Ace Konig Looking Ahead, Not Back ... With No Regrets
ACC women's basketball tournament MVP Aislinn Konig had a lot to say about her career at NC State and her professional possibilities after being passed over in last week's WNBA draft.
One thing she clearly didn't want to talk about during a lively Zoom conference with members of the local media on Tuesday was Wolfpack coach Wes Moore.
Here's the complete transcript of what the 2020 ACC tournament MVP star had to say:
"I'm very disappointed with not hearing my name on Friday. That is something I've been working towards and dreaming about for the last 10 years, so definitely some strong emotions over that. But I'm not going to stop. That's something that isn't just going to end for me. It's a dream I can continue to pursue.
"Because of the (coronavirus) pandemic, everything is up in the air and we're in a strange time because WNBA training camps have no date yet and they're not sure what's happening or if the season is even going to happen, which we hope it does.
"But right now it's just focusing on finding out where I'm going to be going overseas when travel is available and then always being prepared for when an opportunity comes to enter the WNBA -- whether that's through injury of one of the players or just somebody being cut from a team and they need to fill the spot. Just being prepared and physically ready to go whenever it's need, even if that means it has to be next season."
Konig was asked how she was staying prepared physically during the coronavirus lockdown ...
“It’s a little bit strange. You have to get a little creative in the way you train and take care of your body. There’s been lots of outdoor running wherever I can find somewhere that’s not super populated by people. Then I’ve been on outdoor courts. If I can get into an indoor court, it’s a good day. If not, it’s outdoor courts.
"At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to conditioning, because that’s what’s going to separate the people who are really dedicated to it, especially in this time, and the ones who just take this as a hobby. It’s lots and lots of running.”
With everything that's been going on, Konig said that he hasn't really had time to reflect on State's ACC tournament championship and her MVP performance until recently.
"It didn’t really feel real when it happened. It kind of felt like some hazy dream because, once you win it, everything happens so fast. We had to sit down with the seniors and the coaches on Zoom and design the rings. That really puts it into perspective.
"We accomplished something super big, and we might not have been able to continue the season, but if we had to choose a way to end it before the tournament, I think that was the ultimate way to do it. Going out on a win like that is not something to be ashamed of.”
She said that the ACC title and ending the season on a high note was more special now because of the NCAA tournament being canceled.
“For sure. Short of winning the NCAA championship, that’s the only way we end our season on a win. I think it’s really special for the fans, especially, who have been waiting for this for us to be able to play it through. I know we were really disappointed about the men not being able to finish their tournament. Having that kind of closing moment, now knowing that would be our last game, is very special.”
Konig said that despite the uncertainty of when sports will be allowed to return, she and her agent are already pursing potential opportunities.
“I am signed with Wiesel Sports. Eric Wiesel is my agent, and he’s actually handling that for me. When he gathers a pool of good offers and opportunities, then we’re going to discuss what the next steps are.”
Because she wasn't projected to go before the third and final round of the WNBA draft, Konig said he held out hope of being selected right up until the end
“There was definitely always that possibility that I wouldn’t get drafted. There are certain teams that I could have filled their need. By the time that those teams had used all of their picks, it started to seem like it probably wasn’t going to happen. It’s disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world. I believe that I’ll have other opportunities to get a shot in the WNBA. It’s just a matter of timing and making sure I’m prepared for it.”
Some have suggested that the cancellatoin of the NCAA tournament cost Konig and others like her an opportunity to showcase their skills on a big stage and it may just have cost them a shot at getting drafted. At this point, Konig said it doesn't really matter.
“It could, but at the end of the day, I could say any number of things could have helped, like if Elissa (Cunane) wasn’t such a stud. I don’t like to think about the ‘shoulda-woulda-couldas.’ I want to focus on the next thing.
"Obviously, that could have changed it, but it also could have gone the other way. Ultimately, I’m very proud of my career at NC State and what we did this past year. I’m focusing on my next steps as opposed to regretting what could have been.”
With so much uncertainty about how much longer sports will be put on hold because of the pandemic, Konig was asked if she's feeling any anxiety over her uncertain basketball future.
“It is a lot of anxiety. I have friends and teammates that are getting jobs, who are stepping into the next steps of their lives with a plan. I’ve had a plan my entire life up until this point. There is a lot of anxiety, but I deal with that by over-preparing. I work out as much as I possibly can. I make sure that I keep busy. I just launched my website two nights ago. I’m focusing on the things that I can control and letting everybody else worry about the things I can’t.
At what point will she have to starting thinking about other options besides basketball?
"I think it's going to come by the end of the summer. This quarantine could last ... some people are jumping way out and saying it could last until 2022 and obviously then I'd need to get a job, which is terrifying because I've been an athlete my entire life. I've never actually worked a job.
"I think that after the summer, seeing how it goes. After the quartantine ends I'd still want to go back into basketball, so I'd have to continue to prepare for that. But I would definitely have to explore some ways to make some money in the meantime."
As much as she's looking forward to playing basketball again, Konig said she's just as anxious to reunite with her Wolfpack teammates to celebrate their ACC championship and get some badly needed closure for the season and her career.
"That's something I feel is going to be super important for the closure of everything. Usually, you play your game, and you know whether or not (the season) is going to end. We didn’t have that. We played our last game without even knowing it was our last game. We went into the gym ready to prepare for the next one and found out it wasn’t going to happen.
"Being able to have that closure as a team, to be able to celebrate what we’ve done one more time, will give us the closure for the season that we need overall. It was a mad scramble to get home to be with family after campus closed and so we went our separate ways and didn’t get to say goodbye the way we wanted to."
Konig was then asked if she'd had any conversations with State coach Wes Moore either before or after the draft. It was a simple question that provoked an unexpectedly cryptic response to finish the interview session...
"That's not a question that I think I should answer. I mean, it's complicated. We did a lot of good things at NC State together and I'm happy with what we've accomplished. But that's just not a question I have an answer for that is worth saying."
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