Q. The selflessness that you exhibited as an upperclassman, specifically volunteering your spot to come off the bench this year speaks volumes to your character. How do you think making that decision helps to prepare you for your role as a rookie in the W?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Thank you. I just think it's -- when you're playing amongst a veteran team, the chances of you starting or playing a lot aren't exactly high. And I think that's why it will prepare me. Not being -- it's not me taking a back seat, it's more so for me, like, being a great teammate on the sidelines and then being also a sponge as well, learning from my veterans.
Q. Angela, Chicago recently re-upped with Elizabeth Williams. They have Camille Kardoso around and just traded for Rickea Jackson. All players somewhat similar to your skill set. How will your unique skill set prevent you from getting lost in the fold and making an immediate impact to the Sky's fortunes?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Did I get traded to the Sky?
Q. Washington. Sorry. Shakira Austin and Lauren Betts. How will your skill set translate?
ANGELA DUGALIC: I mean, they're amazing basketball players. I've obviously played with Lauren the past few years, which has been -- it's going to be great. And Shakira, I mean, she's just a tremendous basketball player and also an amazing competitor as well. And that goes also for the rest of the team.
People do say that they're young, but I think having this past year under their belt, I think it's going to be a great season.
Q. When you found out where your coach Michaela Onyenwere decided to go in free agency, which obviously, that happened last night, can you just take us through maybe what was going through your head? Did you think about, oh, wait, like, I would love to sort of be able to continue this journey with her?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Yeah, I mean, when I found out -- I was actually with Gianna Kneepkens. We Facetimed her, and we were talking all about it and so we were getting an inside scoop. But it was just super exciting -- I also did play against Michaela my first year when I was at Oregon. It's hard to see her as a coach.
But I have to now see her as a teammate as well, which is really cool. I never got to play with her. It's really exciting that I'll be able to play with her now.
Q. To build on that question, what have the conversations been like with Washington ahead of time, and who were you speaking with? What was that experience like in terms of what they were looking for from you as a player?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Yeah, I had a little bit of a conversation, but basically it was just using my versatility and being able to stretch out the floor. I think that's obviously my biggest asset is being able to play 1 through 5 and guarding 1 through 5 and being able to switch and shooting and posting up.
I don't know if that exactly answers your question, but just using those attributes to, obviously, help the team.
Q. It has been a big night to be a UCLA Bruin and Lauren was in here before, and she said, "I'm not surprised," even though this is a big night. How does that strike you seeing your teammates here, seeing such a successful first round for this program?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Yeah, I mean, seeing all three of them in a row to be drafted. I'm sort of upset I'm missing possibly my other two teammates being drafted. I want to be able to celebrate them as well. I'll be able to later.
But it's just super exciting. I'm having a lot of emotions, but I think really the emotion that triumphs everything is excitement.
Q. To be a part of a team that's going to have six first-round draft picks from last year and this year, possibly several more coming in the next two years, how excited are you to be a part of what the Mystics' long-term vision is and what they're building in terms of trying to win a WNBA title?
ANGELA DUGALIC: Yeah, I mean, that's just amazing. I think it's going to be great for our future. Oh, my God, I said "our future." Sorry. I have to now be speaking like I'm a part of the team because I am.
One of the questions that I asked was, where do you guys see yourself in five years? Because, again, it is a young team. I was asking all the teams that just so I have something in my mind to base it off of. I'm very much a type of a person that I like to stick around for a team. Obviously, WNBA is different. You get traded and whatnot. But I think just them having six first-round picks is a good thing for us to build for the future as well.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports