It’s been just three days since Sania Feagin was drafted to LA’s WNBA team, the Sparks, and she’s already preparing to head out West. “Everything’s happening so fast,” Feagin, a senior at the University of South Carolina, tells Bustle. “I flew from New York, ended up in Atlanta. I stayed the night in Atlanta, drove to Columbia [South Carolina] the next day, packed up my apartment, and then drove back today. I leave for LA tomorrow.”
The 22-year-old forward has hardly had time to think, let alone celebrate, only enjoying a laid-back get-together with her family (“We listened to music, we enjoyed each other, we ate”). And after spending her childhood in Georgia and her college years in South Carolina, Southern California will surely be a change of pace — but a welcome one. “I’m excited to be close to a beach, to be out there in Hollywood,” says Feagin. Helping smooth the transition is Hendrix, her new puppy, who’s been cheering her up (and chewing her shoes) for a week or so now. “I know that I’m about to be alone for a good little minute, and I feel like having a dog will help me get outside, not be trapped in the house,” she says.
Though she didn’t yet know she was headed to Tinseltown when she picked her outfit for the draft, Feagin channeled Old Hollywood on the orange carpet, dressed to the nines in a white, silken number and her hair styled into glamorous ringlets. Is this a taste of what fans can expect from Feagin’s tunnel walks this season? “I’m super excited about that part,” she says. “I enjoy getting dressed.”
Below, Feagin talks about saying goodbye to her home and her South Carolina teammates, and what’s gotten her to this point.
Now that you’ve had a couple days to process since the draft, how are you feeling?
Feeling great. I mean, I feel amazing to know that I’m getting this opportunity.
As you’ve been making this transition, was it hard to say goodbye to anyone?
It was really hard to say goodbye to my teammates. Just to know that I’ve been around them for so long and enjoyed every moment. Going somewhere different and having to learn everybody and understand everybody — I would say it’s scary, but it’s fun as well.
What about your college coach? It seems like you guys are close.
We are very close actually. I talked to her yesterday before I left Columbia, and she just told me to go be myself, be great. She told me she loved me and everything that I’ve done. It [was] the best.
It seems like you could have transferred colleges early on to get more playing time, but chose to stick with your team and your coach. I’m wondering what it was about that atmosphere that made you want to stay, even if it meant less playing time up front?
I chose to stick it out because I knew that I would be able to be great, just learning from Aliyah [Boston], Kamilla [Cardoso], Lele [Grissett]. Understanding that I could grow in different areas of basketball and as a woman, that’s why I stuck through. Learning [from] them actually helped me be the person that I am now, and also helped me get drafted to the WNBA.
Off the court, learning from them also helped me become a leader.
I’m curious how you’ve grown as a person in the past four years.
On the court, I’ve grown mentally and vocally. I understand that what helps me is being vocal and talking and communicating everything that I do. Learning, watching, and then going out there and learning how to do it the right way, asking questions, really helped me become the leader that I am now. Off the court, learning from them also helped me become a leader, understand that everybody does things differently, and how to talk to my teammates.
I saw Magic Johnson welcomed you to the Sparks on X. I was wondering if you’ve heard from anyone else on the team or in LA?
Not really, but I’m not really sure how to work Twitter — I did see him welcome me. Maybe I should go in there and retweet it or something. That’s very exciting, because a lot of people say that I pass like Magic Johnson.
You should tell him that.
I will when I see him.
I understand that both of your parents played basketball in college. What’s it been like for them to watch you take this next step?
It’s been amazing, just to know all the sacrifices they made for me to make it to where I am now.
Have they had any good advice as you’ve reached these milestones?
They just told me to continue to be great, continue to stay confident, continue to be myself, and understand what’s right and what’s wrong.
They are very much my support system. They just help me through any and everything. In my darkest and lowest moments, they helped me be great. Just knowing that they could be there for me and that I could be who I am around them and they’ll help me get through any and everything — I love it.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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