WNBA.com: What was your reaction when you were told that this trade was official?
Montgomery: “It’s bittersweet. I had so many emotions and so much was going through my mind at the time. I was thinking Minnesota, oh my goodness, I had such a bond with so many people there; I was really close to Charde Houston, so I was sad to be leaving her and the organization.
“And then on the other hand I was excited because I’m coming back to (she nearly said UConn) Connecticut, where of course I went to college. I just didn’t know what to think, but overall I was happy, definitely.”
WNBA.com: How tough is it to leave Minnesota and your Lynx teammates? That team seemed like a very tight group.
Montgomery: “It’s hard because when you go through things with people, and you all go through the same same situations, you know we had a lot of ups and downs during the season so it brought us closer together. And that’s a bond that is going to be hard to leave because it was strong.
“And now to come to a new team and have to make new connections – and I will – make new connections and new bonds, it’s different. It’s bittersweet because I’m excited and I’m just sad to leave Minnesota and that program, but it’s also exciting at the same time.”
WNBA.com: Have you heard from your now former Lynx teammates yet?
Montgomery: “Not yet. Although this was the worst kept secret, I didn’t really talk about it much. I don’t know if they know yet because almost everyone is overseas so a lot of people can be asleep right now. I’ll have to go around and tell them my goodbyes or whatnot.”
WNBA.com: There had been rumors about this trade out there for a while. What was that like to hear your name out there like that?
Montgomery: “I tried not to really think about it much because rumors are rumors and you don’t know if it’s going to happen or when it’s going to happen, so I tried not to pay attention to it too much. I just waited until I knew something for sure and then it was quick when I found out, then I’m flying out here, and now I’m talking to you. So it was fast.”
WNBA.com: What were the biggest lessons you learned during your time with the Lynx and how will they help you with the Sun?
Montgomery: “I think just one of the biggest lessons is to stay confident. When you go into a new team and a new league it’s easy to lose confidence and not do what you’re capable of doing. The main thing that I learned last year is to stay confident and things will work out.
“It was difficult last year with Lynx because we lost our leader and it was just difficult to get everything together. This year, I’m going in a whole different direction and there’s a lot of changes going on with the Connecticut Sun team and I’m happy to be a part of it and I definitely want to be a leader of this team.”
WNBA.com: Coming to Connecticut you’re joining a team that was a perennial playoff team before falling short last year. What is it like to come to a team that’s known success and having to get them back?
Montgomery: “I really feel like its history repeating itself. I kind of went through a similar situation in college at UConn. Diana Taurasi had been there before me and won a whole bunch of championships and we had to kind of reload and get the program back to winning championships like they were accustomed to.”
WNBA.com: Along with acquiring you, the Sun also gets the No.1 pick in this year’s draft and there is speculation that they will take your former teammate Tina Charles. Between the two of you as well as young players like Sandrine Gruda, Amber Holt and Chante Black, this team will have a young core to build upon.
Montgomery: “That’s definitely something that I’m excited about. It’s always exciting to be a part of building something from the beginning and watching it grow and come together. I think we had a similar situation in Minnesota last year and now I’m in a similar situation this year.”
WNBA.com: Have you had a chance to talk with Coach Thibault and get his thoughts on your role with the team?
Montgomery: “We talked for a little while, not in depth, but in we talked in general and I know he wants to push the ball and run and, of course, that’s the style of player I am so it’s just exciting to be in a program where you know you’re going to fit in well and where your coach is excited to have you. I’m not saying that Minnesota wasn’t because I think the organization was great and I enjoyed my time there, but it’s also nice when you’re traded to feel welcomed.”
WNBA.com: You spent a few months overseas playing in Lithuania (TEO Vilnuis). How was that experience?
Montgomery: “It was a different experience because you’re submerged in a culture that isn’t yours, and everyone around you isn’t’ speaking your language and the style of play is also a little different.”
WNBA.com: Why did you decide to remain in the U.S. for the remainder of the season?
Montgomery: “There were a lot of personal decisions that was involved in that but just mainly family. It’s weird, you would think that just because I’m in the United States I’d be able to see my family often, but basketball is a very demanding thing in college and every time I would come home everything would be so different. It was like, now my niece is talking, now she’s riding a bike, now my nephews are doing this and I was just felt like this is an opportunity where I can be around my family and I just took it, I took the opportunity to spend time with my family. I’ll still be working out and training so I don’t plan on losing anything and I just feel that I’ll come into training camp ready to go.”
WNBA.com: It does seem like a tough life because when you’re here your on the road a lot, and then you go overseas and can be over there for months. It does seem that you can be really disconnected from everybody.
Montgomery: “It is tough. You have to think, if you have a tough day at practice, which is like saying a hard day at work, you come home and no one is there. Of course you can make a phone call, but for you to have that feeling for a three month span, it’s just hard not to be around everything you know and everyone you know. You might have a couple of Americans on your team that you do know and you’ll be close to them but still there’s nothing like being around your family.”
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