Veronica Burton Speaks on Breakout WNBA Season & Goal of Winning DPOY in Unrivaled

Who would you love to match up with on that big stage in the 1 v1?

I'm excited to play Pee shoot, and maybe don't show Fee this beforehand because I don't need her getting on that.

Hey, what's going on y'all and welcome to Around the W presented by Sports Illustrated.

I'm your host Maria Clifton, AKA DJ Rhea, and we are down in Miami at Unrivaled y'all.

All this amazing talent under one roof, and right now we have one of the toughest.

Toughest perimeter defenders and smartest guards in the league sitting in front of us coming off a huge WNBA season and now stepping into unrivaled with Team Miss y'all give it up for herself, Ms.

Veronica Burton.

Thank you, thank you for having me.

Oh, we're so excited to have you.

And how is it for you to be down here in Miami unrivaled season two?

It's awesome.

I was able to watch a lot of season one last year even though I was overseas, and I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of from the jump.

So I'm really excited.

I think Miss BC will surprise some people, and I'm ready to get after it.

Listen, I love it.

We're gonna jump into that, but before we get into that, our favorite segment.

We got a little sideline couture.

We wanna know about you, your styles, your vibes, how you get dressed, how you feel, because like they say, you feel good, you play good.

So let's check out look number one, girl.

All right, talk to us about this now.

The this , where, where do we get those legs?

Where can we buy though?

Where can we buy this program?

This was a good day, I guess, um, this was in Connecticut, uh, last year, I.

Was feeling myself a little bit I guess because I don't dress up that much but all black.

I'm a big fan of all black.

I don't need too much color um my hair, the curls were popping on the day so I'm grateful for that.

And then I usually keep it small with the earrings, uh, so this was a little bit out of my comfort zone, but I thought it brought the fit together a little bit.

OK, so we need your fitness trainer, we need the look, we need all of this.

I love it.

You can this outfit, this is a Miami outfit, girl.

We, we going outside in this outfit this season.

Love this look simple, classy, chic, a little sexy.

Alright, look number 2, what do we got?

Alright, a little switching up, but you got, you have the abs of the body girl, so let's show off the, you know what I'm saying, the ab work, but talk to us about this outfit.

Yeah, this was, um, I call these jeans my standing jeans because I can't sit very well with those, um, ladies, we all have that problem.

Um, I had some new heels, so these were a little out of my comfort zone.

Um, I'm a very simple person, especially with my tunnel outfits.

I don't really like to do too much, so this was comfortable for me, uh, just the denim jeans, uh, no holes, uh, so I was grateful for that.

And then the top, it was like a little cowgirl-esque, I felt like with the collar and everything.

Um, so I don't know , it was something that I, I had like put together, nothing crazy.

The hair, my hair girl did her thing, so love it, yes, the braids.

I feel like that's one of your signatures.

We love that look, look gorgeous as well, business, casual chic, but you can also go out and do a little something in this.

Now here at Unraveled I know one of the things is the tunnel fits.

So are you ready for the tunnel fits like are we.

Gonna see more of this or more of the first look.

What do you think?

What do you think?

Honestly, I'm not gonna lie to you.

I'm not too sure yet.

We're gonna see.

I'm not someone that like plans too much in advance.

I think every now and then I'll definitely step out.

I think that's what makes you appreciate it a little more when I do because it doesn't happen often.

Um, there will definitely be some days where it's very calm, casual, like athleisure, chill, like big into athleisure, so I'll see.

Some of that, um, but every now and then we'll see.

Listen, we'll see, we're excited for your looks.

So once again you style yourself, you don't have a stylist.

You do your thing.

I love it.

I love it.

It's, it's true to you and true to who you are.

Maybe one day we'll see, maybe one day, let's tap in stylists and all that, but stay to who you are , true to who you are, you know what I'm saying?

They could add some pieces, but being who you are literally has shown through, especially the season that you've had in the WNBA.

We're Gonna go jump into right around the W with your breakout WNBA year, which is crazy to think because now I literally just seen something the other day and it said 1314 months ago Veronica Burton was waived from a team and now is being invited to join Team USA training camp, you know what I'm saying?

So coming off the strongest year I feel for your WNBA season, what clicked for you and how do you carry that confidence into Unrivaled?

Yeah.

Um, I think there was definitely a lot of, first and foremost just opportunity.

I really do believe that's a big thing, especially in the W, um, and when people believe in you and when people instill confidence into you, it can really go a long way, and I was really grateful to be a part of the expansion draft and get drafted by the Valkyries.

And our GM Moema and Coach Natt really from the jump just bought into me and who I am as a person and a player and so obviously a lot of work done behind the scenes in terms of on-court performance.

