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Genero36
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
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 Posted: 08/17/18 2:48 pm ::: Depression Once Forced Her to Leave Basketball |
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| She won't do that. "She's unapologetic about how she plays," says Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks. When she rips down a rebound, pivots and spreads her elbows wide, breaking free of the double-, triple-teams that hack at her body, she unleashes her fire. |
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Cambage has been bullied since she was a young girl. Nowadays, she is accosted at least three times a day by strangers asking how tall she is. She says the heads of the WNBA, the WNBL (Australia) and FIBA have told her privately that they don't know how to referee someone of her size.
"If they can't get it together now, how is the game meant to progress and evolve?" Cambage says. "I'm evolution right now." |
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| Drake even mentioned her on Travis Scott's Astroworld: "See the shots that I took/ wet like I'm Book/ wet like I'm Lizzie." "He messaged me, and he was like, 'Did you hear it?' I said, 'Hear what?' He was like, 'That was your shoutout.'" She smiles. "He's always been a fan of basketball, women's basketball as well. He's a supporter." |
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| She enjoys playing in Dallas, though, especially with Diggins-Smith, her "Leo sister," and for her fellow Aussies, center Cayla George and assistant coach Erin Phillips. And for all the young girls at Wings games who feed off her confidence. |
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Her mother, her rock, whom she honors with a tattoo of a Julia Child rose on her right arm, taught her not to cower. "Julia taught her to be true to herself, to not to take shit from anyone, to be a boss in her own way," says Jenna O'Hea, a longtime friend and teammate on the Australian national team.
But Cambage would still come home crying every day. She felt so alone, so weighed down at age nine, that she felt like she couldn't go on. "I want to kill myself," she told her mom.
Julia put her daughter on the basketball court in hopes things would get better. They did. She was lanky. Far from a natural. She couldn't catch the ball at first. But she had spunk. Drive. And she sparkled. Soon she began to hit turnaround shots and attack the rim.
But coaches didn't know how to care for her rapidly growing body. They'd call her lazy and accuse her of faking injuries because the hip and back issues that came with her changing frame intensified.
Cambage drowned out the hurt by cranking up the music. When she moved her hips, her legs, her arms, magic happened. She could try to make peace with her body; enjoy it, even. Especially when listening to Kelis.
"'Milkshake' was my theme song as soon as it came out. I think I was 13," she says. "I just love Kelis. Full stop." |
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After 48 hours of being on suicide watch, back in December 2016, Cambage decided to move back home with her mom. She regularly saw a psychiatrist. She announced she was taking a year off from basketball. Locals criticized her decision, saying she'd never be able to come back and play at an elite level again.
But to Cambage, life was much bigger than that orange leather ball. She needed to heal. She didn't want to make the same choice as one of her high school best friends, who had killed herself. |
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2791044-unapologetically-liz?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral
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miller40
Joined: 29 Jun 2006
Posts: 1334
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| Posted: 08/17/18 3:36 pm ::: |
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| This takes a lot of personal courage to talk about so openly, and I hope she continues to take care of what she needs for her health.
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threadkiller1201
Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 423
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| Posted: 08/17/18 5:52 pm ::: |
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| great article. Thanks for posting.
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
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| Posted: 08/17/18 7:10 pm ::: |
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| miller40 wrote: |
| This takes a lot of personal courage to talk about so openly, and I hope she continues to take care of what she needs for her health. |
Indeed it takes great courage. Moreover, anyone in the public eye who talks about such struggles is offering a really precious gift to people out there who are also struggling.
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008
Posts: 32335
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| Posted: 08/17/18 8:24 pm ::: |
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| Bob Lamm wrote: |
| miller40 wrote: |
| This takes a lot of personal courage to talk about so openly, and I hope she continues to take care of what she needs for her health. |
Indeed it takes great courage. Moreover, anyone in the public eye who talks about such struggles is offering a really precious gift to people out there who are also struggling. |
yes.
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if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14097
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| Posted: 08/17/18 11:06 pm ::: |
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Definitely an interesting perspective provided about a player I basically have not liked. I'm not sure this makes me like her any better, but it does show how easy it is to develop an incomplete perception of a public figure and not know the complexities that may form that person's actions.
I empathize with what she's been through.
