Q&A with Ann Meyers Drysdale on the Suns, Mercury and joining the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame
The basketball trailblazer is part of a 2020 class that also includes Phil Mickelson and Paul Westphal.
Ann Meyers Drysdale has compiled an impressive list of accolades during her trailblazing, Hall of Fame basketball career.
She added another last week: member of the 2020 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame Class. The class also includes Phil Mickelson, Paul Westphal, Joe Caldwell, Andre Ethier, Roland Hemond and John Bridger.
“I was absolutely taken aback,” said Meyers Drysdale, who also expressed gratitude for Suns and Mercury part-owner Dick Heckmann initially helping her land with the organization in 2006. “I was so stunned. I am so appreciative not only to the Arizona Sports Committee, but certainly to the Phoenix Suns and Mercury and being part of an organization that gives back to the community so much. …
“Such unbelievable people that work in the organization. I don’t get there by myself, honestly.”
This felt like a perfect opportunity to catch up with Meyers Drysdale, the Vice President of the Suns and Mercury and a color analyst for both teams’ television broadcasts. We chatted about the Mercury’s wild finish to beat Washington in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, the Suns’ bubble run and what she has been up to during these strange COVID-19 times.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with last night’s wild Mercury finish. What were your takeaways while watching that unfold?
Just the whole game. We came out so flat. They talk about the three-day rest, which we definitely needed. But certainly, we did not look ready to play. We got down 13 most of the game and anytime we made a run, Washington just came back. Leilani (Mitchell) was on fire last night. (Emma) Meesseman is always so steady. We kind of had a matchup problem, especially when Kia (Vaughn) picked up those three fouls in the first half.
You just don’t know what the play call is going to be (in the final seconds). What’d we have, six seconds to take the shot? Obviously, in the past, I know everybody just keys in on Diana (Taurasi). She’ll get two, three, honestly sometimes four people on her, and she’s so good at finding the open people. But sometimes, you have to have other teammates that are willing to take that shot and help her out, and she trusts everybody. She got the ball to Skylar (Diggins-Smith), because Diana had two players on her, basically. Then Skylar was pretty far out on that wing and really had no option. And she kind of got double-teamed, or somebody was right on her. Then to make that pass and complete it, wow. Then time-wise, like Shey (Peddy) was saying, “I didn’t know if I had time enough to get the shot off with the pump fake,” because Mitchell was coming right at her. At 31 and her second year in the league, she said this was her first time ever hitting the game-winner. It was a game that certainly brought the team closer together. They did pull it together, hitting shots in that fourth quarter.
What are the biggest keys for Thursday’s second-round game against Minnesota?
I think the biggest thing is energy. Having the energy to come back, which a lot of these games have been every other day you’re playing. Minnesota has had an opportunity to rest, and both teams are different from when they played the first two times. Obviously, this is the rubber-match game. Minnesota’s tough. (Napheesa) Collier’s had an unbelievable year. And (Damiris) Dantas. They picked up (Erica) McCall. And (Crystal) Dangerfield, she’s gonna be Rookie of the Year and she’s very, very difficult to stop. We did a very good job on her in the first half of the game that we won, and then she came alive in the fourth quarter. She’s just this energizer that goes and goes and goes.
Sandy (Brondello) has done an incredible job juggling (the roster). That’s gonna be a huge plus for (the Lynx) if they’ve got Sylvia Fowles back. We’ll have a matchup problem. Kia has got to stay out of foul trouble, her and (Brianna) Turner. Sylvia is the all-time rebounder. That’ll create issues for Phoenix. But if Phoenix can run their offense and get their plays to run and drop shots, we should be fine.
How has Diana Taurasi been able to play at the level she has, coming off back surgery and at her age?
She takes care of herself. She’s a vegan. When she first did it, I was like, “Oh, there’s no way she can do it,” and what did I know? I knew nothing. There’s no question she knows how to stretch. She knows how to do ice baths. She knows how to rest. She knows how to prepare herself for the game. There’s no reason that these women can’t play into their 40s. Taj McWilliams-Franklin, I think she’s the longest (to play) at 43. But even Cynthia Cooper came into the league in her 30s and was just tearing it up. Women playing in their 30s, it does not surprise me whatsoever. Diana, again, being able to take care of herself and understanding, especially after last season with the injury, she’s cautious too and knows what her body can and cannot do. I think that’s a big plus. Am I surprised? Not at all.
(Shameless plug! I wrote about Taurasi’s incredible season this week for The New York Times)
What most impressed you during the Suns’ 8-0 run in Orlando?
