Roneeka Hodges: The Key to Longevity
An interview with New York Liberty assistant coach Roneeka Hodges on her career, coaching and more
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From a second-round draft pick, to 11-year WNBA veteran, to respected coach, Roneeka Hodges’ story is one of longevity. Throughout her basketball life, Hodges has had the opportunity to play and learn from some of the brightest minds in the history of the game. It is a treasure trove of experience and knowledge that has brought her to this point, but her story is still being written.
Planting the seeds
Before Hodges logged a single WNBA minute, she already had an inkling on the inner workings of the league. Hodges’ twin sister Doneeka was drafted a year before her. Doneeka joined a Sparks team with names the likes of Lisa Leslie, Mwadi Mabika, and DeLisha Milton-Jones.
For Roneeka, having a family member already in the league was key for what was to come: “I was in college and had the opportunity to pick her brain. I was around; I had the opportunity to go see some games and then just see and understand some of the things that she went through. So I think that that was good for me.”
Hodges started her collegiate career for Louisiana State University, before transferring and finishing with Florida State. At LSU, Hodges gained more insight from a former Tiger, Elaine Powell. Like Hodges, Powell had a decade-long playing career in the W before transitioning into coaching, eventually becoming an assistant coach in the league with Minnesota.
“She would always come back. We played pickup and things like that together,” Hodges said. “So I was familiar. I was familiar with the game. I have watched the game since I was a kid. I watched the WNBA games. So I felt like I knew without actually knowing. I think that all of those [early] experiences were very valuable for me.”
Welcome to the show
In the spring of 2005 Hodges embarked on a journey that many young women in her position can only dream of: playing in the WNBA. However, she didn’t begin her professional career for just any franchise. Hodges kicked off her WNBA career with the league’s first dynasty, the Houston Comets.
Although the last of their four championships came in 2000, the Comets by this time still were in the playoff mix. Also, the addition of future two-time All-Star Sancho Lyttle via the draft offered some promise. 2003 WNBA Most Improved Player Michelle Snow was poised to have a breakout season. The team acquired legendary guard Dawn Staley mid-season. Plus, Houston still had two key members of its dynastic core, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson.
Being in this atmosphere was key for Hodges’ early WNBA development. “That experience in itself was an invaluable experience,” Hodges said on her beginnings with Houston. “I talk about this all the time. I would say that it probably molded me into the player I became, and it was probably one of the reasons why I feel I had longevity in the league.”
Hodges played in 26 games during her rookie season, primarily coming off the bench. Nonetheless, she credits this start to her career for her development as a professional player.
“Playing behind [Sheryl] Swoopes, playing alongside Dawn Staley, Tina Thompson, Michelle Snow, all of those legends and champions, I had the opportunity to learn what it took to become a professional,” Hodges said “And that was the good and the bad, because I saw so many things. I think for a young player, that’s an experience that you can’t pay for, especially at a young age.”
Hodges took full advantage of the opportunity to play with such legends and proven winners as Swoopes, Thompson, Staley, and Snow, gathering as much information as she could.
“I was a sponge," Hodges said. “I soaked up all of the information. I learned how to play, and I waited my turn. I think that’s something that could be lost nowadays is actually learning what to do and what not to do”.
Hodges’ longevity came from not only being a sponge in Houston, but also from understanding her role in Houston. During her four-year stint with the Comets, she would start in only 18 of 103 games. But the knowledge she gained and appreciation of her role prepared her for larger roles later in her career.
“Every player will not be privy to the same amount of playing time or the same role on a team,” Hodges said. “At that point [in time], the situation wasn’t necessarily about me because I was a second-round pick that was coming from Florida State playing behind legends, Olympians, WNBA champions. So for me, the best thing to do was to learn from them, to wait my turn, just going to practice every day and competing against them. Those were my games, and I accepted that role.”
Hodges elaborated on the importance of accepting one’s role to sustaining a WNBA career.
“That was something that played a part in my longevity, because you have to be able to fit into a role in certain situations, because everybody won't be a star, every team needs some players that are role players, that are going to fill the role, that's going to do the job, and that are going to be a good teammate,” Hodges said. “I think that I possessed those qualities, because I was selfless and I was egoless in those moments. I knew that the most important part was to be a sponge, and I will get my turn at a later time. Then, when I was put into the starting lineup, or I moved on to another franchise, I was prepared. I was prepared for what I was asked to do.”
After Houston, Hodges had a brief stint with the Minnesota Lynx, starting in 27 of 33 games. She then embarked on a two-year journey with the San Antonio Silver Stars, all the while gaining experience as a role player and starter.
