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Camille Little prepares for life off the court

By Kim Doss

PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 20: Camille Little #20 of the Phoenix Mercury poses for portraits at The Phoenix Mercury Media Day on May 20, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 20: Camille Little #20 of the Phoenix Mercury poses for portraits at The Phoenix Mercury Media Day on May 20, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Phoenix Mercury vet talks about retirement and what’s next for her.

PHOENIX — It’s been a long, successful career for Camille Little. A McDonald’s All-American and WBCA All-American in 2003 out of Carver High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Two trips to the Final Four at North Carolina. Thirteen years, five teams, and a championship in the WNBA. A successful international career that took her to eight countries.

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But the time is now growing short. Last week, Little announced that 2019 would be her last go-round as a professional player.

“(It’s) not one thing,” Little said about her decision to retire. “When you know, you know. I feel good about the decision. I’m happy with what I’ve done so far. Thirteen years is a long run. I’m just having fun, enjoying it. I just feel like I’m ready for the next step in my life.”

That next step won’t take her out of the basketball world. Little already has a business arranging speaking engagements. Little Conversations takes her to camps and team events to talk to young women and girls about what to expect as they pursue their own paths in basketball.

“I speak at colleges and high schools,” she said. “Teach young girls about what’s next after basketball, during basketball, their journeys from high school to college, college to professional level. All the things people don’t tell them about.”

Little is also looking at coaching possibilities in the future. If life on the sidelines works out, she hopes it’s in the WNBA.

“Maybe I’ll try to coach,” she said. “I haven’t decided yet, but I would love to try.”

For now, Little is focused on helping the Phoenix Mercury get back to the playoffs, which has become expected in Phoenix. After a slow start, the Mercury now sits at 5-5 and expects to regain the services of Diana Taurasi on Friday.

Little is scoring 2.0 points per game in 10.6 minutes while averaging 37.5 percent shooting from the floor. She has appeared in five games.

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