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 Monday, December 13
Courting success
 
 Milena Flores' career at Stanford is far from over. The 1999 First Team All-Pac-10 selection, who led the conference in both assists per game (7.3) and free throw percentage (.798) a year ago, hopes to lead Stanford to yet another NCAA Tournament berth in March.

Milena Flores
Milena Flores and Stanford are 2-1.

And after graduation, the 5-foot-6 senior point guard says the court will still be in important part of her life. After graduating, Flores plans on either taking her game to the WNBA -- or to the courtroom.

"I've been thinking about going to law school," Flores said during a chat with ESPN.com on Tuesday. "If given the opportunity, I would love to play in the WNBA. And if the WNBA is there for me, I'll certainly take advantage of it."

Flores also talked about what it's like to be a role model, and admitted Magic Johnson was the player she looked up to while growing up.

If you missed Flores' chat, check out the edited transcript below. And for more information on the Cardinal, visit Stanford's official athletic site.

Milena Flores: Hi from Stanford. I'm really glad to be here to answer your questions today. Thanks for all your support. Let's get started.

Bill Holt: Hi, Milena. We certainly have enjoyed following your wonderful career, both here at Snohomish and now at Stanford. What are your plans after finishing your playing career at Stanford? Wishing you a great senior season. Bill & Marilyn Holt

Milena Flores: Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Holt. I really don't know what I'm going to do. I've been thinking about going to law school. If I could, I would play basketball for the rest of my life, but I'm not sure that's an option.

Can I take a picture w/ you: Hi Milena. Nice job vs. UT. Anyway, what are your plans for your post college career? Do you plan on going to grad school, trying out for the WNBA, staying around the Bay Area?

Milena Flores: If given the opportunity, I would love to play in the WNBA. My passion for basketball certainly won't end with my last senior game. And if the WNBA is there for me, I'll certainly take advantage of it. As for staying in the Bay Area, I love it here. But I also like it up there in the Northwest, and I don't know where I'll be yet.

Cardinal Fan1: Milena, Do former players (like Jennifer Azzi, Kate Starbird, Jamila Wideman, Katy Steding) ever come by practice or games?

Milena Flores: A lot of Stanford alumni come and watch the games. As a matter of fact, a few of the younger ones come and practice with us, including Kate Paye and Kate Starbird.

sarah luna: 1. How do you feel about your team going into the season? 2. What does it feel like to play at a college where so many great players have came from. 3. How does it feel to be a role model to so many different fans, most of all Hispanic females like me?

Milena Flores: Going into the season, we are all very excited. We worked hard all summer to make the season a special one. As far as playing here, it's wonderful coming into such a great tradition, but at the same time, you don't want to let down any of those players that played here before you. You have a responsibility to carry on that legacy.

Lastly, it's a great opportunity to be a role model. I don't take it lightly. I know there aren't a lot of Mexican American basketball players out there, so I'm honored to go out there and play my hardest.

Loy: Which players do you look up to? (men, women, pro, college, fellow teammates?

Milena Flores: When I was really young, I was a big Lakers fan. Magic Johnson, just because he was a point guard, and the way he controlled the game. And he made fancy passes all the time.

I don't have a lot of idols, but one person who I look up to was Jamila Wideman, because she showed me what it took to be a true leader.

TheSixthMooseClub: Milena, what is your perspective on the idea that Tara's time away from Stanford as the U.S. Olympic Coach was detrimental to the program? Certainly, this year's team has proven that the Cardinal will be contenders this season (and in years to come), but some would argue that the struggles of last season were a simple consequence of the disruption caused by Tara's departure in 1996. (I'm not questioning her decision at all... simply wondering if last year was a somewhat natural consequence of it.)

Milena Flores: That is a difficult question. I think that the difficulties that we experienced last season can't be put on Tara leading the Olympic team to a gold medal. I think the main problem was that our team was very young.

TheSixthMooseClub: There has been a lot of talk (at least by the fans!) about the upcoming return of Lindsey Yamasaki as soon as volleyball season is over (with a NC hopefully!). It has never been Tara's policy to change the starting rotation because of late arrivals (i.e. Folkl came off the bench) but how many adjustments will the team need to make in order to accommodate her offensive explosiveness and the mismatches she can cause at off-guard?

Milena Flores: I'm hoping the team will adjust in the same positive way it did when Kristin Folkl came back. This is a very unselfish team and we're concerned with playing well and winning. And another great player shouldn't harm that chemistry.

Adriel Lares: What's the biggest advantage/challenge about running the Stanford offense with the current roster?

Milena Flores: The biggest advantage we have is our versatility. We have a lot of different lineups that we can put out there, and a lot of different people who can score from all parts of the court.

PennStateFan: Milena - At the beginning of the season, UConn looks like they are head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the country. Would you agree and who do you believe has the best chance of knocking them off?

Milena Flores: From watching them on TV, UConn looks like some sort of offensive juggernaut. It's a little early to say who can beat them. On given days, any team can play badly or incredibly well. I think any team that can handle their pressure and run with them can have a chance.

Ashaki: Hi Milena, I was wondering where is he toughest place to play in the Pac-10? UA, ASU, UCLA, USC, Cal, UW, WSU, UO, OSU?

Milena Flores: I think Stanford is up there, but for us, playing at the pit in Oregon is a pretty tough place. Their fans are pretty enthusiastic, and it's a pretty loud place.

Benny: How has it been having to adjust to the point-point setup with Jamie Carey?

Milena Flores: It's been a pretty easy adjustment. I definitely like to push the ball up the court on the fast break, and having two ballhandlers out there isn't a detriment. It definitely helps with teams that pressure, and Jamie is very intelligent, and a great player. So there's no harm done there.

The Farm: What will be the keys to defeating Oregon and UCLA?

Milena Flores: I think the keys to defeating Oregon will be to rebound. They have very good big people. Basically, if we can execute our offense and box out, I think those are the keys to beating both of them.

Josh Hoover: Hi, I am from Pennsylvania and I would like to know which conference is the hardest to play in?

Milena Flores: I think history has proven that the SEC is definitely the hardest or most competitive conference in the country. But of course there are many other conferences that have very good teams year in and year out, like the Big Ten and the ACC, and of course, the Pac-10.

Salad Shooter: How good is this team compared to the past three years? How motivated?

Milena Flores: I think this team in comparison to the teams of the past two years has a much greater deal of maturity and is much more focused. I think we're very much more driven to a common goal. In comparison to the team my freshman year, we don't have as much NCAA Tournament experience. There are other differences as well, but this team is ready to do some special things this year.

chris: do you remember the greatest game you ever played?

Milena Flores: I've never really been much of a stat kind of person, so I think the greatest game I've ever been a part of is our game against Georgia my freshman year. To get to the Final Four was ... it was very emotional because our team had lost to them the year before in the Final Four. That one, above all, stands out in my memory.

That's all the time we have for now. I would like to thank everybody for their questions, and also say hi to my mom, as well as anybody from Snohomish (Washington) or Stanford -- and everyone else around the country who knows me and has been reading along with us.

Go Stanford!

 


Stanford's official athletic site
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