'Love My Sisters': Swin Cash Bringing Former UConn Women's Basketball Teammates to Women's Sports Event (2023)

The four - who were among the top six picks in the 2002 WNBA Draft - will be together on a panel at the Summit in New Orleans. They will talk about the bond they share 20 years after leaving UConn together.

This is a strong message for the public.

"I think it's — I think the silver lining is the secret sauce that we want to share with the public," Cash told CT Insider. "Like, how do you guys appear to each other? How do you have a friendship that lasts this long? How do you have a text topic that lasts this long?"

Group chat between former teammates is alive and well. While going back and forth via text is one thing, following through on plans is the true sign of the connection between the former Huskies. Especially considering what each has to do to make it work.

Bird,Of course,retired WNBAafter last season and apparently has flexibility, although it has remained busy forlaunching his own production company.

Moneyis ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, so she's working on the NBA Draft a week before the summit and free agency will be looming.

Williams-Jeter is coaching women's basketball in Dayton and Jones works atoffice across from Portland Trailblazers.

But these Huskies showed their UConn brotherhood by showing up for each other.

"The order was probably the easiest for them," Cash said. "It's like 'Oh, check the time, I'm there. What time do you need?' So that's why I love my sisters Because it's never a no, it's just what time do you need me to show up?

The UConn meeting isn't the only draw for the summit, however. Speakers include Mistie Bass-Boyd (WNBA Champion and Director of Men's Athletes and Team Sports Marketing for Nike), Gayle Benson (Owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans), Meka White Morris (EVP, Director of Business for the Minnesota Twins) and Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon (assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans).

Even with these heavy hitters on the agenda, Cash has a few surprises in store.

“I've had people call and say, 'Hey, that list of speakers you have is insane.' "Said Cash. "And I'm like, 'Oh, we're still going to wait, we're not done yet.'

The summit, taking place June 28-30, will be an extension of the organization's mission, which is to create an ecosystem of culture and resources while inspiring an "intergenerational community of women in sport."

"What makes us different is the ability to say that we're not just talking to women who work in basketball or football, but people who work at these big brands that deal with sports teams," Cash said. "We want to create this ecosystem where women who are playing at any level of sports and working in sports, from entry-level jobs to CEO, have this place that they feel comfortable with, where there are genuine conversations taking place."

This type of space was not present when thehall of fame memberstarted out as Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development for the New Orleans Pelicans. That's why the three-time WNBA champion was forced to create it herself.

"A lot of it is based on things I haven't had throughout my career, right? Things I wish I had and wanted to see," Cash said. "Other executives that I've talked to that they, you know, as a black woman, and as someone who's an executive like, (ask), where are your peer-to-peer opportunities to connect to talk?"

When she took over at New Orleans, Cash began to be approached by NBA executives who hoped more women would stand out like Cash. But the women are there, she said, and the problem is a lack of resources.

"There were (NBA) executives who would come up and say 'Hey, I'm trying to find another you' and I started laughing like 'Hey, I'm not a unicorn, you know that, right? Like there are women who work in a space'" , said Cash.

"But the thing is, if we're being honest, the visibility or exposure to features and how to get there wasn't always necessarily there."

She's Got Time is a very private name that Cash's team wasn't quite sure about. But the two-time NCAA champion stood her ground, knowing it was the right fit for what she hopes the organization will accomplish.

"Literally to talk to different women that, like, you've got time to work, you've got time to life, you've got time to be your talent and your mind and be a mother... box," Cash said. "So that's where the name 'She's Got Time' comes from. It's like women discover what time is like. And it was a lot of fun."

The name comes from a playful place, but the mission is serious. The goal is to sum up what it's like to be a woman in sport and remind people of what's possible.

"She's present, she's vulnerable, right? She's confident, she's adventurous. And she's bold," Cash said. "So you think about those things about She's Got Time when you show up for this summit, you're going to feel it."

Cash has managed to do all of this while handling her full-time gig with the Pelicans, going to appearances - including hershirt retirementinGampel Pavilion - as a mother.

The She's Got Time organization launched in November 2022 as an offshoot of Cash's podcast, so the former Husky has already orchestrated an impressive amount of work in less than a year. However, the summit is just the pre-game huddle. Cash thinks there are lots of ways to improve the landscape and hopes to see the game change.

"So that's one thing until the end of, you know, our year-long run. We hope all leagues see the value in partnering with us and their internal groups and women's networks understand the importance and partner with us." Cash said. "Because it's bigger than just Swin Cash."

The summit will focus on interactive workshops, wellness activities and empowering women in sport to gain new tools. It also ends just as New Orleans is hosting the Essence Festival of Culture.

The Festival will feature a musical program, including Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and Megan Thee Stallion.

Cash, of course, sees an opportunity.

"Our calendar is leading up to Essence weekend... You play at the top, there's literally a festival that's literally going on the last day of our summit," Cash said. "It's like, if you want to have fun, you want to come do some work first, but take advantage of the weekend opportunities here in New Orleans."