In a recent interview with JOOLA Pickleball, Jewell Loyd, renowned for her prowess on the basketball court with the Seattle Storm, provided insights into her unexpected journey into the world of pickleball and her experiences bridging two seemingly distinct sporting domains.
Q: What is your sports background?
A: Most people know me from playing basketball with the Seattle Storm. WNBA champion, twice. All star. Olympian. The rest you guys can look up… but that’s all I’m going to say.
Q: What is your nickname?
A: My nickname is “Gold Mamba”. It’s definitely a privilege and an honor to have that name. I was really good friends with Kobe and he allowed me to use it, deemed it to me. And my job now is to kind of honor that legacy and honor mine as well.”
Q: What lessons did Kobe Bryant teach you?
A: A lot of them had nothing to do with basketball at all. One thing he always reminded me of was to create forever. Be epic.
Q: What was your introduction to pickleball?
A: I got into pickleball pretty randomly, actually. I came home after the off season, and I was waiting to actually go shoot at the basketball courts. I ended up not playing basketball and just staying and playing pickleball for the next two hours. And I started going every day and met some great people and fell in love with the sport. And now I’m here.
Q: What are your favorite aspects of pickleball?
A: My favorite thing about pickleball is that anyone and everyone can play. You know, coming from a basketball background, you kind of have to earn your spot to get on the court, earn your spot to play with the big kids. Where pickleball, everyone’s like four on, four off. Come and play, come and learn.
Q: How do you utilize your athleticism from basketball on the pickleball court?
A: The one thing that I definitely leaned on the most from basketball is my athleticism.
Q: What are your off-court activities?
A: When I’m not playing pickleball or basketball, I’m definitely on the couch watching TV, watching movies, hanging out with my dogs. I enjoy that I’m pretty low maintenance. I don’t need a lot to entertain me. Good music, good vibes, and I’m all good.
Q: How do you celebrate victories?
A: Some of the best ways to celebrate a win… it’s definitely getting food for sure.
Q: Do you have any memorable pickleball achievements?
A: My most memorable moment in pickleball will have to be when I qualified for nationals.
Q: What are your goals as a member of Team JOOLA?
A: I’m super honored and blessed to be partners with JOOLA. My goal is always to make you guys proud and do my best to represent myself and you and our community as well.
