She brings consistency and maturity to her teams. Every coach wants a player like her – determined, focused, confident. Shey Peddy delivers – TTT is even more competitive with her at the point guard position. She had great mentors, which has helped her to become a high level professional. A good player and even better person – every good word is earned. Shey, you rock!

You grew up in Boston. I love geography especially opportunity to visit all the places. Boston for me – it`s the Celtics and Bill Russell. Denzel Washington and Robin Williams movies. Conductor John Williams. Harvard University. What is Boston for you?

It`s my native town with successful sports teams like the World Series current champions “The Red Sox” (MLB), “The Patriots” (NFL) and “The Celtics” (NBA). Every Bostonian is involved with one of those sports. I stayed with basketball. There was not much to do in my neighborhood – sports or getting in trouble with the law. Sports can get you out of trouble. Luckily I have a lot of mentors and people who kept me out of the streets. I stayed in the gym.

Can you name your mentors?

Will Blalock from the Iowa State (high schools – East Boston and Notre Dame Prep). He got drafted in 2006 by the Detroit Pistons. My cousin Tony Lee who played for Robert Morris University (Charlestown High). Marylouise C. Esten (dean of students at the Temple University). My AAU team and high school coaches.

Beside your mentors, which place has shaped you the most – Melrose High, Wright State, Temple?

I would say Melrose High. Just because I was inner city kid and I went to a very different place. I had a lot of white friends and it was a whole new culture there. I met different types of people and seen the world outside of what I know before. I think they really shaped me – to grow and become a young adult.

And then obviously it was the Temple University in Philadelphia and my coaches there. Tonya Cardoza – she was also from Boston. She worked as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut (1994-2008, and then she replaced current USA national team head coach Dawn Staley as head coach at Temple – Staley was her teammate at Virginia).

Melrose High – it`s not the inner city school.

It`s in a suburban area of Boston, 20-25 minutes drive out from downtown. They had school buses, picking up students at different spots around the city. They drived us to the school and bring us back home. It was good.

When did you realised – I can be a professional basketball player!

I would have to say it happened when I got to Temple. When I was younger I was thinking – I want to be a professional but didn`t paid that much attention before getting to Temple. My coaches developed my game. When I started my senior year I knew that I wanted to play overseas. It was something in my mind – I realised that I could actually get drafted. During my senior year I really developed my game to become a good basketball player.

Your coaches were former professional players – did you picked up some knowledge from them?

My head coach at Temple worked for Geno Auriemma for a lot of years. She had a lot of experience. And assistant coach Willnett Crockett played for Geno. There was a championship mentality all around. Associate head coach Way Veney developed the guards. Being around the people with so much experience at the championship level really helped me to focus.

You mentioned Willnett Crockett. She played in Latvia too. Did you got some local knowledge from her before signing with TTT?

Yes, she told me that she loved Riga. She played with Ieva Pulvere (Krastiņa) when she was younger. I still talk to her. It`s good to have a relationship like that years after my graduation.

After you finished your studies at Temple have you tried to get into the WNBA team or signed the contract with a team in Israel?

When I finished my studies I got drafted. I went to Chicago Sky. I didn`t made the roster so I signed with a team in Israel. The following year I got another chance by joining the Washington Mystics training camp. It was a good experience – I learned a lot. I didn`t regret it because not anybody can get drafted or to do it. I was lucky to have that opportunity.

Your first season overseas was in Israel, at Rishon Le Zion. Has it met your expectations?

Honestly, I didn`t know what to expect. It was my freshman year with lots of ups and downs. I think until my rookie year I didn`t understand the business aspects of professional basketball. There are a lots of politics involved. I was overwhelmed. Now I have more knowledge and know what I love to do. It would be different if I started now. You live and you learn.

After Israel you played for the winning teams all the time.

Yeah, after the first year I won the championships at every league that I played in – Austria, Germany, Latvia. It`s a good thing (laughs).

What are your highlights so far?

Last year when we made it to the second round of the playoffs (TTT finished the EuroCup Women group stage with a 6-0 record). It was a big highlight. In Germany we didn`t made it that far. Even in Germany I won three back-to-back championships and MVP award three times in a row. And two years we finished the league play undefeated. That was a really good accomplishment.

And the biggest highlight so far has been qualifying for the EuroLeague Women. It was always on my bucket list and I always wanted to get here – to get a chance to play. Now it`s off the list.

Which is the next one?

To win as many games as we can. Take advantage of the moment, go out and play as hard as I can. Hopefully it can open up more opportunities in the future.

Last year while playing in EuroCup Women, you met some friends. Do you also know some EuroLeague players?

I think, Tiffany Hayes (UConn graduate, will play for the Polish champions CCC Polkowice) but I`m not sure where she`s playing. I know Sonja Petrovic from Dynamo Kursk. When I got drafted to the Chicago Sky they both were on the team.

