that and kind of just learning what that looks like. Because your habits don't get better the more money you have. In fact, they get worse because you feel like you have more money to spend. So I think just managing my money, I wish I would have learned a little bit earlier. Thankfully, it didn't take me up until now, like I did once I got in the league, started trying to learn a little bit more. It's just gotten better each year. But I wish I would have had that sense a little bit earlier.
- [10:41]
Zena Kaeda
I mean, I remember those stipends. I don't know if it was 2000 at Yale. We weren't quite getting that UConn money, I don't think. But think about it now. You just talked about some of these new rookies coming into the league that are dealing with nil. I'll never forget when I saw Flauj Johnson from LSU say that she, like, donated $10,000. And I was like, you have more money? Yeah, there's still money left. That's insane. Yeah, it was insane. So I'm curious, if you had nil during college, what would have been your approach in college?
- [11:13]
Nafeesa Collier
Like, with spending my money.
- [11:14]
Zena Kaeda
Not only just spending your money, but, like, even trying to find the brands. Like, how would you have aligned yourself, you know?
- [11:20]
Nafeesa Collier
Yeah, I think, you know, I'm with Nike now. I think that partnership would have been, like, really natural because my school is a Nike school. I'm sure I would have sought that out because, you know, who doesn't love Nike? And then just stuff that I use every day, like different skincare products, kind of the same as what you're doing now. Just things that you're, like, genuinely interested in, because those are always the best partnerships when you. It's stuff that you use every day. It is authentic to you. So Express. I was a big express girly in college. I definitely want to try to partner with them.
- [11:49]
Zena Kaeda
I was at Express New York and Co. All of the above. Yet that's real. That's very real. So now, as a professional athlete and also someone that's. It's been really cool to see your growth, because we've seen you come in as, you know, I won't say an average rookie, but, like, the typical person that's just a single young woman coming into the league. And now we're seeing you as a married mother, you know, and we're seeing you evolve into this family dynamic. Like, tell me a little bit about how from the start of your career to now, how did you determine what fits you as a brand, right? As a person, that was a singular person, and now you're a mom, your partner. What does that look like for you again?
- [12:31]
Nafeesa Collier
I think it just really goes to, like, what you're doing in your life at this time. So now I love, like, mothership stuff. Like, you get free diapers. That would be amazing. You know, my life is motherhood right now. Like, that's a huge part of my life. So stuff with, like, I just did, you know, not a partnership, but like a. I guess, like, a little partnership with. They sent us, like, a little toy kitchen and a little table that Mila eats at, and I love it. Like, I love it. Then if I would have gotten anything. So that is, like, super what my life is right now. So that is, like, what endorsements, you know, I'm looking for, like, things that fit my life. So that's definitely different from when I was, you know, 22 in the league if you would have sent me diapers. I'm like, why?
- [13:10]
Zena Kaeda
What is happening?
- [13:11]
Nafeesa Collier
I'm like, is there something I need to know?
- [13:13]
Zena Kaeda
That's hilarious. I'm curious. I mean, you just talked about Mila, like, and thinking about this U.S. bank partnership. She's very young right now, but what are some of the things that you want to teach her from a financial literacy point, maybe not right now, but when she's able to kind of grasp.
- [13:27]
Nafeesa Collier
It, Just everything that I've learned along the way. And, like, I said to teach her really early, just, like, how to budget your money, different things to, like, invest in. We already have, like, different accounts set up for her, how to grow that. Just, like, you know, you always want your kids to be better than where you are, and I have a head start, so I want to give her all that information, and then she'll build on that, and she'll know even more than I do, and she can teach that to her kids. So just, you know, passing the information that you have along and teaching her from the beginning, so it's, you know, natural for her, and it's not something that you have to relearn and break old habits. This will be, you know, she'll have good habits from the beginning.
- [14:02]
Zena Kaeda
And that is the hardest part, is just building those habits early so that it's natural. And I really agree with your point about being able to have this sort of training from freshman year. Especially now with the nil aspect. I want to ask you a little bit particularly about some of the different programs that you've been working with with US Bank. I understand there's like a financial education microsite and then you also have access to advisors. Like what has that working with those two programs or working with your advisor. You know, what would you say is like the most valuable thing that you've been able to take away for your family?
