WNBA champion Shay Murphy comes back to Los Angeles as first woman coach for the Lakers

JAMEELA HAMMOND: In October of 2020, one, former WNBA player and fellow Trojan Shane Murphy made headlines as the first woman hired as a coaching assistant for the L.A. Lakers after nine combine seasons playing for the Phenix, Mercury and San Antonio stars. The former championship title holder, an Angeleno, has returned to Los Angeles, intent on making her home team the greatest in the NBA. It would not be proper unless I try to use my basketball. ANNOUNCER Voice And here is Coach Shay Murphy. Thank you so much for being here.

SHAY MURPHY: Say thank you so much for having me. I’m glad to be back. Really excited. Thanks for the intro.

COLBY MARTIN: How does it feel being back in L.A.?

SHAY MURPHY: Different. You know, it’s excitement. The city has changed definitely since I was here last, but it definitely excited. It’s really diverse. You know, you love the weather, the teams, the sports, the high schools. I’m just excited to be back and just to be home with family and friends.

COLBY MARTIN: Yeah. So this is your first time as a Lakers coaching associate, but how do you feel your first season went and what can we expect to actually see from the Lakers in the coming seasons?

SHAY MURPHY: My experience with the Lakers was, you know, once in a lifetime was a dream come true. Fortunately, we didn’t last, you know, to make it to the playoffs and things didn’t go as planned. But my experience with the Lakers, it was like I was a kid in a candy store, you know, I was you see the celebrities come in. You you’re working with the greatest players in the world. And though it didn’t turn out the season like we want it, it was just it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that growing up from L.A., being a junior Laker myself, playing the WNBA, seeing Kobe do that, and just to be in the same halls that all these greats like Magic, all these people were able to do, you know, I was just excited to be a part of that and to be the first to represent. And hopefully, you know, we you know, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish the season. So we didn’t finish that well, but there’s always another season to be played. So I was just grateful for my experience, you know. And they say once the Lakers, always the Lakers. So whether it’s five years, you know, a little bit, you’ll always be a Laker. So I’m excited to be a part of that, that history and weather.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: Yeah, I love that. You know, like for folks that are or whether you’re listening or you’re watching, you can feel the energy. You could feel like we’ve this is probably the most we’ve ever let our hair down. Really, essentially, honestly, you know, and we’ve had such a blast and you are such a genuine spirit. And I know that translates on the court as well. How has Kobe’s legacy impacted the way that you contribute to the Lakers? Because I know Kobe means a lot to you. And and growing up.

SHAY MURPHY: Yeah, I mean, you know, Kobe was who I looked up to once my father had passed away. So it’s you know, everything happens for a reason. So if I could just do that daily, just embody Kobe, what he was able to do, play through injuries in his Achilles. And it’s I mean, I’m still living through that. You know, we all have you know, they say it’s 90% mental and 10% physical. And so I’m in that moment right now transitioning from professional sports into corporate, into coaching for that, you know, for that moment. And now trying to get back to sports, I’m just trying to embody the greats like like Kobe himself, you know, and every day I’m talking to myself after every free throw it. Life is just like mini games, you know? So it’s just how you bounce back. And so if I could do that, just, you know, one day at a time and other people can see that maybe I’m not the most vocal leader, but I try to lead by example with my actions daily and carry that, you know, consistently. So he’s everything to me, you know? And Vanessa, you know, I know what it’s like to be a single mother. My mom grew up that way. I mean, I grew up that way. So just seeing the city and all the celebrities, like celebrities, like just rally behind her and just support her, it takes a village to raise anyone. So I’ve been part of that village my life, you know, so I just try to do that and give back.

COLBY MARTIN: Absolutely perfect. Yeah. You mentioned you have a plan for success, when it comes to basketball. The four C’s, as you call them. So conditioning, chemistry, consistency and confidence. How does that tie in with mamba mentality and what does that term mean to you?

