The response came at 11:02 p.m., after deadline, but in this instance that didn’t matter.
On one of the most important nights of her life, I texted former Utah forward Michelle Plouffe to ask if we could chat about the fact that she had just been drafted by the Seattle Storm with the 19th pick in the WNBA Draft.
I didn’t expect a reply. Most athletes don’t respond when I text them, and to be frank, I don’t blame them. Reporters can be kind of annoying sometimes, but I figured I’d do my duty anyway and reach out to her. My phone buzzed 92 minutes after deadline, and there was a text from Plouffe telling me she had a crazy evening but that we could talk.
I didn’t really need to talk to her since my story had already been turned in, but I’m one of those people who likes to finish things the right way. In addition to that, I figured it would be the final time I’d ever talk to her. As we chatted about the next phase of her life that will describe how she felt getting drafted but finally came up with, “A lot of excitement, overwhelming. I’m really excited.”take place in Seattle, she struggled some to
She went on to say that she had some indication before the draft that the Storm would select her. Last week, she spoke with team officials in Tennessee, who expressed great interest in the skillset she will bring to the team.
“I was really excited about that,” she said. “I love Seattle, so I was hoping that that’s where I would go.”
The WNBA season begins in May, so Plouffe will leave next week for Seattle to get ready for training camp. When she arrives, she’ll join a team that features Sue Bird, one of the most prominent players in the game today, and she’ll be helping the Storm deal with the absence of Australian Olympian Lauren Jackson, also one of the most well-known names in the women’s game. As we were talking, I couldn’t help but think how lucky Plouffe is to be able to go into such a situation.
Then I had another thought: how lucky have I been over the past three years to tell these kinds of stories and to associate with people who are doing such incredible things as becoming professional athletes? I’ve lived a charmed life doing this job.
As our conversation wound down, Plouffe said, “It’s been kind of nervous and exciting the past couple of days, but I’m definitely excited to move on and start a new chapter and see what the next level has in store.”
Before we hung up, I felt like I needed to thank Plouffe for all she has done over the past few years to help us at The Daily Utah Chronicle. As the star of the women’s basketball team, she was the one who most often had to deal with us putting a voice recorder in her face, but she was always so gracious about doing so.
As I near the end of my time at the Chrony, I too am nervous and excited to move on and start a new chapter and see what the next level of whatever I do has in store.
But until that officially happens, I’m grateful to people like Plouffe who are making my current life experience one I’ll always treasure.