- [14:36]
Nafeesa Collier
Overall, that's hard to pick one thing, I think just education, honestly, like learning from them because there's just so many things like you don't know what you don't know. So being able to talk one on one with a professional is so helpful. And like I mentioned earlier, we just have a lifestyle that's a little bit different. Like you have to pay taxes in every single state that you play in. You know, if you pay overseas, that's a whole different set of rules. And you know how to make the most of your money, how like different tax breaks you can get. If you know there's a lot of young people in our league, you're buying a house for the first time, just stuff that. Again, if you're not learning this in school, how are you supposed to know? So it's been amazing where, like I said, they accommodate to what our lifestyle is and then they also have someone that if you have something you're still unsure about or something that's specific to you, you can ask them one on one instead of trying to find on Google where you can literally get any answer. You don't know what's right, you don't know what's the most helpful. So having that like accessibility is just so invaluable.
- [15:32]
Zena Kaeda
Girl, the Google, the Googling is Googling now it's even TikToking, right?
- [15:38]
Nafeesa Collier
Google TikTok to find answers. Because Google, I feel like you can get any answer. And everyone's 100% like sure that they're right. And I don't know what the truth is.
- [15:47]
Zena Kaeda
Oh, between Google, TikTok and then I really think the space that everyone thinks they're right about finances is Reddit. Everyone's like, nope, this is the way I've done it. This is what I've gotten. This is how I've achieved it. And I'm like, okay, sure.
- [15:58]
Nafeesa Collier
It's a dark place.
- [15:59]
Zena Kaeda
It is a dark place. It is a dark place. But on that, that makes me ask, I want to ask you, is there a financial goal that you put out there that you've accomplished? The one that you're, like, the most proud of?
- [16:07]
Nafeesa Collier
Ooh, I think. Ooh, that's really hard. I think being able to buy a house would definitely like that milestone in everyone's life. And to be able to do that, like, comfortably and something that, you know, I love, that's been really, you know, that was awesome. I did it with my husband a couple of years ago. We're looking for another house now. So just having the freedom. When I understand, like, how blessed we are to do that, especially right now, we're like, where so many people are having hardships. That was, like, a huge goal for us. And so to be able to accomplish that has been, you know, a great feeling.
- [16:37]
Zena Kaeda
Let me give you snaps on that. You better say, I'm looking for another house, Miss Ma'am. I love that. That's amazing. And congratulations, because it's true. Point where you said literally comfortably because people are buying houses. It's not comfortably.
- [16:51]
Nafeesa Collier
Okay.
- [16:51]
Zena Kaeda
You know, there are some hardships. So that's very, very real. I want to ask, when you think about the league and you think about the union, how are they helping you guys out with these financial decisions? Because you just kind of flipped, I think a lot of us on this call's mind of, like, what does it mean to have to pay taxes in multiple states? What does it mean to, you know, go overseas and come back and, you know, that's a lot to handle if you don't know. So how does the league really help you guys out with that in the union?
- [17:20]
Nafeesa Collier
Yeah, I think recognizing, like, how big of a struggle it was for us and it still continues to be for us, and recognizing that, as I've said, you know, we're not in a normal situation where we can Google or TikTok our answers for what we're going through, like, financially to be able to pay the government half of our money. So partnership with US bank, like, solved a huge problem for us because we have, you know, I've said over and over again on this call, but also I heard a stat my rookie year in our meeting that blew my mind. It's like, you know, a huge percentage, like, over 50% of athletes go broke within three years after quitting their sport or after retiring, which scared me so much. Like, so recognizing that and knowing that we have a finite amount of time to make this money and to make the most of it and, you know, making an adjustment like partnering with US bank so that we can make the most of it and that we're not put in that position. So that's been awesome.
- [18:14]
Zena Kaeda
The league didn't even know they scared you straight when it came. I love that. I love that. I think that that's, you know, when you think about the general public and just interest they take in, like TV shows, people are fascinated by the documentaries on athletes that go broke. Right. Because it does seem like this, like, fantasy world that endless amounts of money are coming your way. How in the world did you lose it all? But it is particularly unique, especially in the women's space, because of the limited amount of resources and the limited amount of funds that you all get throughout your career. How pleased have you been with the negotiations that have allowed you all to increase your income and just increase the amount of resources and support you all are getting?
- [18:59]
Nafeesa Collier
It's been great. And, you know, we were really proud of our last CBA and the steps that we were able to take. And, you know, we got more salary, we got a lot more things. And I think the great thing about our league and like our sport and women's sport in general is, you know, we are thankful that we've gotten this far, but we also recognize we have so much farther to go. So we're still pushing for more money. We're pushing for bigger TV deals. We're pushing for all these things because, you know, our big thing is, you know, pay us what we're worth and we believe that we put a great product on the floor and we believe that, you know, obviously we think we're amazing, so we want to get paid accordingly. So it's been great. The CBA and we're up for maybe negotiations in the next couple years. So pushing for all the things that worked for us in the cba. What didn't work, you know, what we. Where we think we are now and, you know, hopefully I don't think it'll happen in mine career time, but we want, you know, like, million dollar salaries. And I don't think I'll have that, but I'm pushing for the people after me to have that because we want a better future for the people who come after us.
- [19:58]
Zena Kaeda
Yes, I love that and I do think you guys are amazing. We agree. We here at the Athletic Women's Basketball show agree. And yeah, it's cool to think that a lot of these players are setting up what a future could be for their daughters, should they play right. And not only in basketball, but across women's sports in general, being able to have that. I do want to ask you because, you know, it is NCAA season before you go, what has been your thought on, like, this incredible season, particularly UConn, knowing they've had such a up and down, you know, some really great moments. Obviously, the comeback of Paige, the heartbreaking, you know, injury of Az Fudd. I mean, I want to know your thoughts on your alma mater.
- [20:43]
Nafeesa Collier
It's been a little rough. I mean, you don't want to see injuries ever. And you know, the injuries I've had the last couple of years have just been like one after another. So it's heartbreaking to see because you always want your school to do well, but it's really early and you know, a great player and there's a lot of other really good players who are out too. But as I say, like, the show must go on. There's injuries every single season. You have to be able to adjust. And I hope that UConn does that and, you know, pull through on moisturizer, rooting for them to win the championship. So hopefully they can adjust. And, you know, it allows other players to step up. You never want to benefit from other people's pain, but, you know, maybe you wouldn't have gotten this opportunity if Az was playing. Maybe it allows another player to go up and she can have a breakthrough season. So because you can't change az's hurt, I really hope that for another player that she steps up in that role and has her breakthrough year and that they win.
- [21:32]
Zena Kaeda
That's amazing. It's been exactly that. It's been a rough season, but the perspective is real. It's early. And I think that that's what makes this season so fun, is, you know, Sabrina Merchant and I talk about it. All of us here at the Athletic talk about we don't know what's going to happen. Like, it's genuinely, it's a toss up right now. And I think that this was making it so, so exciting. Well, Nafisa, we really, really appreciate you joining us today. I think that anyone, if you want to learn more about financial literacy or just trying to get yourself together when it comes to your monies, I understand. I'm in the same boat. Don't you worry. U.S. bank's got your back and I think that that's really cool. So I actually will be them out and seeing some of their programs that they've put together. But we appreciate you giving us a little background on that and also telling us about your own personal journey through it. So you guys know it's not just you. Even Nafisa didn't know. Even your girl Fee didn't know. Well, thank you again for joining us. We appreciate you joining and hopefully we'll have you back when, you know, WNBA season's coming around.
- [22:35]
Nafeesa Collier
Yes, for sure. Thanks for having me.
- [22:37]
Zena Kaeda
Of course, of course. Well appreciate you guys tuning in today. This has been the Athletic women's basketball show for the Athletic. I'm Zena K. Encouraging you to keep listening, keep learning, save your coins and keep loving the game of basketball. That's the only way we're going to grow it. All right. Until next time.
- [23:00]
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Nafeesa Collier
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Nafeesa Collier
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Nafeesa Collier
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Nafeesa Collier
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- [25:08]
Nafeesa Collier
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