SHAY MURPHY: Well, yeah, it’s funny because the fourth seed actually came from Rob Pelinka and he was really close to Kobe. So, you know, Rob’s style is, you know, you got to have confidence to do all those things. So once you get confidence, those things will consistently happen. And I think Mamba mentality, it’s like Kobe says it the best. It’s like you have your box and like the number one thing is for you to dance beautifully in your box and mind, you know, at this time as a basketball player and to be a good person and to be who I was, whether, you know, I don’t want to be identified as just a basketball player or a WBA champ. I want to be Shane Murphy the person. Because when this is said and gone, you know, you have ups, you have lows. I still want to be Shay Murphy. And so I think Mamba Mentality really embodies that. When who are you going to be when it’s all taken away, when no one’s watching who you’re going to be, when it people are watching, we’re going to be when you don’t speak the same language. And so I know at the end of the day, I, I carried that that mentality around the world. And in I’m able to do it here and I’m happy with that, you know, and I get chills right now talking about that because, you know, one day, you know, our time is going to end on Earth. And I know I’m going to see him there and see my father. I, I can’t wait to check up on him. I may give my dad a hug with the champ Kobe and be like, Ted, lasso girl, I got your hand, you know? So I know they’re proud of me, you know, and and that’s my motivation right now.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: I love that. Like, for folks that don’t know and I’ve alluded to it, you know, no matter no matter where a coach puts you, you’ve you’ve remain positive. Like, how do you remain so positive and genuine spirit? And how do you use that in your coaching style? And and maybe what kind of words of wisdom can you give to students as they embark on finals week?

SHAY MURPHY: Yeah. I mean, it definitely comes from God and my mother. Like, my mother like, you know, we didn’t come from much, but she literally told me like be thankful for little things and greater things will come to you. And I live my whole life like that. So getting a scholarship in Montclair Prep and then going to USC like it can get better, life can get better than USC or and then it kept getting better cause I was so thankful. So, no, you know, if you get a C, you get a deep and look at it like least you’re getting education. So I kind of stuck mentality is my life, you know, be thankful for little things and greater things will come to you, you know? And I just literally try to be thankful for everything and being here, speaking in a studio and seeing the new Annenberg and like this diverse, like, producer giving like they like, okay, I’m part of this, you know? And so I’m just always happy and grateful because we all have problems. It’s just how you carry. And I don’t want to carry the negative. I have a choice. Every day I can show up and be sad or I can show up and be, like, smiling and and, you know, so I’m just really excited for that. And for the students fatigue, burnout, that’s tough. You know, we’re all in it, but you’re almost there. You’re two weeks away. Summer’s coming. It’s hot girl. Summer. Hot guys, summer. So just stay the course and don’t drop out.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: That’s what they say.

COLBY MARTIN: Thank you so much for putting a smile on our faces day in and day out here. ANNENBERG But Shay Murphy is a former WNBA player, hopefully making a comeback and now a coaching assistant for the Lakers. Shae, thank you so much for stopping by. We really appreciate it. [00:07:12][14.6]

SHAY MURPHY: Really appreciate I appreciate both of you guys and great job things for having me.

COLBY MARTIN: Of course.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: Absolutely. And that’s all we have time for on today’s from where we are.

COLBY MARTIN: Jameela, let’s you what was your highlight from this semester, being a host?

JAMEELA HAMMOND: Oh, gosh. You know, being here, being at the radio station every every week. Yeah. And this is this is this is home. This was like candy in the candy store. You know, this was this was awesome.

COLBY MARTIN: I would say honestly, I genuinely I could not have been chosen to have a better host than you. And I genuinely I will say from the bottom my heart. Thank you so much. I couldn’t have had a better mentor.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: I appreciate you. I you know, for folks that don’t know, we really bonded over Kevin and Bean for folks that love radio in L.A. but this is this has been awesome. You you are incredible. You know, for folks that don’t know, a lot of folks put a lot of hard work into this. Luckily on a Rocky Chef produced today’s show, Fernando Cienfuegos runs our soundboard and.

COLBY MARTIN: We had some fun help from some multimedia journalists like Grace Harrington of Many Kong, Carrie Spencer, Sam Tarlov, Coco Xinchi Wong, Xingyang Zhang, and Veronica Sierra Leone. And Derek Renfroe composed our theme music.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: We stream live on KXSC. Follow us at KXSC.org/listen. And we’re on YouTube at Annenberg Radio News.

COLBY MARTIN: Subscribe to From Where We Are on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. And one last time, I’m Colby Martin.

JAMEELA HAMMOND: I’m Jameela Hammond. From all of us at Annenberg Radio, wherever you are, we hope you’ll join us again for “From Where We Are.”

COLBY MARTIN: Can you teach me to do a three pointer? I mean, look, I’m vertically challenged, but I think I could try something.