MINNEAPOLIS — Lindsay Whalen is Minnesota basketball.
From rowing up in Hutchinson to leading the University of Minnesota women's basketball team to one of their only NCAA Women's Final Four appearances as a player, and then helping the Minnesota Lynx to four championships.
When her playing career came to an end, there was little doubt she would return to basketball in some way, and it came in the form of coaching the Gophers women's basketball team — the team she helped put on the map as a player.
It was almost like the fairytale came full circle — an All-American player becoming the new head coach. However, fast forward five years to March of 2023.
"Yeah, it was a big life change, so at first... really hard," Whalen said. "I mean, I think about it every day."
Thinks about the game she played for 20 years and coached for five, until it all came to an abrupt end.
Jana Shortal: Were you fired?
Lindsay Whalen: Well, at that point, I had two options, and so there wasn't an option for me to keep coaching. I agreed to resign and the other option was to be terminated, and at that moment, I was like 'U of M, that's my alma mater, I don't want to be fired from my alma mater.'
So Whalen agreed to be relieved of her duties, something she didn't want, but now — in all this time and space of hindsight — it was something she needed.
"You know, I thought about, 'OK, should I keep going? This is pretty tough," Whalen said. "I really struggled at times during the season... but I'm not gonna quit, I'm not a quitter. So once the decision was made, it was a little like a big weight was lifted, too."
A weight was lifted from her — yes, her stress and coping with three losing seasons — but on that day when it was announced she was out, she was absent from her scheduled press conference.
"That was the hardest part of that day, was just the kids, and that is why, ultimately, it was just too much, I can't do the press conference," Whalen explained. "I have to go home. I just have to go home, I want to call my mom, I want to come home and see Ben… I was so emotional I was like, I am not going to be able to put words together."
Filling the void of her absence was speculation of what went down. She heard all of it, too. so she quickly fired off her feelings on social media, reminding everyone that the day was hard for her. She gave Minnesota 20 years of her blood and sweat on the floor, so we should allow her one moment of tears... telling us, "I am a human being."
Today, she is more than whole again, weighing her options and taking her time.
A return to coaching?
"Never say never," Whalen said. "What level? Who knows."
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