SERAH WILLIAMS: First, give thanks to God, my mom, my brothers, my friends, my family, all my coaches through high school, through my time growing up in New York. Thanks, everyone.
Q. You just got traded to Portland. What are you planning on focusing on in training camp to make this roster for a new expansion team?
SERAH WILLIAMS: Definitely just being the best version of me, focusing on like what am I best at, like, what got me here in the first place and doing that at a really high level.
Q. What was your reaction like when you found out you were traded? Where were you when you saw that it had happened?
SERAH WILLIAMS: I was in the elevator, I believe, with my agent. She was just like, yeah, scratch that, you got traded. But I had a meeting with Portland, and they're great people. So I'm super excited.
Q. Getting drafted out of the audience, what was that moment like? Did you know coming into tonight that that was kind of a possibility and what was the reaction of being around the team and everybody?
SERAH WILLIAMS: No, I mean obviously we showed up as a team. They are supporting Azzi, congrats to Azzi. I didn't really know how to react. I'm super grateful for the opportunity.
Q. Talk about your one year at UConn and how it may have helped you get to this point?
SERAH WILLIAMS: This one year definitely had its ups and downs, but it definitely taught me how to play team basketball, like things that don't show up on the stat sheet. My first three years was previously all simply just me, me, me, and I wanted to and I learned how to play on a team where it's not just me, me, me. I accomplished what I wanted to.
Q. After what transpired in the Final Four, Coach Auriemma said he hoped, quote, the focus shifts back to the growth in women's basketball. So how can you personally continue to be a part of that growth and what do you think the future, what do you think lies ahead in the future for the game?
SERAH WILLIAMS: I mean, what I can do was just, you know, play, be the best player I can. Be myself. And hopefully that can inspire other young women to want to play basketball. That's why I'm here, the women who played ahead of me are still playing now, actually, they inspired me to play basketball and want to continue to play.
Q. Is there a particular woman that came before you that you're seeking to emulate as you start your pro journey?
SERAH WILLIAMS: No, not one specifically. Obviously, I love A'ja Wilson and Candace Parker. She's retired. But all the great forwards to come through the league and through college. They're all inspirations.
Q. Curious, you said you had conversations with Portland. Take me through what they were talking about, what they were particularly interested in as it related to your game and what you think you can bring based on what they were talking to you?
SERAH WILLIAMS: It was more like, let me get to know Serah Williams instead of like a business call, if that makes sense. So it was just like how did I grow up, like the simple basic questions like that.
Q. Can you just walk me through what's kind of going through your mind when you are now like one of the faces of the franchise, you could say, the new WNBA expansion team?
SERAH WILLIAMS: Gratitude. Excitement. I mean, definitely a new franchise. New to me, too. So I've never been to Portland. So to spend some time out there, be in a new environment, and just experience the freshness that comes with being part of the new franchise, we're all in it together. It's all new for everyone.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports