Ahead of the WNBA draft, For The Win sat down with Kelly as she talked about what she might face by joining the WNBA. “Once you get to the league, it’s like, you’re quick. You’re on a team. You need to figure it out. You have a very short amount of time,” Kelly said. The former Oregon Duck was right. After going undrafted, Kelly was picked up by Las Vegas on April 18 and less than a month later she was waived, despite having an overall solid WNBA debut.

The young guard recently reflected on her stint with the Aces (including a game-winner against the Phoenix Mercury during A’ja Wilson’s A’One Night) during an emotional interview. As she was describing what it meant to her, she held back tears. However, it seemingly wasn’t because she was hurt by the move. “I think, first, for me, it just felt like a sense of gratitude,” Kelly told Ros Gold-Onwude of the Good Follow. “Attitude of gratitude. Just being able to be on that court in that moment.”

Here’s more from Kelly’s interview:

“That was one of the best moments of my basketball career, really. And again, for that to be how my W career starts was a such a blessing … It was just a sense of happiness ― a sense of joy with that team.””It was an opportunity that I’ll forever be greatful to that organization for … You know, just playing with an extra chip on my shoulder. That was my main thing. Just post-draft, that’s what I gotta do. Gotta continue to really not prove anyone else wrong, but prove myself right. I know I belong. I know this is where I’m supposed to be.”