Silver Star and veteran mentor
The recent WNBA Finals was the “Battle of the Superteams”, pitting Las Vegas against New York. Hodges was on the sidelines for that spectacle, which featured a battle between two great basketball minds in New York head coach Sandy Brondello and Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon. This isn’t the first time that Hodges, Brondello, and Hammon would be on the basketball floor together. In fact, all three will be forever connected from their time with the San Antonio Silver Stars.
In 2010, the Silver Stars (who later became the Las Vegas Aces) had been a consistent playoff team since 2007. Hammon and Sophia Young-Malcolm spearheaded the team’s success since relocating from Utah. Hodges joined the team with more experience under her belt, but also with an added sense of appreciation.
“Sandy and the Silver Stars organization were the first WNBA organization [outside of Houston] to want to commit to me. So that meant a lot to me,” Hodges said. “And then being able to go into that situation and play alongside a legend in Becky Hammon, and then that year Chamique Holdsclaw was on the team, Michelle Snow was on the team, and Sophia Young-Malcolm. So, that team was star-studded as well. I think the difference for me was being able to adjust to a different environment because I had been in Houston and I went to Minnesota for just one year after Houston folded.”
After her two-year run with the Silver Stars, Hodges played for three teams in the final years of her career – Indiana, Tulsa, and Atlanta. Hodges’ role at this stage of her career was a veteran mentor. One player in particular whom Hodges mentored was Skylar Diggins-Smith. After a rookie campaign that saw Diggins-Smith average only 8.5 points per game on 32.8% shooting, she had a breakout sophomore campaign averaging 20.1 points and five assists. Hodges played a part in that progression.
“By the time I got to Tulsa I was looked upon as one of the vets and there was Sky’s [Skylar Diggins-Smith] first year,” Hodges said. “I prided myself on being a good teammate, and being a giver and helping in ways that weren't just measured in the stat sheet. And I think that being there, and being able to give that advice, be a listening ear, whatever it was that I could provide to Skylar to help her get over the hump, that is something that I wanted to do.”
Coaching moves
Change is a necessary part of life. But sometimes recognizing when it’s time for a change is the most poignant part. In the twilight of her playing career, Hodges noticed a trend that nudged her toward coaching.
“In my last three years overseas, my teammates became younger players,” Hodges said. “I was probably 10, 12, 13 years older than some of them. So I found myself being more of a mentor to them. I had always been that player that’s go-go-go, wanting to win. But when I found myself in a mentorship role, of course I still wanted to win, but the wins weren't as important. It was more important to me that they learn the game, that they knew how to play, that they did things the right way, and that they were being professionals. So once I realized that was going on in my spirit, I knew that I had to give coaching a chance.”
An occupational change can be a daunting task, and there can be different hurdles in the process of moving from one way of life to another.
“I think it depends on the player, and I think it depends on the state you're in when you make the transition,” Hodges said of any potential mental hurdles in transitioning from playing to coaching. “For me, the transition from playing into coaching wasn't that hard. I could say it wasn't that hard, because I was wholeheartedly, over playing. I felt like I had given everything that I had to the game as a player. So once I decided to retire, my body was over it and my heart was over it. So the transition was pretty seamless for me.”
Before joining the New York Liberty, Hodges served as an assistant coach for multiple collegiate programs, including Colgate and Old Dominion. Hodges drew on her decade’s worth of playing experience and lessons learned, but there is one theme, above all, that she reiterated.
“Professionalism,” Hodges said. “Because I think that as professionals it's like a get-there type of thing. For example, ‘alright, I'm on a professional level, but we don't necessarily understand what it actually means to be a professional.’ The things that you have to do – like how you have to show up – those small things like how you should carry yourself.”
This ain’t Texas
In 2022, Hodges was given an opportunity to return to where she says “felt like home.” Hodges returned to the league where she played for 11 seasons, this time as an assistant coach for the New York Liberty. Over a decade after Sandy Brondello and a WNBA organization committed to her, history was repeating itself again.

“Being able to join a staff with Sandy, someone that I played for, along with Olaf [Lange] because Olaf was on that [Silver Stars] coaching staff too, felt good,” Hodges said. “But for me, it still was a different experience, because to play for someone and then to work with and for someone, are two different things. So I think that was a learning experience. But going from that first year to second year, it felt as if we were building something and growing together.”
Living for the city
Hodges was correct in feeling as if the Liberty were building something and growing. Since arriving in Brooklyn, the Liberty have made a huge impact on the league and on the city. In Hodges’ first year as an assistant coach, the Liberty hosted a playoff game in the opening round against the Chicago Sky, bringing in just under 8,000 fans to the Barclays Center, per Across the Timeline.
