Kristen MANN without any taboo: basketball, music and gay cause

Clearly, I love making interviews. I must say that life is generous with me in that particular exercice. After Aline DUMONT 48 hours ago, it's time for Kristen MANN. day before the Open LFB, the one who has been - and maybe will be again - one of the most beautyfull player of the French Champ on every plans has accepted to visit with me all subjects. Without taboo.

• Kris, apparently, you travelled a lot this summer. Now, I suppose that you are in the United States but where are you exactly?
I'm at home in Orange County, California.

• After the last game of the last season, there was a misunderstanding on the fact that you ended your career. The social networks ignited. What happened really? Do you know who threw this false information and why?
I was completely shocked about this and I have no idea where it came from! I never once said that I was going to retire… and thankfully some friends brought it to my attention so that I could say something about it. All I could do was tweet about it and deny it.

• Today nevertheless, if I do not make a mistake, you have no club. Is it a choice from you?
Correct, I do not have a club. I've turned down a couple jobs because I'm still hoping to get something in France (fingers crossed).

• Do you believe that this false rumor can have had an influence on this situation?
I don't think so, but I could be wrong… who knows.

• Are you maybe…too expensive?
I am definitely NOT expensive… especially when you compare me to other Americans. I understand that the market is really bad in Europe right now, so I know I have to make adjustments and find a good balance. But at the same time, I know my worth and respect myself enough to not stoop down and play for peanuts hahaha!

• Could you finally sign somewhere as a joker or is it too late for this season?
I could definitely still sign somewhere… just a waiting game now, which can be stressful. I will continue to stay ready and wait for my agent to find something for me.

• Could you play in an exotic championship only for money, in China for example?
Everyone has a price that they would play for… but let's be real here, I'm not China/Russia caliber haha. Those teams tend to go for WNBA All-Stars etc

• You had surgery again for spring to remove the last tracks of your wound of March, 2012. Can you reassure us now: is this wound in the ankle a distant memory now?
I feel soooo much better without the plate in my leg… it's crazy! Part of me wishes I would have taken it out sooner, but I know it would have always been in the back of my mind. When I'm training now, I don't think about it at all, and can't feel it whatsoever so it feels great to feel normal again haha

• And what about your shoulder ?
My shoulder is better as well!! It's amazing how great your body feels with time off haha

• If anything appeared tomorrow, would you be ready physically speaking ?
Yes, I'm ready… it would still take me a couple weeks to get into game shape… but I've been working out a lot. It would be extremely unprofessional to come to a team out of shape!

• More simply, do you always want to play basketball?
Yes… I LOVE this game! And I still have a lot of basketball left in me, so I want to play as long as I can, while I still can.

• The Open LFB is going to take place this weekend. Do you think of it?
Of course I will… It's weird for me that I won't be there haha! I will try to watch some of the games if I can, but with the time difference it'll be hard.

• What memory do you keep about the LFB?
Probably when I played for Charleville and we almost beat Tarbes… was a big game for us, especially with the team coming up from 2nd division. Even though we lost, it gave us a lot of confidence for the season.

• Who is the girl of this championship you misses the most?
I miss ALL of my friends in France! lol I've built relationships with people since I played in Tarbes 2007-2008, so its weird not being there.

• Let us speak music, now. You released with Sapphica a new EP. Can you tell us more?
Yes, we FINALLY released our 2nd EP "Unlisted". It's completely different than our first one, but I love our new sound and how we are evolving.

• Can you present us your group? Is Sapphica a group or a duet?
Sapphica is more like a duet… it's just two of us, my best friend Gabriel and myself. We do EVERYTHING by ourselves… writing, performing, producing etc As well as everything for our music videos.

• What is your role exactly?
I am the lead singer and songwriter and also play the guitar.

