Future WNBA proCane Riquna Williams Q&A

This week we will be posting Q&As with some of the nation's top prospects so they can introduce themselves to WNBA fans.

Riquna Williams just finished her career at Miami. In four years with the Hurricanes, Williams averaged over 17 points a game, which pushed her over the 2,000-point plateau. Williams teamed up with fellow draft prospect Shenise Johnson to form one of the most formidable duos is Miami history. She was named a Third-Team All-American her senior year.

Check out Riquna's prospect profile.

One of your teammates, Shenise Johnson, is also expected to be a coveted draft prospect. Can you talk about what it’s like to play with someone of her talents?
Playing with Shenise Johnson was a great experience. Every day we made each other better. Her ability to rebound and defend is what made her better than all of the other guards around us.   

There’s a chance both you and Shenise will be first round picks.Can you talk about what that means for the Miami program that is often overshadowed in the ACC? For Miami this means history. Shenise and I have really put in a lot of work to become possible first-round picks. 

What will you tell teams if they ask you about not traveling with the team for the NCAA Tournament this season? 
I will tell teams that I am grateful for the opportunity that Katie Meier and the University of Miami have given me, even though I was unable to travel with the team, they still gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent at a high level which has put me in a great position.

What strengths, qualities or skills will be able to bring to a WNBA team?
My quickness and ability to be a leader, my drive and passion for the game, and wanting to get better every day and helping push my teammates in the same way. I know that in the WNBA that everyone pretty much has the same aspirations as one another and I’m just going to work my tail off every day.

What do you expect to be some of the biggest challenges or adjustments at the next level? Having to consistently run the point guard position because I have never ran the point consistently.

What specific skills do you need to work on in order to succeed at this level?
What I have been working on is finishing on the left side. I know I need to work on my shooting percentages from inside and out.

When were you introduced to the game of basketball? When I was 8 years old was when I was introduced to the game of basketball.

When did you know you wanted to be a professional basketball player? And, given that dream, when did you realize that you had a legitimate shot of doing so? My freshman year in college was when I knew that I wanted to be a professional basketball player. My sophomore year when I started getting attention from the media and we made it to the WNIT was when I realized I had a legitimate shot of doing so.

What do you think it will feel like when your name first gets called and who will you share the moment with?
I feel like I am going to be very emotional and I am going to share the moment with my agent Sharon Creer and my high school coach Anthony Whitfield.

Once you get settled in a new team, do you have any first-year goals in mind? 
My number one goal is to build relationships with my teammates and the coaching staff.

What WNBA players are you most looking forward to playing against or meeting? I’m most looking forward to meeting Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, and Candace Parker.

What is your best on-court moment? Playing and beating Maryland at Miami last season.

Tell your new fans something that most people do not know about you? I love to color.

How would you describe yourself? Shy.

What’s your favorite movie? What type of music do you listen to? Any particular artists that you listen to prior to a game? My favorite movie is any Tyler Perry movie. I love R&B music.


(wnba.com)