The Liberty revamped in the offseason, acquiring former MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, veteran facilitator Courtney Vandersloot, and all-around impact forward Kayla Thornton. For Liberty fans, 2023 was a season to remember. There was Breanna Stewart’s electric 45-point home debut, winning the Commissioner’s Cup in Las Vegas, Sabrina Ionescu’s lights-out performance in the All-Star Weekend 3-Point Contest, Stewart becoming the first Liberty player to win the Most Valuable Player Award, and New York reaching its first WNBA Finals since 2002. Arguably the hottest ticket in town for the summer, multiple celebrities were also in attendance for the journey, including Fat Joe, H.E.R., Jason Sudeikis, and Druski.

Hodges is aware of the Liberty’s impact during her tenure as assistant coach with New York.
“It warms my heart,” Hodges said. “And I say that because I know that the Liberty are one of the cornerstone franchises of the WNBA. I know how the city of New York loves the Liberty, and not just today or tomorrow, they've always loved New York. The team went through some changes, but I think that over the last two years or so the fan base is falling back into place, and I think the product that we've been putting on the court has given them something to smile about. That’s something that we are proud of, and we want to continue to make the city proud.”
One area where the Liberty’s impact deserves commendation is their willingness to host youth camps and connect with the community. Hodges has been a key part of bringing the Liberty’s game directly to the next generation.
“It's something that is super important to me,” Hodges said about participating in the Liberty’s youth camps. “Years ago, I was one of those kids, where I wanted to succeed at something and try to find my niche at something. I wish that I had those opportunities when I was a kid, so it's nothing for me to show up and be a voice, be an inspiration, and lend a hand to try and teach the game. It's me paying the game back for everything that the game has done for me.”
Last month, Hodges worked at the Liberty’s International Women’s Day Clinic, where various girls participated in drills and got to hear from Coach Hodges.
“I thought that it was a great event for those young girls to be able to come out and to do,” Hodges said. “We talk about visibility; we talk about seeing powerful women, seeing sports and seeing women succeed, but it's different when you do it yourself. So for them to be able to participate in the drills, be a part of the camp, I think that that experience could take them a long way and hopefully it carries over to them wanting to play in middle school, wanting to play in high school, wanting to go play AAU and have aspirations to play on a professional level.”
The game has changed
It’s fair to say that between the WNBA and collegiate ranks, women’s basketball stock is through the roof. Both levels have seen multiple viewership records broken, as people from across the country and world cast their eyes on the sport.
For someone like Hodges, to see the growth of women’s basketball from when she started to now is immeasurably rewarding.
“It means everything because I know where we came from,” Hodges said. “The viewership and exposure has been great. I can remember when I was a young kid and the WNBA started, and they had the ABL, and you didn't know where to find those games. You didn't know the exact days that they would come on, I could remember just accidentally running into them on BET. And then of course, the WNBA came along and you would get some Sunday or Saturday games on ABC.”
Since Hodges’ early interest in the WNBA, the league’s game has become increasingly accessible because of TV deals with ION and Amazon Prime Video and more games being broadcast on ABC. It all has led to increased viewership.
“The viewership has grown,” Hodges said. “I think that the marketing of the players, the players building their own brands, being able to show their personalities, and not just be looked at as just basketball players, because a lot of them are more than just basketball players, has helped the game grow a ton. Then you see people from all walks of the world that are respecting the women's game and understanding that the product is actually good.”
Hodges has also taken note of the elevated level of play among the guards at the collegiate level. A guard in the WNBA, she also led skill development for guards during her coaching stints at Colgate and Old Dominion.

“They are competitive; they're skilled,” Hodges said. “You can see that they work on the game. They don't just show up to the game, there's work being put in before the game actually starts. I think that is something that's super, super, important in that you have to have a high level of work ethic and commitment to honing your craft.”
In Hodges' response, you can see that being immensely dedicated toward being the best you can be has been one of the keys to her longevity in the league.
In the end, what does Roneeka Hodges want her impact on the game to be?
“Overall, when it's all said and done, I would like for players that I've crossed paths with, players that I've coached, players that I've built relationships with, to feel as if I impacted their lives, or I've given something to them that they didn't know that they needed,” Hodges said. “I think for a lot of players, and not just professionals, sometimes you don't necessarily know what you need from somebody and they provide it to you. It's a lasting memory of that person and it goes way beyond basketball. Something that impacted a life through a basketball coach. That was something that I had the opportunity to have, and I just wish that I could pass it on to the next generation.”
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