• You launched a campaign of subscription on your site to finance your project. We could nevertheless imagine that with the career you had you did not need it that crowfunding process. Can you explain us your approach?
I know it's probably shocking for some that we are fundraising for our project, and if I was still playing in the WNBA I would be happy to fork out the money to pay for it myself. But just like everyone else, I have bills to pay, a mortgage, and I have no income during the summer. No chomage either lol More importantly, as I said before… Gabriel and I are doing EVERYTHING ourselves, which is extremely difficult! It's not easy… so we need help! There's no harm in asking for help… whether people want to contribute or not is up to them

• If you did not succeed in gathering the $10.000 which you aspire to collect, what will become your project?
Well I don't think we are going to reach it… so we will have to go back to our roots and continue to make ends meet with what we got. Most of the money that we've raised is going towards actors and location fees. Thank God Gabriel is in the film industry and that he has all of the film gear, otherwise… there's no way we could afford making unique, high quality videos.

• How would you live that failure ?
We are going to finish this music video regardless, but without raising the funds it just won't be as good… and we've already had to change the story line to adjust to our budget. We also won't be able to make a short film out of it… which is what we really wanted to do. We had hopes for that, and wanted to submit the short film to film festivals.

• What is the real place of the music and of your group in your life? Is it a little pleasure that you offer yourself or do you think that one day you will live from your music ?
I love music and I love our music. We wouldn't release it if WE didn't like it. And that's the most important… we know that our music isn't for everyone, and not everyone is going to like it. But as long as it touches someone, and is meaningful to ONE random person in the world… then we've succeeded.

• It seems to me that lately you communicate more on the homosexual cause that you did before, with for example EqualRights or LGBTQ tags or with this introduction on your site which explains that you want to present a " strong, passionate and proud lesbian heroine ". Am I wrong? For what reasons?
Yes… I've definitely come out more. I was never hiding myself to begin with, but I think as I get older, the less I care about what people think lol People are going to make judgments regardless, and that's out of my control so why should I worry about it? Instead, I'm going to continue to be me.

• Are you an active activist? Can you be in the future?
We are activist through our music, and videos. This upcoming video in particular is important because it's a metaphor for "coming out". And that's why we really wanted to raise money so that we could make an extended version and submit it to film festivals. We don't want to be just an activist band, we want that to show naturally through our music because we are being who we are.

• Do you think that there is danger for gay rights?
I think there's always going to be discrimination, but there's been a huge improvement in a lot of places. For example in France there's same-sex marriage like in some states in USA. But it's not accepted everywhere. There's progress with Equal Rights and that's going to take time. I think it's something we will always be fighting for but as I said, it's come a long way.

• The public LGBT is undoubtedly a very specific and very captive niche. On the other hand, are you not afraid that too much communication about gay cause can cut you of a wider public?
I think the LGBTQ is our best market, seeing that I am apart of it… but I hope that our music is strong enough to reach others. I think we will broaden our fan base once we can start performing live. Unfortunately, I don't think that'll really happen until I'm done playing because right now it's so hard to record and shoot videos due to our crazy schedules. Me being overseas 7-8 months a year definitely doesn't help haha.

• You were supposed to play last december for " Championnes de Coeur " in Toulouse but it was not made. I thus put you always the same question and shall always put it to you: shall we have one day the chance to see you live on stage with your group Sapphica?
I was really bummed about that actually. I really wanted to make that happen, however I was NOT prepared whatsoever. I honestly didn't have any time to rehearse so it would have been disastrous and that's not how I wanted to make a first impression haha. But yes, I hope one day that it'll be possible to perform in France.

• Photos and videos which you put on-line are always very explicit, very "hot". Is it your real personality or do you force yourself during these shootings?
Thank you… but believe it or not, I hate the camera haha. It's so awkward for me… I could never model because posing just doesn't come natural for me. Most of these shots that you've seen are stills taken from video so they're natural movements. Otherwise, I think I would look really dumb if I had to "strike a pose" haha

• By the way, what does Mr. Sawyer think about all this?
Mr. Sawyer is always on board! He's my right hand man!!

• I leave you the last word, Kris...
As always thank you for taking the time for this interview! I hope all is well in France and send hugs and kisses to everyone there!! Thank you again for your support and I hope to see my Frenchies soon Bisous!

Many thanks Kris for all your answers. May you find a team in France: I guess that all basketball fans would be more than happy! Take care. If you are interested, please check out the website Sapphica.com. There's some free music and both albums are available for $1.

Pour la version française, c'est par ici...