Up next in 10
#UNC center Blanca Thomas at women's basketball media day
Oct 23, 2025
#UNC center Blanca Thomas at women's basketball media day
View Video Transcript
0:00
So, I was just wondering u what have the
0:02
coaches told you in kind of in the
0:03
offseason of what you can do to help
0:04
make kind of the sophomore leap that
0:06
people talk about a lot because you
0:08
certainly have be in a bigger role this
0:10
year having lost people like Alyssa and
0:14
Maria Gang. So, what did they tell you
0:15
to kind of focus on going into the off
0:17
season?
0:18
I think definitely the leadership part
0:20
of it is going to be really important
0:21
and being that voice. Even though I am a
0:23
sophomore, I can still have that voice
0:24
and help our freshman and even the
0:27
people who are older and the same age as
0:28
me. And then also just being that
0:31
presence on the inside, you know, losing
0:33
Maria, we lose a lot of inside presence.
0:35
So trying to be that for them is going
0:37
to be really important for me this year.
0:38
Absolutely. Um and also for the
0:44
what would you say? Was there a certain
0:46
skill that you've worked on in the off
0:48
season that maybe limited your playing
0:50
time last year that you feel you
0:52
improved on to help like like you said
0:54
take that big step into this season? I
0:57
think for me honestly consistency was
0:59
the biggest thing. You know, being
1:00
efficient every practice so it can
1:03
translate into every game and then also
1:05
being more confident in my three. You
1:07
know, I've I shot a lot of threes in
1:08
high school. So, showing the college
1:10
world that I can do that too and then
1:12
also be that presence inside.
1:14
Can you talk a little about the like the
1:17
UNCC camaraderie and the UNCC family of
1:19
how how big an aspect that that is for
1:21
you all? cuz I can see on like social
1:23
media and in public anywhere how how
1:26
tight of a group you all are. And
1:27
so I mean how's that help your enc court
1:30
success and the chemistry you guys have?
1:32
Oh my god, our family is amazing. Our
1:34
culture is great. I mean these girls are
1:36
basically my sisters. I wouldn't trade
1:37
them for anything. You know, I'm so
1:39
happy I came here. It was one of the
1:41
best decisions I've ever made. And I
1:43
feel like our fans are so wonderful and
1:45
I feel like our fans see that connection
1:48
that we have on the court. So it's not
1:50
just like a oh off the court thing like
1:52
it translates and it shows.
1:55
And I know that you all have your uh the
1:57
blue ballers account that you have with
1:59
like you Leila Jordan. I know you
2:02
included Alina on this year's team.
2:03
Yeah.
2:04
That I think that's
2:08
how how has that also helped you as a
2:11
team cuz it seems that it definitely
2:12
showcased to the public how how tight of
2:15
a group you are. I think that was the
2:16
important thing for us. Like it's kind
2:18
of something that we use to show
2:20
everyone our personalities more. I feel
2:22
like it does a great job of like making
2:24
our fans feel more connected to us and
2:26
that's what's really important. And then
2:27
like I said, it translate onto the
2:28
court. So being able to make all those
2:30
videos, it's super fun for us, but then
2:32
it's super fun for everyone else who
2:34
comes up to us and like we love your
2:35
videos. So you know, just having that
2:37
like community kind of vibe just from
2:38
our TikTok is great. And I know last
2:40
year in the NCA tournament, you had a a
2:43
moment where your teammates had to bring
2:45
you back to life after a play where uh
2:47
Lexi was just playing out of her mind,
2:49
so to speak. Do you think you'll see
2:50
more moments like that if the season is
2:52
going as well as you expect it, Kim?
2:55
Oh my gosh. Yeah, we love to have fun.
2:57
You know, I'm I'm going to be pulling
2:58
out all the celebrations on court, on
3:00
the bench, whatever it is. You know,
3:02
we're ready to have fun and just hype
3:04
each other up cuz that's what makes
3:05
winning even better.
3:07
We have some tough tests coming up early
3:09
on. How important is that as you look to
3:11
the rest of the season to be tested
3:13
early on?
3:14
I think it'll set the tone for us and
3:16
it'll be really nice to play those hard
3:18
opponents. You know, they're all I mean,
3:20
we play three top five ranks and you
3:22
know, obviously the ranking means a lot,
3:25
but we can show what we can bring too.
3:27
Like we're up in the top 20 for a reason
3:29
as well. So,
3:30
how much stock do you guys put in that
3:32
ranking? No one's played any basketball
3:35
yet. just based on looking at rosters
3:37
and experience. So, how much thought do
3:39
you put in something like having 11 next
3:41
to your name at this point?
3:43
Honestly, not too much. It's nice to see
3:45
that number and to see that we're
3:46
getting the props that we should be.
3:48
But, like you said, like you don't know
3:50
until we really get out there on the
3:51
court and like see what everyone looks
3:53
like. So, I say we try to not think too
3:55
much about the numbers and we try to
3:57
just beat us and play like we always do.
3:59
And what does that look like? What can
4:01
Tarheel fans expect when they come and
4:03
see you guys play this season? I think
4:05
for sure a lot of fun. This team loves
4:07
to have fun, which is one of my favorite
4:09
things. We compete. We're gritty. It's
4:11
just it's really fun to be a part of a
4:14
team that just wants to win, but also
4:15
wants to have fun at the same time.
