Monique Billings (No. 25, forward) of the Dallas Wings maximizes each opportunity to contribute for her tried and true squad each game as seen in the Atlanta Dream matchup on Friday, July 5, 2024, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
ARLINGTON, Texas — Before the start of the 2024 WNBA season, Monique Billings was not sure where she would play. The talented, 6’4” forward from Riverside, California still had plenty of basketball left in her arsenal as a force in the paint and her strong, defensive skills that frazzled opponents.
Opportunity knocked for Billings following the May 15 season opener for the Dallas Wings against the Chicago Sky. Signing with the Wings on a hardship contract due to Natasha Howard’s foot injury, it was a moment in which the 28-year-old UCLA alum recalled vividly.
“I was at my mom’s house when I got the call,” Billings said. “Very unexpected. It was three days and I wasn’t on a team. I didn’t know where I was gonna end up, but I’m a woman of faith. So I knew that God was gonna put me right where I was supposed to be. That’s what He did.
“Being with this organization has been fantastic, from front office to the staff to my teammates. Everyone just a part of the organization just is on point. And so I’m really grateful and just excited for the opportunity and excited to keep building with this team.”
Before the WNBA heads into an extended break following the WNBA All-Star Game Weekend and 2024 Paris Olympics, Billings chimed in on what it means to play for the Wings with head coach Latricia Trammell, a leader who levels with her players authentically.
Monique Billings (No. 25, forward) of the Dallas Wings gave her flowers to head coach Latricia Trammell on her genuine connection with her roster. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
“She’s a player’s coach. She prides herself on being a player’s coach,” Billing shared. “I feel like that’s why I’ve been able to thrive in this environment, just playing free. And in my career, I really haven’t had a coach who’s poured into me in a super positive way, and I just feel empowered. And so it’s been, awesome playing for LT. Yeah, it’s been really great.”
Whether in the starting five or coming off the bench, Billings has done more than accomplish what is on the task, someone who Trammell can count on.
When Billings has been in the starting lineup, her incredible speed, coast-to-coast on the hardwood court and her ability to soar to great heights for the basket live up to the Wings’ motto to “Volt Up.” Even when she is brought into a game of the bench, she can be counted on to log valuable minutes to stymie the opposing offense while taking it to the rim like her track and field years.
Throughout Billings’ professional basketball career, she has played in locales like Atlanta, South Korea, Russia, Australia and Israel. Although it is not uncommon for professional basketball players like Billings to play overseas, her experiences have served her well beyond an experience standpoint.
“I’ve been blessed to just live in so many different places, experience different cultures, foods and people. It has been a blast,” Billings said with her genuine smile. “What have I learned about myself? It should be adaptable. And anywhere you go, it’s gonna be different. No matter the country, the situation, you just have to be open and adaptable because everyone has different cultures.
“It looks different wherever you go. But I wanna go and be a light in any environment. I never wanna be an diva or someone stuck up [or] standoffish. I am looking to fully immersing myself in all of these cultures when I go. So being adaptable is the biggest thing that I feel like I’ve learned in my journey.”
For a sport invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Dr. James Naismith in December 1891, the beauty of basketball is that there are no barriers or boundaries. As Billings attests with her tenures in Asia, the fans appreciate these icons, truly seeing them aside from their remarkable skills on the court.
“Yeah, it’s cool. The fans will show up to the games,” Billings shared. “They have jerseys. What I like about playing in Asia, they’ll give you little gifts or little treats after the game, which is so sweet. It might be a little bracelet or a little flower or a card. But, when I was playing in Korea or China, I got a lot of love from the fans.”
Finding the Balance
While Billings progresses in her basketball career with the Wings, she has also worked toward achieving a balance from a mental health standpoint. After all, as any competitive athlete can attest, sports has a way of bringing out extreme thoughts and emotions.
Take Billings’ situation prior to the start of the 2024 WNBA season. After playing six seasons with the Atlanta Dream, suddenly, she was on the outside looking in for her next home in the top U.S. professional women’s basketball league.
Given how there are only 12 total teams and a maximum of 12 roster spots per team, there are no guarantees for a landing place, temporary or long-term. To say the least, Billings is grateful to have an indelible role as a dual threat on both ends of the court.
Throughout Billings’ journey and especially following the 2020 COVID pandemic, she has found one of the keys toward an enriching balance in life, on and off the court.
For Monique Billings, life on and off the court goes beyond key performance indicators and the outcome of a 40-minute WNBA game. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
“Something that I have learned and and continuing to learn is that my value comes in who I am, not from what I do,” Billings observed. “And I feel like that is can be a big hurdle mental health wise. When you’re so locked in and tied into your identity on the court, it can kind of merge into your identity off the court, but those are two separate things.
