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Very few players could match the unquestioned and unrelenting passion of Sylvia Fowles.
A player who mastered what it means to be a complete player. She could score in bunches, rebound like no other and was supremely athletic.
That trifecta of illustriousness will pay off with her inductions into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. In both cases, Fowles will be inducted alongside fellow legends Sue Bird and Maya Moore.
Fowles’ contributions spread far and wide across the entire gamut of the game.
She was a standout talent at LSU from 2004-08, instrumental to the Tigers compiling a 125-21 record during that stretch that included four Final Four appearances. She still holds the program records for double-doubles, rebounds and blocks.
In 2008, Fowles was drafted No. 2 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky. She averaged 10.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in her rookie season. Later that year, she joined Team USA at the Beijing Olympics and helped bring home the team’s fourth-consecutive gold medal. It first of her four gold medals, winning the other three in 2012, 2016 and 2020. The following year, she earned her first of eight WNBA All-Star honors and became the third player to dunk in the All-Star Game, following Michelle Snow (2006) and Lisa Leslie (2005).
She would play in Chicago until 2014, when she was traded to the Minnesota Lynx.
It was 600 miles north of Chicago where Fowles would blossom. The fabulous foursome of Fowles, Moore, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen steamrolled through the 2015 season, culminating in a WNBA title and WNBA Finals MVP for Fowles. In 2017, Fowles was named the league MVP, averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as the Lynx went on to win their second title in three years and Fowles earned another Finals MVP honor.
Five years later, Fowles called it quits after 14 seasons in the WNBA. A four-time Defensive Player of the Year, she still holds the WNBA’s all-time rebounding record with 4,006, in addition to an accumulation of other achievements. Along the way, Fowles became a mentor to younger players—a template on how to be a potent force at both ends of the floor.
In an interview with Swish Appeal, Fowles spoke on her Hall of Fame Induction, her impact on the game, the recent WNBA Draft, her advice on how to be a high-caliber defender and what she wants her last legacy to be.
Sylvia Fowles, Hall of Fame inductee. How does that feel?
It’s still soaking in a little bit. Feels surreal. So sometimes I still have to ask the questions like, “Is this my life right now?” But it’s an honor. Definitely put it in the work to get to this point, but just to see it come back a full circle moment, I think you get to appreciate it a little bit more when it’s at this caliber.
What does it mean for you to not just be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, but also in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in the same year?
I don’t know. Is that even, like, realistic? I guess it’s definitely surprising to say that, but I think I’m soaking up the moment, because I always wanted the recognition of the hard work that I put in throughout my career. I hated the lamp lights part of it, but I always wanted the credit of her doing her job, and I think this put the stamp on top of I did, what I needed to do.
What does it mean for you to be able to go into the Hall of Fame, or Hall of Fames, at a time when you’re seeing such a rapid increase in the popularity of women’s basketball?
I mean, it just says a lot about the sport. We’re definitely now getting the recognition that I feel like we should have gotten back when I was playing, all the women before me that were playing, but, you know, everything has a time and a place, and I feel like this is happening when it’s supposed to happen. And I think to be getting inducted while we had an all-time high right now also speaks a lot of volume of what women are doing, not just in basketball, but across the board in all sports.
You’ve accomplished so much in your career. I mean, WNBA titles, Defensive Player of the Year honors, Olympic gold medals. You’ve accomplished so much. Is there any particular accomplishment that stands out the most to you or has great meaning to you? Or you are just thrilled by all that you’ve accomplished?
Overall? I’m thrilled about everything. I feel like I am a complete package. But if I had to choose one, I definitely would say the defense part of it. So winning Defensive Player of the Year multiple times. I kind of pride myself on defense. I hadn’t considered myself an offensive threat until I had to be put into that space, but definitely defense.
I was at the WNBA All Star game in Chicago in 2022.
The wrap up.
Yeah, I still have that image in my mind of you standing at center court, and A’ja Wilson is putting her arms up to you and giving you your props. What does that mean for you to know that you have this current generation of players that really look up to you and recognize you for all that you’ve done for the game?
SF: Well, A’ja’s like my little sister, but to have players look up to me, I think it also says a lot that I’ve been doing my job, not just as a player but also as a leader, making sure these young women also feel seen, that they know that it’s the space for everyone, and give credit to where it’s due. You know, I never been in a space where I felt like I had to want to hold everything for myself. It’s so much talent out there, and I think that’s what I appreciate most about our game.
You mentioned the defensive side of the game, which you obviously were known for. What would your advice be to current players on how to be a great defensive player? What’s the key to success in that regard?
The key to success for defense is definitely to be self-motivated. I don’t think it’s something that you can quite teach. You have to have that edge about you that’s very like feisty, but also in control and be curious about the things that you can and can’t do. You know, I think I pushed the needle a lot on defense of seeing what I can get away with, what I couldn’t get away with and challenging myself to better players. If these are your go-tos when I play against you, how can I take these things away or minimize them? So I think about being curious, playing games with yourself and not taking it too serious. It’s definitely some of the main keys.
We’re just just a few days after the 2025 WNBA Draft, and you played for the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx. What are your thoughts about this class of draftees? What are your hopes for these players?
I wish all of them well. One, it’s a long season, so be prepared to mentally and physically to sustain the season, but also to understand if you make it through training camp and make a roster, you’re here for a reason. Don’t underestimate yourself and go out there and have fun and give everything you got. But I think overall, this season is going to be interesting within itself, especially with all the movement that went on in the offseason. But I think it’s going to be a great season.
Is there anybody in particular that you’re gonna keep an eye out for?
I don’t have anyone in general, but I think there’s definitely gonna be some breakout players, some breakout rookies.
When people look back at your game, and they look back at all that you’ve accomplished, and on the cusp of being inducted into the Hall of Fame(s), what would you want your enduring legacy to be to the game?
To the game? Oh, that’s always a hard question for me only because I feel like basketball just was a pillar of who I am. But overall…I think that’s one thing that I pride myself on is I came in this league as Sylvia Fowles, and I left the league as Sylvia Fowles. And that can kind of get mixed up with the company throughout your years. You tend to sway towards this way or sway towards that way. But I feel like I’ve always been authentic and I’ve always been myself, and I think players take on to that.