4:17
How do you guys balance the fun and and
4:20
the seriousness um of you know, you're
4:22
playing like we just said, right, a lot
4:23
of tough competition early, but you also
4:25
still want to have fun. How do you
4:26
balance that stuff?
4:28
I would say our coaches do a nice job of
4:31
leveling us out. you know, we don't get
4:32
too crazy, but we also need to like stay
4:34
locked in just to like keep growing
4:36
because that's one of that's been one of
4:37
our biggest thing is trying to stay
4:38
consistent and keep that growth as we
4:40
can keep progressing in the season. You
4:43
know, Coach Bangar, all of our
4:45
assistants, they love to have fun with
4:46
us, which I think makes it more of a
4:49
kind of environment where we're like,
4:50
okay, like we can have fun and play
4:52
hard, which has been really nice.
4:56
And I lost it. Um, what are some things
4:58
that you guys want to improve on to keep
5:00
that steady growth throughout the
5:02
season?
5:03
I would say the biggest thing is
5:04
probably being vocal. I think sometimes
5:07
we have moments where if it's maybe one
5:09
of our like more down days, being vocal
5:12
is the thing that gets us out of it and
5:14
sometimes we kind of forget that. So
5:16
staying consistent and being that vocal
5:18
leadership is going to be really
5:19
important.
5:20
Thank you.
5:21
Thank you. And I was wondering, so over
5:24
the off season, it's been said that
5:26
there have been there have been a lot of
5:27
tickets sold for season tickets and just
5:30
a lot more even more buzz around the
5:32
program after their run at Sweet 16 last
5:34
year. What does that mean to y'all when
5:36
you see so many people getting invested
5:37
in like enjoying the sport and seeing
5:40
what you all have to offer?
5:42
It means so much. Honestly, our fan
5:44
base, like I said, is incredible. And
5:46
the fact that we get to know everybody
5:48
is also one of my favorite parts of it.
5:50
I've been able to meet so many amazing
5:51
fans, donors, whatever it is. And just
5:55
seeing how much people love women's
5:56
sports and how big women's sports is
5:58
becoming, especially women's basketball,
6:00
is such a beautiful thing to see.
6:01
Absolutely. Thank you.
6:03
Thank you.
6:04
Hi.
6:05
Hi. Nice to meet you. I was just going
6:07
to ask you. I thought we got asked
6:08
already about stepping up and um what
6:11
does this last
6:13
but
6:15
I'm curious about your relationship this
6:17
year too and how you all had similar
6:19
roles on the bench together last year.
6:21
Probably similar roles on the court.
6:23
What has that kind of been like what is
6:26
working with her playing against her
6:28
like?
6:28
Oh yeah. I mean playing with her is so
6:29
fun. and we're very similar, but we also
6:31
can work really well together at the
6:33
four and the in the five spot. But, you
6:36
know, we've been able to push each other
6:37
every day. She brings a force of
6:39
physicality and height, which is nice to
6:41
play against cuz, you know, like being
6:43
6'5, I'm like, I need to play against
6:45
that height. So, she brings that and
6:47
we're able to be competitive but also
6:48
have fun together.
6:50
And you're going to play some a bunch of
6:52
different teams and some of them are
6:54
going to throw a lot of sides at you.
6:55
What are those masters going to be like?
6:57
What are you thinking about throughout
7:00
that those games?
7:01
Yeah, I think
7:03
defensively is going to be the biggest
7:05
thing. When I play other opponents with
7:06
size, the physicality is going to be
7:08
really important. So, rooting them off
7:10
the block and just like staying strong
7:12
is something that I'm going to need to
7:14
do. And I think Maria and Alyssa
7:15
prepared me really well for that. I was
7:17
saying that Maria was such a physical
7:20
force down there. So, guarding her every
7:21
day in practice was exhausting, but it
7:23
helped me. It's been very beneficial for
7:25
me to translate this year. Is there
7:26
anything you can point to specifically
7:28
that you learned from them?
7:31
I learned a lot honestly. They helped
7:33
me. Specifically, I would say with the
7:34
mental side of it, that switch and
7:37
knowing like, okay, I can't dwell on
7:38
mistakes. I need to keep going like for
7:40
my team, for my seniors, you know. So,
7:43
mentally they taught me a lot. And then,
7:45
of course, on the court, I would say
7:47
Maria just taught me the physicality
7:48
part of it and just battling every day.
7:50
And then Liz, her hustle, amazing. Like,
7:52
I want to embody those things.
7:56
Thank you.
7:57
I have one more question actually. The
7:59
um after seeing like how successful some
8:02
UNCC players have been like Alyssa going
8:04
pro, Maria and Grace, all these players
8:07
getting a chance to go play pro overseas
8:10
like um what does that how does that
8:13
help you that you're able to learn from
8:14
all these players who were are going pro
8:16
and that I'm sure a lot of you have the
8:18
same similar aspirations that they do
8:19
for that? Yeah, I mean they're such
8:21
amazing players, so trying to embody all
8:23
the things that they brought to our team
8:24
last year will definitely help. And it's
8:26
been really fun to see them excel
8:28
wherever in whichever country they're
8:29
in. So it's been nice and to have that
8:32
kind of mentorship of like, okay, if I
8:34
want to go play overseas or in the
8:35
league, like I have them to lean on for
8:37
that.
8:38
Thank you.
8:39
Appreciate it.
8:40
Yeah,
8:40
sure. Okay. Um, what is kind of like