Just how they came together. The coaching staff and Monty (Williams) and James (Jones), the communication and everybody on the same page and believing in each other. There’s no question that the camaraderie (is solid). It’s a young team. With Kelly Oubre out, Kelly has such energy and enthusiasm. And even though he couldn’t play, he was still on the team and there. Then (Aron) Baynes got (COVID-19). They went through a thing of, who was going to play? Ricky (Rubio) gave them a lot of stability and veteran leadership, the maturity that he had. Mikal (Bridges), I just love his game. He reminds me a lot of Walter Davis. He plays both ends of the floor and certainly has worked on his outside shot, which has been a key. And he’s so fluid going to the basket. Then Cam (Johnson), people say, “Well he can’t do this.” He just came out of college. Give him a break. And certainly, having those four months off I think really kind of helped, honestly, to get his confidence and certainly to not only be just a 3-point shooter. Which I don’t think he is just a 3-point shooter. He’s got more game than that. When guys have the opportunity and they know that they’re going get minutes and play, they’ve got a coach in Monty Williams that really gives these guys a lot of confidence and he believes in them. (Deandre) Ayton, he still needs time to grow. He’s getting better and better.
And then (Devin) Booker, there’s not enough superlatives, really, to talk about his game. What you love about it, and I know Kobe (Bryant) was a great influence on him, but how much he wants to get better. So you may be doing something well, but being able to work on your game. And not just the skills, but the fundamentals or whether it’s getting stronger or whether it’s getting quicker or footwork and so forth. Some of the shots he made at the end were obviously Dame Lillard- and Steph Curry-range. Certainly, I think Book is going to be able to do that a lot more. And he’s a game-winner. Certainly, we’ve seen enough situations where the ball is in his hands, and he makes the decision on whether he’s taking the shot or whether he trusts his teammates. That’s all maturity, too, and playing the game and being in those kinds of situations.
What’s the biggest question you have about the Suns’ future? Or the thing you’re most curious about?
I don’t know if I have really any question marks, because I think Monty Williams, you just love the peace that he brings, the calmness that he brings. But he’s veery intense and he wants this team to do well. He wants these young men to do well. You know that Monty’s going to be there. In the past, you had a coach come in and they might have signed a two- or three-year deal, but then they were gone. Just having that stability and having the new arena, at some point, I think that that’s gonna be huge. But we don’t know. The big question is COVID, for everybody.
Hopefully Baynes is back. Baynes has been solid. (Frank) Kaminsky, he was out for so long and he came back in the bubble and played some key moments during those wins. Having somebody that’s a 7-footer and has that kind of range really helps open things up for Ayton inside. Certainly, Ayton has been working on his outside shot, and he’s a talented kid. Everybody’s growing and getting better and, as a team, timing is everything, right? You look at the Clippers. They’re out. And look at how Denver is playing. Everybody is picking the Lakers, and you know what? Denver is probably saying, “Good.” Denver’s sitting there going, “Nobody expects us to do anything.” They’re having fun. That was the big thing with the Suns in those eight games is that they had fun. You could really see that they were enjoying themselves playing the game, and sometimes that’s hard, especially when you’re isolated like that. Maybe having young guys, being in the bubble wasn’t that bad. They’re playing their video games. … the Suns certainly played very freely, and they were having a good time.
How have you been spending the past six months?
It goes back to February. February was kind of a tough month. David Stern passed away, and I went back to New York for that. Then we had the All-Star game in Chicago, and I was back there for that. I came back to Phoenix, and then I was on that last road trip. It was Toronto-Chicago-Utah. After the Chicago game, Devin was kind enough to let me fly with him and (security staff member Max Cayard) to L.A. for Kobe’s service. Growing up in Southern California and everything, it meant an awful lot that he would allow me to do that and to be there. Then we had a game that night and then came back to Phoenix. I went on vacation, because I didn’t have any games for the Suns. I was going to get ready for the Women’s Final Four, because there’s a few awards that are named after me. I went on vacation with my sister and sister-in-law. We were there 14 days and, all of a sudden, COVID hit and we were like, “What?”
So we flew back and just kind of isolated. My daughter ended up getting a puppy. The puppy is now nine months old. I’ve been very involved with that. Both teams (the Suns and Mercury) going to Florida and being in the bubble, it was disappointed that (I didn’t get to broadcast any of those games). Because I love working the Mercury games. I love working the Suns games. To not be able to be around the Mercury and watching practices and just talking (is disappointing). Plus, with the arena being renovated and with COVID, a lot of people are not in the arena and it’s just a different vibe there. It’s a lot of reading and watching movies and Netflix. Certainly, working with the dog with my daughter. My daughter and I have spent a lot of time together. My middle son was supposed to get married in November, but he and his fiancé have had to postpone it to next year. My mom is in a memory care home, so I’m able to go visit her. I’ve spent some time with family, but not as much as I would like because of the COVID. I’ve really been kind of at home. Certainly, watching games on TV, and would have loved to have done more broadcasts. It’s fun calling their games.