Everything Laila Phelia said during her Defend the Block appearance
On how long she gave herself between the Elite Eight and getting back into the gym
From basketball, I gave myself a week, maybe, but I've been doing some pilates, hot yoga and weight lifting and conditioning. I didn't take a break from that. Just a week from basketball and started getting back into it and working on some stuff to improve my game.
On what she's trying to improve upon
On the court, I've been participating in a lot of open gyms, playing with boys, trying to grow my confidence. Ball-handling, I feel like we're probably going to need some ball-handling this year so I feel like locking in on that and being able to create space with my dribble, I feel like that was pretty big, too. Using my left hand, pretty sure my coaches will say that. I've been working on my left hand a lot.
On how she works on using her opposite hand
Play a lot of one-on-one. I just know that this is what I need to do and I always make sure I am using my left hand. If I need to make a little dribble to the right, that's the hand I am going to be using. It's really kind of mental, that's how I think of it.
On how much she's grown during the year on campus
A lot. Just being able to get through the mental aspect of being in college and stuff. I feel like I've grown a lot in that. The physical part, so now this summer, last summer I wasn't really sure how to prep going into my freshman year. Now, after having a year under my belt, knowing what to expect and what's going to happen, I'm really excited because this summer I was able to take care of things differently. I feel like that's been a pretty big thing.
On where she took the most strides last year
I would say my strength and balance. I feel like, in the weight room, that plays a big role. I feel like that's probably the biggest.
On whether the differences being physically prepared were much different than in high school
It was, for sure. High school, it was probably an hour-and-a-half workout. In college, you stay locked into those two-and-a-half, three hours. That was a big adjustment that I had to get used to.
On what made last year's team so special
Our relationship off the court. I feel like that really set the tone for everything. Of course, coming in as a freshman, you don't really know what to expect. You don't know how the girls are going to be or anything. By me coming to Michigan and being able to have that relationship with all the girls off the court really helped. I feel like a lot of people didn't really see how it translated on the court. The relationship we had was crazy. We understood each other, we understood each other's strengths and weaknesses. That's how we got as far as we did. I feel like that's the biggest thing. Of course, making history, but that all ties back into the relationship that we had.
On whether the basketball program is everything she was told it would be
Yes, it is. I just think about being recruited and stuff like that. You hear a lot. You hear people say, 'This is this, this is this. We're about this.' I feel like, with Michigan, it was really a feeling. I know being recruited, people were saying you're going to have that feeling but I was like, 'Oh, I'm not having it. When is it going to come?' After spending time with Michigan women's basketball, I really had that feeling. I went ahead and went with my gut, it was real. Everything they say is real. You see it. You see it on the floor. I feel like that's the biggest thing.
On the pressure of playing with Naz Hillmon
There wasn't any pressure, it was me more so coming in and being able to pitch into everything. Her greatness and being able to be there with you, I feel like it was more so an opportunity for me. Just being able to be there. There wasn't any pressure. I was just glad I was able to help out. It just brought me more joy being able to be there with her and be on her team. Being able to contribute to everything.
On the opportunity for the program and build on what Hillmon started
I feel like we really do embrace that. We finished off really strong last season and we have a really good crew of girls right now. We have a deeper bench, of course. We have Leigha's confidence, we have Maddie's ability to shoot and her presence on the floor. Emily Kizer, she's able to come back. I feel like, with her experience, that's going to help us in the long run. Cam, her growth and her strength. We're definitely going to be set. We have the transfer, Greta, coming in and I'm really excited to be able to have her on our team. All of us feeding off—I know it's a lot of guards but I definitely feel like we will be able to take care of business. We do have some people down low. I feel like we're going to be great and we all have that same mindset. We all know we need to work together and we know we need to go into this year strong. We know we're going to have to fill in some gaps from when Naz was with us. Other than that, I feel like I have all the confidence in the world with our team. Coach Arico, her leadership, I feel like it's going to bring great things.
On the mindset of finishing the job
Literally, ever since the last game we've played in the Elite Eight, that motivation was there. It was just there. Coming back next season, we got this. Another season, we're gonna get it.
On whether she's watched the Elite Eight since
I have watched it a couple of times. Had it on replay.
On Emily Kizer's return
It was so exciting. I was out of town with my mom's side of the family, we were all hanging out. Emily called me, and she was like, 'Layla, so, I'm thinking about what I am going to do with my next year.' And I was like so, Emily, why are you talking like that? What's going on? She was like, 'I think I'm going to go stay' and I just screamed so loud, I was so happy. My mom was like, 'Laila, what's wrong, are you OK?' Emily is coming back! I am so excited. Just being able to hear that, kind of just touched my heart. I got the chills a little bit. We needed that news. It was really good.
On Cameron Williams waiting her turn after Hillmon leaving
She has definitely grown a lot. Learned the game and her strength and her presence down low, it brings a lot. Just being able to watch her in practice, she really has a fight. She has that urge to learn. She wants to learn, she wants to figure out everything. She asks a lot of questions, she's always in tune in practice. Trying to make sure she's on top of everything. That's one thing I love about it and that's one thing I'm also really excited about. She's definitely prepared herself and this is her opportunity right now to go ahead and take over. I feel very confident that she's ready and she has this.
On what it's like being on campus with successful sports
It's a different type of feeling. After finishing at the end of the year, I was talking to my dad and was like, 'We really just made it to the Elite Eight.' Nobody does that. Nobody just sits there and does that. For us, for people to not have any expectations for us, I feel like that was really big and we really put our foot down on that. Being able to come here and know that we fought for this, we really did, nobody expected us to do this. Just to know that we did that and we shocked a lot of people, I feel like that's the biggest thing. People saw us as underdogs and I feel like we put our foot down. Just being able to be part of the group of teams that I'm with, and the coaching staff I'm with, it's just amazing.
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