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At age 28, Silver Stars center Ruth Riley has accomplished more than most people in a lifetime. The eight-year WNBA veteran, who is gearing up for her second season with the San Antonio franchise, won a national championship with Notre Dame in 2001 and WNBA titles with the Detroit Shock in 2003 (she was named the WNBA Finals MVP) and 2006. Oh, and there’s the gold medal she sports from the 2004 Athens Olympics. Off the court, the 6-foot-5 Indiana native has traveled Africa — from Kenya to Mali — in global campaigns for AIDS awareness and malaria prevention. The Silver Stars advanced to their first Western Conference finals last season before falling to eventual champion Phoenix. As the Silver Stars prepare to build on that success with the season opener Saturday, May 17, at Sacramento, Riley sat down with 210SA to discuss her — and the team’s — travails.

The Silver Stars are coming off their most successful season to date, but a controversial foul called on the team at the end of Game 1 in a 100-100 game played a large part in Phoenix taking the best-of-3 series. When a team works all season to get to that point, how long does it take to put aside that type of ending and look to the new season?

It’s not something you want to dwell upon. We felt good about what we were able to accomplish last season. The biggest lesson is: Don’t let it come down to that point.

You’re well known for your humanitarian efforts and have traveled the globe. Can you elaborate on where you went and what you accomplished?

Whenever I get older, I just realize that I’ve been blessed to play this sport. With that, I feel some responsibility to do something good with it. I’m a spokesperson with the U.N. Foundation — Nothing But Nets — for malaria awareness. I’ve been to Africa a couple of times in the last year to create (HIV) awareness over there. And back in the States, create awareness with different events in our community in San Antonio. This sport is an amazing platform, and when you go different places across the world, the sport is a universal language. You can get on the court, and there’s just something beautiful about playing basketball, and people are excited about the fact that you are there. You can use that to create awareness, help them to live a better lifestyle and understand the diseases that kill them. It’s a great combination.

You were traded to the Silver Stars shortly after winning your second WNBA championship with Detroit. What was your initial reaction to that, and how would you compare playing in S.A. with some of your past experiences?

I think it was probably expected. Whether it was salary-cap issues in this league, or you look at Detroit wanted to go a little younger. My role on the team had changed. They wanted to go in a different direction, and (Silver Stars coach) Dan (Hughes) was looking for a game that I brought to the court. So it was a perfect trade for both parties. I embraced the change. I had known Dan for a while and some of the girls he had brought in. I was just excited to play with them and see what he’s building here.

Most teams in WNBA/NBA-franchise cities may find it a drawback to being viewed as playing second-fiddle to the NBA team, particularly in a city where the NBA team is coming off a championship. Is it a hindrance or a blessing in disguise?

The Detroit Pistons won a few championships (actually just 2004) while I was there. San Antonio is still relatively new to the concept of the Silver Stars from what I’ve noticed since I’ve been here. I think it’s exciting to come in and meet people for the first time and ask them if they’ve been to a game. This community loves the game of basketball, obviously. When the Silver Stars first got here (after having relocated from Utah), they weren’t a very successful team, and so now that we have a good team, it’s exciting to share that product.

I hear you enjoy beach volleyball. Even though you and (beach stars) Kerri Walsh and Misty May all won gold in Athens in your respective sports, do you ever wonder how things would have turned out if you had followed that route?

The thing about beach volleyball is you can play it later in your career. It’s also a sport where I would need a lot of coaching to get to their level because they’re just dominant.

What was your Olympics experience like?

The Olympics was the ultimate dream that I had growing up. Just being there and having my dream fulfilled, and then winning a gold medal on top of that was truly one of the most amazing moments.

Do you have your gold medal in a safe deposit box somewhere, and do you break it out sometimes?

Nah, but I have it here because we’re going to try and do something during our Olympic break with the kids in the community.

Who inspired you to follow basketball as a career, and how do you feel your role helps younger girls around town maybe live their dream one day in the WNBA?

It starts with my mom. She taught us to not only work as hard as you can but to dream big and believe that you can achieve it. When I look at the circumstances I grew up in, a lot of people would probably say, “She comes from a poor family. She comes from a single-parent home” and wouldn’t give me the benefit of the doubt. As a woman, I see my role as creating the process of self-esteem. Young girls get beat up all the time because of pressure to look a certain way, act a certain way. My job first and foremost is to have them believe in themselves. I’m living testimony that dreams do come true.

What’s it going to take for the Silver Stars to win a championship this season?

It will be good to have a year of experience together. We brought in a lot of new faces last year. But it starts with how you practice. I think we have a great attitude on the court. It’s going to be a tough year in the West, but I think we have as good a shot as anyone else.

JAY NANDA | 210SA CONTRIBUTOR