SAN DIEGO – Former Aztec women's basketball player Chelsea Hopkins (2010-13) only played for the Aztecs for two seasons after transferring from Duke, but her name is scattered throughout the SDSU record books and she was part of two of the best teams in program history.
In her two years, Hopkins won the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year (2012) and Player of the Year awards (2013), helped the Aztecs win two conference regular season championships and has the top two single-seasons for total assists in program history.
After leaving San Diego State with a bachelor's degree in public administration and a master's in business, Hopkins has embarked on a highly successful professional career. She had multiple stints in the WNBA and has established herself as one of the best players in Israel over the past seven years, winning multiple championships and a league MVP award.
The Las Vegas native, who is set to begin her eighth season in Israel next month, chatted with GoAztecs.com in the latest in the "Where are they now" series.
GoAztecs.com: Looking back at your time at San Diego State, what are some of your favorite memories?
Chelsea Hopkins: We had the most wins in a season in school history in the 2012-13 season (27) and we won two regular season conference championships. For me personally, I found myself. After transferring from Duke, where I had two knee injuries in five months and wasn't able to redshirt or get healthy, and then I found a home at San Diego State and was able to start over. They were very patient with me and very excited to have me there and I couldn't picture things working out any better than they did. I got healthy, elevated my game, won [Mountain West] Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year, won two [regular season] conference championships, made the NCAA tournament, made lifelong friendships and earned a Master's degree. Everything worked out.
GoAztecs.com: What do you think made those Aztec teams so successful?
Hopkins: We had a great group of girls who really liked each other. Sometimes you are around people that don't want to be there, but I remember us being super close. We hung out a lot off the court, which helped our chemistry, and we were able to hold each other accountable. We cared about each other as people and I think that translated to the court.
GoAztecs.com: Take us through your career journey between your stops in the WNBA and Israel.
Hopkins: After two excellent seasons at San Diego State (2011-13), I went undrafted but got picked up as a free agent by San Antonio and finished the season with them. Then I started my first season in Israel with a team called Bney Herzliya, who I played with for two seasons. Pretty much every summer I had a WNBA opportunity. In 2014, I went to training camp with the Phoenix Mercury, but had an injury and came back to injury where I played with Maccabi Ramat Gan for the next two seasons. I had one of my best seasons there, I won the league MVP award and got a contract with the New York Liberty who I was with briefly. The following summer, I was with Atlanta for a 10-day contract. My most recent team was Maccabi Bnot Ashod, which is the top team in Israel, and I played with them the last three seasons. Then I played with the Chicago Sky for about a month and a half as a replacement player.
GoAztecs.com: What was your time in the WNBA like?
Hopkins: Most of the opportunities in the WNBA were short lived. I was usually coming in as a replacement player or on a 10-day contract or signed for a duration of time while they wait for someone else to come back from overseas. I never really got to be me in the WNBA and show what I could do. It was always an arranged situation where I would come in for a couple weeks while this player is hurt and then when she comes back they let me go. But I'm still grateful for those opportunities in the WNBA.
GoAztecs.com: You have played for three teams in Israel. What has led to you changing teams each time?
Hopkins: I only sign one-year contracts, so I bet on myself. Other players sign multi-year deals, but I know me and I always feel like I'm going to have a good season so I don't want to be boxed in or tied down to any team, I want the leverage. Every team I've been with, they've enjoyed me, which is why I've played multiple seasons for each team. I've won a championship with each team and I have a great resume in Israel. I started on a "bottom team," and the last three years I've played for the top team [Maccabi Bnot Ashod], which has the biggest budget and has the most recent championships.
This season, I'm on a new team, Hapoel Holon B.C., which usually finishes in middle of the pack, like fourth of fifth. I'm excited because I'm playing with [former UNLV star] Sequoia Holmes, who I grew up with in Las Vegas, and for the new challenge.
I really had my heart set on leaving Israel for the upcoming season. I've been to a lot of countries because of basketball: China, Greece, Spain, and Holland, but I've never played anywhere other than Israel permanently. I've really enjoyed Israel. The people are amazing, everyone speaks English, the food is great, it's like California beach weather all the time, so it's made me very comfortable. I feel like if you are away from home, it's nice to be some place you're familiar and some place that provides comfort as opposed to being in some of these other countries where they don't speak English or where all the Americans are far apart. That's what has kept me in Israel as long as I've been there. Since my career is winding down, I was hoping to play somewhere else for these last couple seasons, but with the corona, a lot of teams didn't have the money [for this season].
GoAztecs.com: Was your season canceled due to COVID-19?
Hopkins: Yes, we were about to begin the playoffs and we were the hottest team in the league and on an eight-game win streak. I'm usually there for seven months, from October to April, but we ended up canceling our season very abruptly. We canceled the season March 15 and I was home by March 17.
GoAztecs.com: What is the level of competition like in Israel?
Hopkins: Every season there is a handful of WNBA players in Israel. The league is dominated by Americans and is a top-ten league in the world. I've really enjoyed it.
GoAztecs.com: What's the hardest part about playing and living abroad?
Hopkins: Just being away. I'm super close with my family. They all pretty much live in Las Vegas. When I go overseas, I don't see them for seven months at a time. I've been fortunate to have my mom and dad come out frequently, usually at least once a season. Besides that, my brother, my aunt, my cousins, people that I'm used to seeing all the time, I don't get to see them because I've got to go to work and be away from the people that are closest to me for a long period. I haven't been home for Thanksgiving and Christmas in seven years. I still have a great relationship with San Diego State, but I haven't been able to come to any of the games, and I have to be up at three in the morning Israel time to watch the girls or guys play. I'm still close with Brian Dutcher and the men's team. It's not being able to be so involved with those relationships, the people I try to support, is the hardest part. I'm also still close with [former teammate] Courtney Clements, who coaches an AAU team and I miss not being able to support her and show my face, but duty calls.
GoAztecs.com: What are your goals for the rest of your playing career?
Hopkins: I'm entering my eighth year so hopefully I can make it to year 10. I've always thought that would be a cool number to retire at. I hope to experience another country. I feel like I've done all I can do in Israel. I've been on three different teams that have won a championship, I've been league MVP, so I feel like I've done everything. I still enjoy it, but I want a new challenge. It's nice to go somewhere where people don't know you and you have to make them know you by the way that you play. I'm looking forward to experiencing a new country and have new opportunities. We'll see if that comes in the next couple seasons, but if not, I'm cool with staying in Israel too. It's like a second home to me at this point. I have a lot of friends and I'm very familiar with the country and how things work.
GoAztecs.com: How has your game evolved since you left San Diego State?
Hopkins: I use my mind a lot more. I just turned 30 and I don't have the athleticism or the speed I used to have when I was in college. What I've noticed is I'm still able to dominate because I'm thinking a lot more. I've been able to adjust to my body and to the fact that as you get older, you just can't rely on running and jumping. For me, I'm a big thinker of the game and I feel like I have a high basketball IQ.
GoAztecs.com: What do you want to do when you are done playing?
Hopkins: I really want to transition into basketball operations. A lot of people have asked me about coaching or training, but I don't really know if that's for me. I really can't imagine life without basketball. I hope to work in an NBA front office one day and I've met a lot of people, so I feel like I have a good opportunity when the time comes.
Where are They Now? Chelsea Hopkins
