Leader-Ship — Candice Wiggins

My reflections on the spiritual leadership of Stanford senior Kiana Williams, and my personal thoughts on what makes her stand out as the best senior leader Stanford women’s basketball has ever seen.

In the heat of the summer of 2018, I first met Kiana at the Stanford women’s elite basketball camp. I was a counselor assigned the task of greeting the campers as they entered the dormitory hall. Above everything else, however, I was most responsible for easing any anxieties the young hoopers may have felt about spending the next 4 days of their lives away from the comforts of their homes, some of them experiencing playing basketball for the very first time.

Everything was going relatively fine, calm and normal for me…until Kiana Williams showed up.

When I first met Kiana, I instantly metamorphosed into an embarrassed, gushing fan. In a space full of young, energized and inspired camper/ballers, you wouldn’t be able to find anyone in the vicinity with a bigger or wider smile on their face than mine. I couldn’t believe that I was getting the opportunity to meet that freshman—fresh off her first NCAA tournament campaign! Her spirit instantly lit up not only the room, but my personal, private world with a bright beacon of hope.

Everyone at camp that day was naturally drawn to me and the status of me being there, and I loved it. Representing Stanford women’s basketball and being regarded as a legacy player in this program gives me an undefinable joy. But for me that day, deep down in my heart, I knew that I was really the distraction; she was the next Stanford superstar in line:

Flashback to 2018 NCAA Tournament

Witnessing Kiana play in the 2018 NCAA tournament, I had never felt so relaxed and inspired while watching a Stanford guard—let alone a freshman—play so comfortably and confidently in the most stressful situation. It was instant respect.

Her quick, fast feet were magical, creating adept moves and transforming them into easily manipulated shots that were so daring that even I had to think to myself if I would—or could—ever attempt to take (and make!) them. With this fresh, hip energy, her fearlessness jolted me alive…I felt like I had jumped back into my old Stanford jersey and sneakers! I was reawakened by an excitement for four years of this particular play.

However, I knew above all, having been through the Stanford system myself, that you must measure every player by the impact they leave as a senior, because that is the only time their leadership legacy can truly shine by cementing itself. I knew she had to go through an extensive developmental process, and that it would take time to manifest. Still, I remained as optimistic as I was patient.

After that season, even though her and her team fell short of their goal of a National Championship, I officially joined the Kiana Williams bandwagon.

What makes Kiana Williams stand out to me?

On the court

It’s important to first understand that for four years, Kiana had to battle in a Pac-12 conference that has now undeniably solidified itself as the leading conference in the country. In this community of fierce competition, we have seen some of college basketball’s biggest superstars emerge every year from schools that have recently become national powerhouses, like Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Oregon State, and now Arizona. As a point guard, she was the leading force behind Stanford consistently battling opponents, while also carrying the weight of playing for Hall of Fame Coach Tara VanDerveer.

What I love most about Kiana is the fact that win or lose, her teammates truly love her so much, and it’s easy to understand why.

Her humility is the perfect balance of truth, kindness, toughness, compassion and aggression. Competition can play out in so many ways, and at times may become a little ugly in nature, but Kiana always brought the spirit of competition to a happy, optimistic place. I watched one practice and saw everything I needed to know about her. The only negative opinion I had when watching her was that I couldn’t be a teammate on the court with her. (I would have been willing and ready to run out onto the court and out of retirement for that chance!)

Off the court

The reason I believe Kiana to be the best Stanford senior leader is because of all that she endured that was unseen. This is what makes me respect and appreciate her most, especially coming up in an era where being distracted is the easiest temptation to fall into. I witnessed first hand how she prioritized putting in the work to become not only the player, but also the person that she is today.

The most credit must be given to her father and mother, who raised a daughter that values utmost discipline, and brought her up to be a God-fearing woman who unequivocally loves the Lord.

We only had to have a couple of conversations for me to realize that she had a complete belief in God that she knew gave her all the abilities she possessed. Even meeting her as a freshman, I noticed how her life was already full of deep meaning and purpose that some people never attain in a lifetime of searching.

Today, I still marvel at how she uses her unshakeable wisdom from her faith in the Lord (which was something I personally lacked at Stanford), and this clearly guides her in her relationships with the people and players around her. This empowers them in ways that are seen through the spirit of teamwork.

In this way, I look up to her. Reflecting on the past, I felt I was always missing something in my spirit that I know Kiana never lacked, and that makes me the most happy and proud of her ultimate accomplishment of Stanford success.

April 4th, 2021

National Championship Game vs. Arizona

6PM EST

ESPN

This big game has arrived tonight, and without a doubt the entire team and program is being led by Kiana’s fellow seniors Anna Wilson and Alyssa Jerome. They will be the Big 3 on this National Championship game stage, and all three have contributed and cemented their Stanford careers through their inspiring character, hard work, discipline, consistency and perseverance.

My personal connection to Kiana, dating back to 2018, derives from meeting her fresh off her rookie NCAA tournament campaign, and then getting the opportunity to mentor her in a way that reflected so much of what I saw in myself. But I noticed right away that Kiana is a different leader than me—because she’s the leader I always wished I could’ve been. Her giving me a great hope for the future of this program while also humbling my accomplishments with the way her leadership style has rubbed off on me puts me in a winner’s column so unbeatable, it’s virtually undetectable.