“I think in sports, in life, I think sometimes, we forget the value of who we are as human beings, the light that we bring, people that we inspire. It’s so much bigger than just putting the ball in the hoop, which that’s important too. But the biggest thing is how you treat people, how you make people feel, the impact that you’re leaving on the game.”
For Billings, it goes beyond impressive stat lines in a box score or highlight plays on ESPN SportsCenter. Sure, whether it is a dynamic basketball player or a musician, pride is something anyone feels.
As Billings attests, getting the balance right is not always easy but it provides clarity in the long run.
“I feel like that’s something that I’m learning, just the maturity in my career,” Billings said. “And so from a mental health standpoint, I would say just being even keel. I think that’s very important when it comes to knowing who you are.
“Not getting too high. If you have a crazy double-double, not getting too low. If you have a game where maybe you didn’t score, if you’re being even in the middle. And the most important thing is just keeping your personality in check, being humble, and remaining like a good person and being light.”
Regardless of the outcome, Monique Billings knows it is about shining a light with her teammates while giving it her all with grace and humility. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
Along the way, humility shines a light on the small victories that can sometimes be neglected. Billings, who wrote her book, finding balance: a playbook for wellness, has a healthy perspective on seeing the good in life no mater the result in a 40-minute WNBA game.
“Yeah, just seeing the bigger picture, remembering the bigger picture. I struggle with this too, but, it’s not that big,” Billings said. “Life is gonna go on. There’s so many more important things and matters.
“When I lose games, I’m competitive, and it’s hard. And, of course, I don’t wanna lose, but I’m trying to keep everything into perspective. Life is so good. I’m healthy. If I lost the game, but I was able to walk off the court, that’s just perspective that I gotta have. It’s all good.”
Volt Up for Billings and Women’s Basketball
Before Billings was drafted by the Dream in the 2018 WNBA Draft, she made her presence known as a dynamic, decorated forward for UCLA from 2014 to 2018. The two-time Pac 12 All-Defensive Team and two-time All-Pac 12 award winner elevated her craft throughout her collegiate career.
One of the teammates who Billings holds with venerable perspective is Jordin Canada. From 2014 to 2018, Canada and Billings were a formidable defensive duo with the latter providing flowers with such high regards.
“I was in the same class with Jordan Canada. I miss playing with her,” Billings said. “We had a lot of good times. I think we just fed off each other. We had such good energy and synergy on the court. She was the Kobe [Bryant] to my Shaq [O’Neal]. That’s what it felt like playing at UCLA. We’re both still playing, so hopefully we can, play together again.”
Needless to say, Canada sang her praises of Billings on X when she said, “My dawg! We had some fun and special times together! Definitely miss our one two punch. Appreciate you Mo Money!”
Canada and Billings continue their basketball dreams with their respective teams in the Dream and Wings in a season that has seen spectacular growth for the league and sport. More eyes are on women’s basketball, from NCAA to WNBA action throughout the year.
Naturally, Billings enjoys seeing the growth of women’s basketball. No matter the reason, it is a win-win for the league and entirety of women’s sports, as she shared some ways for this growth to be more than sustainable for the long run.
Monique Billings enjoys the growth of women’s basketball and women’s sports while offering her insights on how to further solidify the sport’s progress. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
“I love it. I love that people are talking about the sport,” she said. “People are investing in personal stories. I think the leads in the industry will grow just by sharing more personal stories, allowing fans to really connect with individual players, with teams, more activations, allowing fans to be in our space more, whether that’s like signing or just different game day type activities.
“I think it’s cool. But, I think the league is growing. I think it’s only gonna continue to grow. I can’t wait to see where it goes.”
Through it all, from the hardwood court to author, basketball analyst, and model, Billings is fittingly seen as “the girl who does it all.” If she could choose any actress to portray her life on and off the court in a movie, much like an open look to a teammate or a clear path for her driving layups, Billings did not hesitate on her selection.
“I am picking Tyra Banks. She has been my idol since I was a young girl,” Billing said, smiling. “I wanted to be like her when I was growing up. So if she were to play me in a movie, that would be incredible. I love Tyra. So go ahead and hit my line, Tyra.”
Editor’s Notes
Special thanks to Monique Billings for taking the time to share her experiences and journey leading to the Dallas Wings! Be sure to follow Monique on her official Instagram and X accounts and be sure to visit The Podium Finish for the latest news and feature stories about the Wings.
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