The 85 children who were at the Dryades YMCA in Central City on Tuesday got a visit from a special guest: Swin Cash.
Cash, the New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations, stopped by to speak about her upbringing in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and her role with the Pelicans.
“I was one of these kids,” Cash said. “My mom worked multiple jobs. My stepdad worked multiple jobs. Getting spaces like this to come into — safe spaces, I like to call them — was huge.”
Lee Anderson, stepfather of New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson, was also in attendance. Earlier this month, Anderson said he would promote and help run a basketball camp in response to the recent wave of violence in New Orleans.
The camp starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. It lasts until July 29. Children ages 5-17 can attend.
“To have coach Lee here, to have Z (Zion) pop in here and love on these kids, that’s what they need more than anything,” said Cash, whose nonprofit, Cash for Kids, is focused on helping children in her hometown. “They don’t need anybody to come in here and show them skills. They need life skills, the experience of a touching moment.”
Cash, who celebrated three years with the Pelicans earlier this month, spoke to The Times-Picayune about her time in New Orleans thus far, the draft and more.
You’re entering your fourth season with the team. What has this journey been like for you?
Cash: It has been a lot just because of COVID. What do they say? The three things you shouldn’t do — move, change a career, having kids. There were all these different things that happened. But it’s been such a hell of a ride. It’s been a lot of fun. Looking forward to going into Year 4. It has been interesting to see what we’ve been able to do career wise, family wise over the last three years.
There have been some bumps in the road, obviously, but it seems like now you guys are in a good place as a team. How do you feel about the state of the team?
Cash: Excited. Enthusiastic. You look at what coach (Willie) Green and his staff were able to put together and the run we went on last year. We were excited about our draft and our young guys developing and our veterans coming back. It’s a really cool time to be a Pelican.
It seemed like there was some excitement in the room when Dyson was there at No. 8 in the draft.
Cash: Absolutely. Griff (executive vice president David Griffin) was running up and down the steps. It was a lot of fun. You work hard. You do your research. You go through the process. I give huge credit to (assistant general manager) Bryson Graham, all of our scouts. Trajan (Langdon), our GM. The time was just put in. As Griff talked about, there was excitement that we were able to get E.J. (Liddell). We’re just excited right now about our team overall.
You guys as a front office group have been working with Willie for almost a year now. What is that relationship like?
Cash: It’s amazing. I don’t know if many people know, but Willie and I had known each other before here. We both had torn our ACLs at the same time in Detroit. We rehabbed together, kind of going through the process with the same trainer in Detroit. I always knew the character that he had. To really see his resolve and his steady, even-keeled approach to this season, it was really refreshing. I think our players responded to it well. Now, you’re going into Year 2, it’s an opportunity for him to put his prints all over everything. Him and his staff. I’m really, really excited about this season.
I didn’t know you and Willie had that connection from your Detroit days.
Cash: He wasn’t playing in Detroit at the time. I think he might have been in Philly. We tore ACLs at the same time. We were working out at Detroit Mercy kind of getting some stuff in. When you are going through something like that, you get to talk and learn more about somebody. Years later, you fast-forward and we’re here. He’s the same person. Same work ethic. Grind-it-out type of personality. I’m just happy to have him here.