by Adena Andrews / @adena_andrews

The blogosphere was set ablaze as a modern day Battle of the Sexes was born from video (above) of New York Liberty point guard Cappie Pondexter playing against NBA veteran Sebastian Telfair. Thousands of viewers saw Pondexter make it rain buckets in a head-to-head matchup with a bigger, stronger, taller NBA player. But what they didn’t see were the events that led up to the explosive matchup of two legendary point guards. SLAM recently caught up with the two ballers to discuss what happened in Vegas.

SLAM: How did you end up playing together at Impact basketball facilities in Las Vegas?

Cappie Pondexter: Al Harrington and Chauncey Billups actually dragged me into the game. I was visiting Las Vegas with my brother and cousin and I got a call from Chauncey and he said, “I’m picking you up in the morning you’re going to workout with me.” I got to the gym the next day and after two hours of working out with Billups I was resting up and about to ice my body. Then Al Harrington comes over to me and says, “Get a jersey. You’re in”. I’m like “Really? But, I’m tired”. I played anyway because those guys are like my brothers and we are all just trying to get better.

Sebastian Telfair: That day I was in there working out with about 15-20 NBA players and we started playing pickup games. Cappie got called in at point guard and I was the point guard. We played five games and Cappie’s team won the first two and we won the last three. The game you saw on YouTube was the fourth game.

SLAM: What were your thoughts when you saw you were going to be matched up against each other?

CP: I just remembered him being a playground legend in New York. He was the head of his class coming out. It was just cool to go up against him.

ST: I came into the gym and saw Chauncey and about 15-20 other NBA players and that’s normal. But when I saw Cappie was going to be in the game, knowing how successful she is, probably top 15 in the WNBA, I had to respect that right away.

SLAM: When did you decide to turn up the heat in the game and go shot for shot?

CP: The jumper was just what I was feeling. I was kind of nursing an injury at the time too so I thought hitting jumpers was the safer thing to do. Also, I just wanted to work on my shooting. He gave me some good buckets too.

ST: It seems in game four she got a little more aggressive. On the first shot in the video, she comes down the left side and puts up a jumper. She even called “off” but it went in and didn’t even touch the net. I was right in her face and standing on top of her. That’s when I knew she was trying to win this. Then I hit her with the jumper then she hits me with the hesitation. At that point I thought, “She got game, so if I don’t take her serious she is going to try and show me up in here”

SLAM: Were you holding back in the game?

CP:I don’t know if he was taking it easy on me. He’s a cool guy and he was in there just trying to get better.

ST: After she hit a few shots I was definitely guarding her hard. I was saying in my head “She’s not going to score anymore” but she proved me wrong on that. There were other things that she did that weren’t on the tape. She was on the court holding her own. She would come off pick and rolls, make a pass and do obvious stuff the fans wouldn’t be able to understand. It’s no secret she is one of the best point guards to play the game.

SLAM: How did the crowd reaction fuel the tempo of the game?

CP: I got excited. Probably like four or five days ago I had just finished my season in the WNBA. So it was cool to get that reaction and play with the guys after that loss. It was definitely a confidence booster.

ST: That made it fun. You know how she plays; she is one of those up-tempo point guards with handle. It brought it back to street ball in the middle of a game with 20 NBA players in the gym.

SLAM: What was your reaction to the video going viral?

CP: I figured it was going to happen. I have also heard a lot of negative things about it. People say, “It’s fake, it’s not real”. People have to understand that I grew up doing this. I have been playing basketball since I was 10. This is what I love to do. I mean who wants to fake a video. We were both trying to get better and we were having fun doing what we love and it happened to be a crowd there. There’s nothing fake about that.

ST: I didn’t think it was going to go viral. I don’t have Twitter and Facebook like everyone else. I just follow it. As long as the people recognize I was out there fighting with another boss, that’s all that matters.

I know what you’re thinking: “What can WNBA players teach me about business?”

Thoughts are running through your head about the league suffering from low attendance, TV viewership and sponsorships. Not to mention you’ve heard countless rumors about the WNBA being a drain on the NBA’s resources.

Let me stop you right there. Those thoughts are far from reality.

The truth is that during the WNBA’s 15th season it experienced an increase in attendance and TV viewership, and the league landed a marquee sponsorship with Boost Mobile. As for resources, several WNBA owners have said that despite the economic downturn their teams are on pace to turn a profit within the next several seasons.

So, what can WNBA players teach you about business? A lot.

It’s a little-known fact that more than 90% of WNBA players are college graduates. For many reasons the concept of “one and done” doesn’t exist in the WNBA. As a result the league is full of players who are not only skilled on the court, but also in the classroom.

WNBA players are not going to college to bide their time until they are eligible for the pros. They’re going to college because they know that life on the basketball court won’t last forever.

Recently, I caught up with four WNBA players (Cappie Pondexter, Tammy Sutton-Brown, Essence Carson, and Asjha Jones) who are all “business” on and off the court. (Read more).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/12/19/five-lessons-wnba-players-can-teach-you-about-business/

What really defines an “It” girl? Looks? Style? Personality? All of the above for sure, but the true characteristic of an “It” girl is her undeniable hustle. Either on the court, in the booth or on the silver screen, she is relentless for her shot at the spotlight. It’s only right that we introduce (or re-introduce) you to the new slew of gorgeous, fashion-forward Vixens that we are slightly obsessed with.

