WNBA DRAFT

April 10, 2023

Lou Lopez Senechal

Dallas Wings

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: I want to say I'm grateful to be here. This is unbelievable for me to be doing this right now, so just very blessed.

Q. Lou, how surreal is it to go from being at a basketball academy in Ireland, sending all those emails to Division I schools, to get a chance, and now being the fifth overall pick in the WNBA draft?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: It feels surreal. Really didn't think I would be here one day. I've come a long way, gone through a lot of challenges, but also opportunities, and all of my steps that I've been through have led me to here. Just feels very blessed.

Q. When you reflect on the people and the moments that have helped you get to this day, what sticks out?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: A lot of people have helped me to get here. It's just a very exciting moment. My stepdad, my parents helped me every day to get here, to get to college. So I'm very grateful for them and just all the people, all the coaches, all the teammates that have trusted me along the way to get here.

Q. When did you start thinking, hey, I could play in the WNBA? You had a great career at Fairfield and then obviously went to UConn and had a wonderful year. What made you think you could play at this level?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: I think it started when I went from Fairfield to UConn, when I decided to go in the transfer portal. I heard it from other people, and I think I started believing more in myself that by competing at a high level like UConn, that could help me for my professional career. It started, yeah, I would say a year ago.

Q. Now that you are in the W, do you have any question about your ability to make an impact and right away?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: I think that I'm just very excited to learn and to play at another level. I hope I can fit in the team that I'm going to and just learning from other experienced players and try to have an impact at some point.

Q. Do you feel that the interest grew real fast this past few weeks from France, and now people are even talking about the French national team and stuff? Do you feel that the interest grew lately?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: Well, first, merci. But yes, I think this year my exposure being at a bigger school helped me, I think. Having that impact that I've had all year long, it's something that is kind of crazy to realize. I'm just very happy to be able to maybe have an opportunity with the French national team, and just to be here right now is amazing.

Q. What is the biggest goal for you? How do you see yourself in the WNBA? What's the biggest goal that you have about your career in the W?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: I want to win. I've always loved to win. Whether I was in France, in Ireland, in Fairfield or UConn. My goal always is to win and always have the best experiences with my teammates. I'm a very competitive person, so I just want to win.

Q. Since you spent the majority of your career collegiately at Fairfield, what does it mean to be the school's first WNBA pick and to take that representation onto the league's stage now?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: It feels great. I hope to inspire a lot of other players from mid-major schools, that nothing is impossible. As cliche as it sounds, it's very true if you put the work in and if you believe. People are always going to give you opportunities, like UConn did for one year. Even if you're at a mid-major school, you can always reach higher.

Q. I want to know if you still have that European style of play and how you could see that impacting your game in the next level?

LOU LOPEZ SENECHAL: I think I do. I think this year at UConn it was a way for me to play again a faster pace, a lot of transition, a lot of motion type of offense. I think that is something that they did a lot in Europe, and I'm just very excited to transition it to the professional level.