Parents and teachers often talk about having something to fall back on, in case your dreams don't work out. Kate Starbird of the Utah Starzz owns her own computer graphics company, so she obviously has something waiting for her beyond basketball. Only she's not ready to completely fall back on it quite yet.

Starbird had considered retiring from the WNBA after last season, when she averaged 4.7 points per game and started only seven times. She eventually decided to return to the Starzz where she will spend most of her time as a backup forward.

Starbird was the USA Today High School Player of the Year after averaging 29.3 points per game her senior year. She went on to be a Naismith Player of the Year and all-time leading scorer at Stanford, where she also earned a degree in computer science.

She spent two years with the Seattle Reign of the ABL, where she averaged nearly 13 points per game before joining the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs in 1999. The Miami Sol selected her in the 2000 expansion draft but traded her to the Starzz shortly thereafter. In this interview, Starbird talks about her decision to return to the WNBA this season, combining two careers, and adjusting to not being a starter.

GBall: Why did you decide to come back this season?
Starbird: I had considered retiring at the end of last season. I wasn't too happy at the time and did some thinking about it during the year. Then I played overseas for a while after the season. When I was over there, I realized that I had a lot of basketball left in me, and I would probably come back because it's too much fun to miss out on.

Had you ever considered not playing before?
Since I started playing pro, no. This was the first time I had thought about taking some time off. When I was younger, no way--I played every day. But when I went to college, I didn't think I would be playing pro because there weren't any pro leagues until my senior year in college. So I had considered the thought that I wouldn't be playing after I finished college, but things changed.

Are you looking at the season any differently this year after considering not playing?
I sure am. I'm not worried about a lot of individual things that I used to worry about. I'm just kind of relaxed and enjoying being here and being part of the team.

When you do retire, will basketball remain part of your life?
I'm not sure. I've thought about coaching at the high school level or something like that. But I certainly have a lot of other things I want to do with my life. I have put so much energy into basketball, I think maybe I've missed out on some other things and will probably pursue some other avenues, at least for while.

What other types of things are you thinking of pursuing?
I have a computer company where we do three-dimensional graphics, and I will definitely put some energy into that. I also have some ideas of maybe doing writing or going back to school and studying different things than I've studied before. I have a lot of different ideas of things I might want to do. I'm sure I won't have time in this life for all of them, but I'm certainly going to try.

How do you balance your dual careers in professional basketball and computer design?
Because I own my own company, I can make my own hours, which helps a lot. It's actually a nice balance, because I spend so much of my physical energy on the basketball court and in the weight room that I'm kind of exhausted. So it's a relaxing thing to go and sit down and work behind my computer for a while. I do it mainly part-time, probably 20 hours a week. I don't really have 40 hours available because of basketball. But it makes for a nice change.

Do you think about one while working on the other?
They're completely separate. When I'm on the basketball court, I'm completely involved in basketball. And when I'm behind the computer, it really takes more brain cells than I have to concentrate on what I'm doing, so I don't have a lot of time for mind wandering.

Do you get a benefit from one to the other?
Because they're so different, I'm not sure one interacts with the other in any way other than to give me balance in my life and to give me something else to do.

How much does balancing the two careers mirror balancing sports and academics in high school and college?
It's very much the same, especially right now, because I have a deadline coming up with the computer stuff, and with the team we're traveling and in season. So it reminds me a lot of college.

A lot of athletes talk about how they can't wait to get out of college so they can focus just on their sport. Is having those two careers something you need to do?
For a year or two, I was just playing basketball and I really felt like my brain cells were jumping ship. All I did was play basketball and then watch television. I didn't have anything else to throw myself into. And I felt like I was missing out on something because I did have a lot of time. We have half the day to go work on something else, and for me, I have to have something to put myself into.

How did you get involved in computer design?
I have been playing around on computers since I was 9 or 10. I studied computer science in college and it's always been part of my life.

What were your experiences in high school with math and science?
I was always a little bit ahead in math. Even when I was really young, I enjoyed math and took whatever classes I could get. I had some great teachers along the way. I don't why, but I always enjoyed math. They used to called me a little nerd. I started taking computer science classes in high school, but I had already been doing it on my own, so it came easy for me.

What advice do you have for high school players who are interested in math or science, but feel it may be too difficult to do both?
For me, the two just went together. If you're interested in a sport, I think you should always go out there and play. Your life needs balance. Without athletics, I wouldn't feel awake during the day. I think everybody should be active in some way, and if you're interested in basketball, or any sport, go for it. And with academics, it's part of every student's life to balance things and juggle a little bit of both, but I think it's definitely possible. For me, one helped the other. Basketball earned me a scholarship to Stanford, where I was able to study computer science. So they definitely complimented each other in some great ways.

How long did it take you to adjust to Stanford, which is obviously a demanding school academically and athletically?
My first quarter was pretty tough and I think that's pretty typical. The basketball was tough. Everybody was a little better than me and I had some injuries. And the academics were very hard also. But everyone else is just like you, and there are a lot of resources you can lean on in college. After the first quarter, everything just began to flow.

How did you adjust from being a star in high school and college to being more of a backup player in the WNBA?
It's hard for anybody, and it happens to almost every player at some point in their career, whether it's when they go to high school, college, or the pros. It's something you have to adjust to and it's taken me a little while. But I finally feel comfortable with everything that's going on. There are a lot great things about basketball and you don't have to play every minute in the game to enjoy it. There are still practices and being part of the team and being into the game and cheering. It's rewarding in many different ways.

Do you approach practices or games any differently now than when you were in high school or college?
I approach practice with a lot more energy here in the pros because I'm always looking to earn something. In college, I worked my tail off as a freshman, and then I began to coast a little bit at the end of my career to save myself for games. Here, I don't have to save myself for anything, so I really go all out every time I get out on the court.

What advice do you have for high school players who aren't one of the starting five on their team?
I say enjoy every aspect of the game you can. There's a role for everybody, no matter whether you're a starter or you don't play much. You can help the starters in practice and cheer for them during the game, and you have an important role on the team. Be proud of yourself.

How much tougher is it in the WNBA than it was in college?
It's really hard to describe. Instead of one great player on every team, there are 11 great players on every team. And if you're not good on defense, there's no bad offensive player you can go out there and guard. You have to work on all aspects of your game and realize you're going against the best players in the world every night and at every position.

When did you start playing basketball?
I started at seven years old when my parents signed me up for a local team. It was all boys besides me, but it was a lot of fun, and I think I took to it from the first day.

At what point did you begin to feel basketball was something that would be important to you?
I think it was a gradual process. It was always important to me, and I loved to play. As I went through high school and into college, it became more and more a part of my life and who I am. But there wasn't any one event.

How difficult was the college selection process for you?
It was a little confusing. It's hard because you don't really know exactly what's going on, and a lot of stuff is coming at you at once. It's kind of exciting, though, and there are a lot of very important decisions you have to make during that time. But for me, it turned out to be pretty easy because the school that I really wanted to go to--and that was perfect for me in terms of having a great program academically and athletically--was Stanford. When they offered me a scholarship, that took a lot of the pressure off me.

Interview conducted by Gball Editor Dennis Read.


Check out our Q&A archives by clicking here