Here’s who we’ll be keeping our eyes on this year. We recommend you do the same.

http://www.vibevixen.com/2011/10/the-%E2%80%9Cit%E2%80%9D-list-6-vixens-stepping-into-the-spotlight/

While NBA players have nothing better to do during a lockout, Cappie Pondexter has been playing ball with the New York Liberty all summer. And three days after it was over, she decided to go under the needle. Just recently, we’ve shown you new ink from Kevin Durant, Matt Barnes and Jeff Teague. Now, thanks to Twitter, we have the latest from the girl who recently gave Sebastian Telfair buckets. Check it out in all its glory after the jump.

http://dimemag.com/2011/10/wnbas-best-new-ink-cappie-pondexter/

S2S got in a little hang time to chat with the WNBA’s brightest star, New York Liberty shooting guard Cappie Pondexter.

The future.  It’s not only a tattoo but also a promise that is inked on Cappie’s right shoulder. With a sports career that has received honors such as an Olympic gold medal, championship titles and recognition as a WNBA All-Star, Cappie is representing for females everywhere.  And her talent and drive have helped her to build an empire that extends past the world of sports.  It’s a work ethic that she credits to her mother.

“My mom struggled so much to make sure my brother and I had the best living situation,” Cappie recalled. “We lived in a bad area but when you came to our house it was a different feeling.  To see her work two or three jobs motivates me now to make sure she never wants for anything in life.  That’s what keeps me going to be the best player on the road.”

Off the court, Cappie is hoping to expand the WNBA into the mainstream with her business ventures, including her image consulting and personal styling firm, 4 Season Style Management.  In building such an empire she is aiming to prove that if the men of basketball can do it big, then so can a woman.

“I’m so creative and I love being out the box and no player ever brought fashion to the WNBA.  It is unfortunate ‘cause you see guys like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh but there are great women as well.  I hope with my fashion business that people take notice of what we’re trying to do.”

Not only is Cappie venturing off into fashion, but she is also giving back as the spokesperson of Entertainers 4 Education Alliance, an organization that supports educational advancement for youth through various forms of multimedia and events.  With her goals of dominating the WNBA, expanding her brand and helping others it’s no surprise that Cappie finds it hard to balance a love life.

“It’s hard because I’m so independent and men want you to depend on them,” she admitted to S2S. “But I’m learning to let go and let a man do his job.  At the same time I don’t want to lose my strength.  It’s what got me to where I am right now in life.”

With so much determination there is little doubt that any man can take away Cappie’s focus from making all of her dreams a reality.

There hasn’t been much good news arriving out of the Windy City over the past few years. Since 2007 over 300 Chicago area students have been killed due to gun violence. Still, there is always hope and as a testament to that stands WNBA New York Liberty shooting guard, Cappie Pondexter. The WNBA All-Star, 2008 Olympic gold medal winner and championship titleholder is living proof that with a strong family support system, opportunity and education one can rise out of dire situations to reach greater heights.

“Chicago is a tough place to grow up with so much crime. I had so many [people] that were close to me [that have] been killed or jailed. A close cousin of mine that was 16 was murdered. My mom and grandmother were religious, so I was always in church. My only outlet to get with friends was basketball, and I used basketball to have a better life,” she says.

Pondexter knew early on that part of attaining a better life involved an education, so she enrolled into college. Even so, she faced a whole set of new challenges when she was expelled.

“I recited something wrong in a paper and I got kicked out of school for plagiarism. I had to get a job and find an apartment and pay bills. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball and it was the toughest thing ever. It made me respect and not take for granted the situation I was in.”

Now with recognition as a true WNBA star, Pondexter is taking nothing for granted including her status as a role model. As the new spokesperson for the non-profit Entertainers 4 Education Alliance, Cappie is helping to encourage youth to stay in school and graduate.

“In an urban neighborhood you don’t have anybody to look up. I have a voice because of what happened to me in college. When sports is not around, you need education to be successful in life,” she says.

Pondexter continues to find success in life off the court too with her new lifestyle firm, 4 Season Style Management. With these new ventures Pondexter continues to serve as an inspiration that there is always hope for getting out of one’s negative environment.

Thisis50 Sports – Cappie Pondexter From The New York Liberty In The WNBA [Speaks On Growing Up In Chicago, Female Misconceptions On Basketball Players, Fashion...]

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Thisis50 recently sat with professional basketball player “Cappie Pondexter“.
She speaks on growing up in Chicago and how it prepared her for professional basketball at he age of 10. She discusses some of the hardest obstacles she went though growi

ng up and misconceptions people have about female players. She also speaks on goals she wants to accomplish, being into fashion and much more!

A GLAM SLAM INTERVIEWS WNBA’S CAPPIE PONDEXTER

A Glam Slam first introduced you to Cappie Pondexter via Who’s Haute. Not only is she one of the WNBA’s biggest and brightest stars, but the New York Liberty point guard is a total fashionista.

A Glam Slam spoke with Cappie at the Blend Showroom in New York City, where this Lady Liberty dished on her style consulting firm, favorite designers and her future in fashion. Take a look:

A Glam Slam and Cappie Pondexter are giving away two tickets to a New York Liberty game at Madison Square Garden, where you can see Cappie in action. One lucky fan will be chosen at random. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Follow A Glam Slam (@HeatherZeller) & Cappie Pondexter (@cappa23; @4SeasonStyleMgt) on twitter
• Visit A Glam Slam’s FB fan page here and Cappie Pondexter’s FB fan page here and become our newest fans

A winner will be announced on Wednesday, July 7th. Good luck!