I had just come off of a championship in Australia, so I was feeling good and I'm just, I was grateful honestly for the opportunity by the grace of God to get it and now to be here I'm excited.

Um, just hoping to continue to build on it and continue to get better.

We love that for you and congratulations on all your success.

We chatted with Mo Billings, one of your teammates.

How was that experience, you know, with the expansion of the team, but also just raising up the city over there and bringing something new?

It was awesome, honestly, I, I, I don't think any of us knew.

We knew it was gonna be like dope.

We knew the fans were excited, but to be at Chase Center, sold out crowds every single home game, like the energy was unmatched.

Um, we fed off of them, and honestly the, the type of people that we had there within the organization, the types of players, um, we all just got along so well and so it was really fun to play every single game and I think you could see it.

I think it translated into wins for us being able to play in the playoffs.

Uh, it was really a surreal experience.

Oh yeah, no, and Bahalla.

It looked lit y'all got violin.

Y'all was turning.

If you haven't been to Valhalla, you gotta come through because it's really unmatched.

I definitely have to come through.

Definitely have to come through.

Plus I love y'all colors , y'all colors, you know what I'm saying, even the colors y'all have for the mist.

I'm loving this season colors y'all were a little light blue last year.

Maybe I'll have another flip, but know I've heard I'm liking the major upgrade, so I love it.

I haven't really been navy blue, uh, in a little while, so I'm grateful.

It looks good on you, girl.

It looks good on you now team.

You're repping that jersey very well.

You got Stewie, Enrique, Alicia, Ilana, and Lee.

How do you see your defensive energy and playmaking fitting into this group?

Yeah, I think, um, first and foremost you said it like on both sides of the basketball.

I think we're a team that will take value in that and, um, we're also fast like we can get out and run, uh, I'm big on transition.

I love playing fast pace up and down, um, so being able to utilize that part of my game.

And then I am a point guard and so just being able to communicate, being able to be vocal, I think we have so many incredible vets on this team that I can learn from and I'm grateful for that.

Um, I have experience playing with Leash and with Enrique, so that'll be fun, and then I'm really excited to be able to play with 3 new people that I haven't gotten the chance to yet.

So listen, your backcourt looks a little dangerous.

Your backcourts a little dangerous, girl.

Now speaking of defense, you're known as a disrupter defensively, girl.

You get in their face, you talk to them, you get under their skin.

We love that about you.

How does defense change in a 3 on 3 setting for you?

And is it like it's because there's less help, you know.

So are you eyeing for example as well Defensive Player of the Year?

Yeah, for sure.

I mean this is an area where you really can get exposed on the defensive end if you if you don't have it and so, uh, it's something that I've always taken pride in and I think it'll be even more on display here just the one on one defense being able to navigate through ball screens, um, even picking up full court like just all of that.

I really do believe it'll carry, uh, here and in this experience and so I'm excited.

That's always a goal, you know, whenever you can, uh, make a statement in that way, uh, but just trying to get some wins honestly wins y'all needed it, especially from last year.

I feel like with this squad you definitely will go far and listen, we're gonna manifest your we're gonna manifest that defensive player of the Year for you girl.

All right, last question before we get out of here who would you love to match up with on that.

Big stage in the 1 v1.

Not only is there a lot of money and pride on the line, but you are a defensive disruptor, you know.

I know T Cloud's also defensive.

There's other people out there who do you think you could shape and shake up?

I don't know.

I'm ready for anyone in the one on one.

I know it's about the former champion who was a fee last year.

Yeah, I'm excited to play fee shoot, but honestly.

Everyone, I think it'll be a really dope experience.

I, it's something new for me, so, uh, I'm looking forward to it.

See, that's what I said, and my producer and them, they were like, You wanna play fee?

Oh, you wanna, you wanna be eliminated right away?

I said, No, I wanna play the best of the best.

I was gonna play number one.

We won.

I wanna play the winner of last year and maybe don't show fee this beforehand because I don't need her getting on top of that, but honestly, I'm looking forward to playing everyone.

No, I love that because we were just chatting with Enrique as well and she was saying it's hard because she had got matched up with a post right away and you're out of there .

But I was like, Girl, you're gonna have to be matched up at some point in time.

So I think you need to think of some strategies.

I'm gonna start writing some stuff down.

I got y'all going, but listen, we love you.

Good luck with everything going on this season, your first season on Rivals, season 2.

This is another episode of Round the W.

I'm your host Maria Clifton, AKA DJ Rhea.

Veronica Burton in the house, y'all, and wish you the best of luck, and we'll be back for another episode coming your way soon.