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Lisa Willis Breaks Glass Ceiling Within NY Knicks Organization

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER — Willis, a former New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks guard in the WNBA, joins a growing number of retired WNBA stars now holding important positions for basketball teams including Becky Hammon and Kristi Toliver, assistant coaches for the San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards, respectively. Still, she contends it’s foolish to waste time debating whether men or women come better equipped to coach a men’s team.

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Lisa Willis, a former UCLA women’s basketball team standout and WNBA veteran, recently made history becoming the first female coach in New York Knicks history. Her duties will include serving as an assistant coach for the Knicks’ G League team – the Westchester Knicks. (Courtesy of Warren Doles)

By D. Kevin McNeir, Senior Editor, Washington Informer

If you’ve ever doubted the validity of the adage, “what a difference a day makes,” consider the changes that have occurred in one short year for California native Lisa Willis, recently making NBA history with her segue into a position almost exclusively reserved for men.

Just a season ago, Willis, 35, a former UCLA women’s basketball team standout and record-shattering sharpshooter in the WNBA, focused her attention on improving the level of performance and knowledge of the game as head coach for the girls b-ball program at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA.

However, with the announcement by one of the NBA’s most-celebrated organizations, the New York Knickerbockers, Willis secures a page in the franchise’s archives as the first female assistant coach for their G League team – the Westchester Knicks (the official minor league team).

Who Says Women Can’t Coach Men?

Willis, a former New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks guard in the WNBA, joins a growing number of retired WNBA stars now holding important positions for basketball teams including Becky Hammon and Kristi Toliver, assistant coaches for the San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards, respectively. Still, she contends it’s foolish to waste time debating whether men or women come better equipped to coach a men’s team.

“Men and women are different, absolutely,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t do the same things they do. It’s not an issue of better but different – different methods and different outlooks. As a woman, I didn’t want to be brought in so the Knicks could check off a box. What matters is whether I’m qualified.”

“There are some men who fit the traditional image of an NBA coach but they’re aren’t very good at their job even though, or even because, they’re men.”

“I’ve always been a coach I suppose. I realized that while working with the girls at T.C. Williams. That’s when I first acknowledged how much I love to mentor athletes – both on and off the court. If you’re not helping your players develop, then you’re not coaching. Management picks the players – coaches have the responsibility to coach those players. And it’s an all-encompassing job, for both the head coach and their staff.”

“I know wins and losses matter but you can’t measure success on a team’s record alone. Players have a variety of needs – needs that must be addressed and met if a coach wants them to perform at their highest possible level.”

“Men coaching women? Women coaching men? Truth be told, neither the efficiency or effectiveness of a coach can be determined by or limited to gender.”

Family Matters and a Dream Deferred

While the recent season opener scheduled for Nov. 9 had to be delayed due to problems with court conditions, Willis says the celebration continues both for her and the “team” which she credits as being integral to her success – her family.

“There were so many times along the way, even in this recent process which led me to the NBA, that I wanted to quit but my family wouldn’t let me,” she said. “They let me know that I could do whatever I wanted. They helped me see myself the way God created me, and they’ve cheered for me every step of the way.”
Willis admits having once considered abandoning basketball for a more traditional nine-to-five job, denying the passion she says she so deeply simply by being around and involved in the discipline-building sport. But her father’s love, ardent support and the relationship forged between the two served as the impetus for the strength she needed to never give up.

“I was my father’s little hooper,” she said. “He made sure I had everything I needed to pursue my dreams and we had a strong basketball relationship. Whenever people have shared their congratulations, I’ve had to deal with mixed emotions because my dad, who died in 2017, was my guy. It’s been a bittersweet experience. More than anything, I wish he was still here sitting on the sidelines and rooting me on.”

More Mountains to Climb

“The journey I’ve taken has often been trying so to get to this point really feels amazing and awesome,” she said. “Less than 10 other women are currently coaching in the NBA and naturally I feel the pressure. But I decided a long time ago to remain faithful, trust in God and allow Him to take the wheel.”

“Sometimes I became angry or sad when doors through which I wanted to enter were closed. But my faith told me that there were other doors that I’d find open. The Knicks have opened a door for me. Now, it’s my responsibility to do a phenomenal job and make sure that door stays open for others – other women – to enter.”

The regular season for the Westchester Knicks continues through March with the playoffs culminating in April.

For inquiries about Lisa Willis, contact Warren Doles, 202-553-3404 or www.thenexxtone.com.

Willis, who also owns and manages a basketball training company, can be reached at either www.lisacwillis.live or www.hoopsmd.com.

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

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Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

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By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”

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