UCLA’s Gianna Kneepkens addresses pressure team faces in getting back to Final Four, reflects on how culture at UCLA has grown her game

Alicia Jay and Erica L. Ayala are joined by UCLA's Gianna Kneepkens ahead of the NCAA Tournament as the team aims to get back to the Final Four. They get into spending her final season at UCLA, biggest things she’s learned and how she’s managing the lofty expectations for this Bruins squad. Additionally, they talk about how the team has kept the joy in playing and how that has propelled them this season. Finally, they wrap talking a bit about the WNBA, with Gianna shouting out the Minnesota Lynx and Kayla McBride, and saying that the one skill she would steal from any current player is A’ja Wilson’s dominance. (0:00) Intro & Welcome Gianna (0:28) Biggest thing she’s learned going from Utah to UCLA (1:07) What has the transition been like and what she feels she’s added to this Bruins squad (2:02) On her impact at UCLA (2:35) Importance of having a team mindset (3:29) What winning the Big Ten Championship meant to her (4:20) How she would describe this season at UCLA (5:36) On how this season prepared her for the pros (6:30) UCLA’s lack of coverage and keeping their circle tight (7:32) Lessons she’s learned from Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez (8:25) Any superstitions and Lauren Betts being the locker room DJ (9:15) The importance of finding the joy in playing basketball (10:38) Lauren Betts’ go-to pre-game jams (11:41) What UCLA makes of their side of the NCAA Tournament bracket (13:04) On the goal of making it back-to-back Final Four appearances (14:06) On this being her final March Madness and staying present (15:18) The Big Ten Tourney win already ranks among her favorite March Madness memories (16:12) What Gianna now would say to Gianna after her injury (17:17) What her mother’s support has meant to her (18:21) Celebrating Big Ten win with her family (19:09) Minnesota: The State of Women’s Basketball? (20:32) Her favorite Minnesota basketball player (21:14) Excitement around the WNBA CBA news and having a season (22:13) Looking ahead to the WNBA Draft (22:57) What makes Diana Taurasi her GOAT (24:03) Which current WNBA player she looks up to (24:52) One skill she wants? A’ja Wilson’s dominance (25:49) How she describes her game (26:24) How she’s learning the fashion game from her teammates (27:40) Her pre-game routine and rituals + the importance of visualization (29:17) One thing people don’t know about Gianna Kneepkens