One of the things I admire about you is your calm confidence. Does it come from hard work and sacrifice?

Everything. I`m a calm person in general. I think I`m very humble – not the type who brags about myself. I`m pretty private and reserved person – it carries over on the court. It has helped me throughout my career.

The Latvians are shy and calm people in general. Is it fine?

I think I`m a shy person too. Once you get to know me, I`m goofy and funny, I like to laugh. I can be outgoing and at some moments also really quiet.

What do you like the most about your teammates and coaches?

I think everybody is generally nice. It`s hard to find a team where there are not the much of egos. Everybody is not here for the selfish reasons. Especially this year – we push each other at practice, we talk to each other, chemistry is growing. Don`t let the criticism in. That`s really important. You should be able to talk and not get mad. We are not the tallest team, might not have the greatest players but we work well together. It will help us a lot in the future.

The first weeks of the preseason seven players worked out with the national team. You practiced with the young players. How it was?

It was different but I think it helped the young girls. We pushed them a lot and helped to build their confidence. Just let them know that it doesn`t matter what level they are on now. It doesnt`t matter who you think we are – we just have to play basketball. We had a couple of scrimmages against very tough teams. Us practicing with them – it helped them more than it helped us (smiles) just to get confidence and being able to play at a high level. I hope it changed their mentality and work ethics – we really pushed them to get better.

What are the things you are the most grateful for – in basketball?

I think it`s to have an opportunity each year to play for a team. A lot of people don`t get this opportunity or don`t get into a successful team they like. I think I`ve been very fortunate each year to get into winning teams and to take the next step going to better teams.

I`m grateful for this opportunity to play – instead of working at regular “9 to 5” job or doing something I don`t love. Basketball is my job. I`m just doing what I`ve been loving and what started as a hobby.

Do you have the role models outside the sport?

My family. There are family members I look up to. Even friends. I`m very selective of who I let in and who I talk to. Those people know.

You ran your own basketball camp. How it went?

It was an experience. It was the first time ever when I did something like that. I just really wanted to give back to the city. There are not a lot of programmes for girls basketball wise. I targeted the young girls who at their age should be more active. Understand that basketball is not just for guys. It`s ok to be sweaty. You can be sweaty and still be a girl.

A lot of girls never even played basketball before. They came to the camp. The six weeks when I ran the camp really changed their mentality. They were so eager to come every Saturday. “I do not miss, I`m getting better!” I can give that to them. This is something I want to continue to do it each year.

Is it easy in Boston to find the places to play? And to pay for it.

Yes and no. There are many community centers – in some you might have to pay, in some you don`t. It`s really complicated. I think it should be free, especially if you have gyms available. Sometimes its hard. For the most part, they are getting better – giving free lessons for kids, run the clinics to keep them busy and off the street. Boston is getting better with doing that.

TTT as an organization – what can we do better?

I don`t think we are doing anything wrong. There is a great tradition to play here. We are successful every year. Whatever they are doing, it has been working for them. I have nothing but great respect for organization. Nothing but good things to say.

Are you satisfied with the chances to work on your game individually?

Last year I wasn`t satisfied with my performance at all. Especially shooting – it was the worst, the shots didn`t fall in. This summer I tried to change my focus and mentality, worked harder. This year I`ve been working with assistant coach Matīss Rožlapa a lot to evolve my game and have a whole different mindset. It has been helping me a lot. I`m able to get the confidence I was lacking a little bit last year. The work I`ve been putting in has shown so far but there`s still so much to add. This should be a good year for me.

Last year, before and after Christmas you had some health issues. It was your own decision to come back and play the second “Round of 16” game against Mersin?

Yes. Obviously I was very disappointed that I couldn`t play the first game. It was pretty much 50/50 to play the second game. The doctors were saying – you probably can but it`s not smart. I felt like I couldn`t let my team. We worked so hard to get where we were at. It felt like I can`t let them down. I just wanted to go out – win or lose – to be with the team. I finally got a chance to play but couldn`t play and wasn`t at 100 percent. That really hurt so I was glad that I was able to come back.

It has paid off somehow. Now we are in Euroleague.

It`s another step. That`s why I`m working so hard. Individually, every day. Getting stronger in the weight room, working on my shot and decision making. Watching film – I`ve never been like this dedicated to my individual growth. I just want to make the most out of it.

Is there any book you advice to read or album to listen?

I`ve been reading a lot of books. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I`ve read it before but next time when you read it you get something different out of it.

Albums or artists?

You can`t go wrong with Drake or Beyonce. I like Nicki Minaj. I like a lot of music – all different types and genres. Pop, rap, RnB, reggae. It just depends on mood I`m in. Music keeps me calm especially before the games. Gets me in the zone.