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GEF34
Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 14109
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| Posted: 08/18/18 12:30 am ::: |
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The more and more people are coming out and being open about mental illnesses and depression you would think the world would learn and become more caring and positive, but instead there is a lot of negativity out in the world. Maybe it's changed with social media, but as I mentioned in another thread I constantly read negative comments about women's basketball on social media, and I'm sure the players see a lot more than I do, and even other sports and just people in general, why do people feel the need to say such things. Even if you think women's basketball (or something else) is the worst idea ever created what is the point of writing a comment, don't you have more important things to do than take the time to tag athletes and write a comment about it.
It's unfortunately for her she has to constantly go through this, hopefully things will be better for her moving forward.
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
Posts: 7924
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| Posted: 08/18/18 7:11 am ::: |
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| She is unapologetically Hollywood Liz, indeed!
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WNBA 09
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Posts: 12528
Location: Dallas , Texas
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| Posted: 08/18/18 8:33 am ::: |
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| NYL_WNBA_FAN wrote: |
Definitely an interesting perspective provided about a player I basically have not liked. I'm not sure this makes me like her any better, but it does show how easy it is to develop an incomplete perception of a public figure and not know the complexities that may form that person's actions.
I empathize with what she's been through. |
Thank you NYL this was very nice and genuine !
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bballgrl
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
Posts: 3629
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| Posted: 08/18/18 1:59 pm ::: Re: Depression Once Forced Her to Leave Basketball |
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| Genero36 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| She won't do that. "She's unapologetic about how she plays," says Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks. When she rips down a rebound, pivots and spreads her elbows wide, breaking free of the double-, triple-teams that hack at her body, she unleashes her fire. |
| Quote: |
Cambage has been bullied since she was a young girl. Nowadays, she is accosted at least three times a day by strangers asking how tall she is. She says the heads of the WNBA, the WNBL (Australia) and FIBA have told her privately that they don't know how to referee someone of her size.
"If they can't get it together now, how is the game meant to progress and evolve?" Cambage says. "I'm evolution right now." |
| Quote: |
| Drake even mentioned her on Travis Scott's Astroworld: "See the shots that I took/ wet like I'm Book/ wet like I'm Lizzie." "He messaged me, and he was like, 'Did you hear it?' I said, 'Hear what?' He was like, 'That was your shoutout.'" She smiles. "He's always been a fan of basketball, women's basketball as well. He's a supporter." |
| Quote: |
| She enjoys playing in Dallas, though, especially with Diggins-Smith, her "Leo sister," and for her fellow Aussies, center Cayla George and assistant coach Erin Phillips. And for all the young girls at Wings games who feed off her confidence. |
| Quote: |
Her mother, her rock, whom she honors with a tattoo of a Julia Child rose on her right arm, taught her not to cower. "Julia taught her to be true to herself, to not to take shit from anyone, to be a boss in her own way," says Jenna O'Hea, a longtime friend and teammate on the Australian national team.
But Cambage would still come home crying every day. She felt so alone, so weighed down at age nine, that she felt like she couldn't go on. "I want to kill myself," she told her mom.
Julia put her daughter on the basketball court in hopes things would get better. They did. She was lanky. Far from a natural. She couldn't catch the ball at first. But she had spunk. Drive. And she sparkled. Soon she began to hit turnaround shots and attack the rim.
But coaches didn't know how to care for her rapidly growing body. They'd call her lazy and accuse her of faking injuries because the hip and back issues that came with her changing frame intensified.
Cambage drowned out the hurt by cranking up the music. When she moved her hips, her legs, her arms, magic happened. She could try to make peace with her body; enjoy it, even. Especially when listening to Kelis.
"'Milkshake' was my theme song as soon as it came out. I think I was 13," she says. "I just love Kelis. Full stop." |
| Quote: |
After 48 hours of being on suicide watch, back in December 2016, Cambage decided to move back home with her mom. She regularly saw a psychiatrist. She announced she was taking a year off from basketball. Locals criticized her decision, saying she'd never be able to come back and play at an elite level again.
But to Cambage, life was much bigger than that orange leather ball. She needed to heal. She didn't want to make the same choice as one of her high school best friends, who had killed herself. |
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2791044-unapologetically-liz?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral |
Her story is eye opening. Anyone who has not read the full story should do so. Click on the link and read the whole thing. You will be taking a walk through her life from a child to an adult. I understand her much better.
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016
Posts: 1423
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| Posted: 08/18/18 10:41 pm ::: |
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| Great article on Liz! I'm glad to see her coming into her own and feeling more comfortable in her skin...in her body. I truly hope she comes back to the league next year and wish her nothing but the best.
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craigmont
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 981
Location: Bing-town
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| Posted: 08/18/18 10:57 pm ::: |
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| Hard to root against her after reading that.
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