Starzz Great Natalie Williams Talks Jazz Female Broadcast
Mar 17, 2022, 2:11 PM
Natalie Williams #24 of the Utah Starzz passes the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The Sparks defeated the Starzz 84-71. (Photo Credit: Jeff Gross / Allsport / Getty Images)
(Photo Credit: Jeff Gross / Allsport / Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Starzz great and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Natalie Williams joined the Jake and Ben Show to discuss the Utah Jazz all-women broadcast set for Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Williams has deep ties to the state of Utah, attending Taylorsville High School before beginning her brilliant career for the UCLA Bruins.
After college, Williams was selected by the Starzz with the third pick of the 1998 WNBA draft and spent four seasons in Utah before being traded to the Indiana Fever.
Williams averaged 15.4 points and 9.7 rebounds in her four seasons with the Starzz while earning three All-Star nods.
Listen to Williams full interview on the Zone Sports Network below.
Williams discussed how the all-female broadcast came to be, and the growth of the women’s game in the state of Utah.
“It was mainly spurred from Holly Rowe and her striving to get more women involved, especially during International Women’s Month,” Williams said of the opportunity to discuss Friday’s Jazz broadcast.
“I was one of the people she thought would be great, and she was like, ‘Hey, one of the biggest is from Utah is Natalie Williams,’ so she reached out to me and I said, ‘Hey, it’ll be a lot of fun. Let’s do it.'”
Since hanging up her sneakers 16 years ago, Williams has been a basketball coach locally both at Skyline High School where she led the Eagles to two state titles, and at Juan Diego High School.
The longtime star has since started the Natalie Williams Basketball Academy which helps boys and girls of all ages develop their games on the hardwood.
The @utahjazz will have their first local all-women broadcast on @ATTSportsNetRM on Friday when the face the @laclippers.
And, the broadcast will feature several familiar Utah faces.#takenote https://t.co/hN6oQbI7He
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 14, 2022
Having worked with the youth in the state up close, Williams’ sees the women’s game making major strides in Utah.
“Kids and starting younger,” Williams said, “I have some amazing young women in my program that are only in sixth grade.”
Williams program just produced one of the nation’s 24 McDonalds All-Americans in Freemont’s Timea Gardiner.
The Jazz all-women broadcast will be aired on AT&T Sports Network where Williams will be joined by Rowe, Nayo Campbell, Jennifer Azzi, Kristen Kozlowski, and Krista Blunk.
