IN CONVERSATION WITH MADDY WESTBELD

interview by JANA LETONJA
photography by ALICIA TSAI

Maddy Westbeld is redefining what it means to be a modern professional athlete. Fresh off a breakout season with the Chicago Sky, she is celebrated not only for her skill, versatility, and basketball IQ, but for her authenticity, holistic approach to wellness, and growing influence in lifestyle, beauty, and culture. From mindful nutrition and intentional skincare routines to her emerging passion for coffee and youth empowerment, Maddy embodies a generation of athletes who seamlessly bridge performance, self-care, and purpose-driven leadership. With her cross-demographic appeal and thoughtful perspective on sports, business, and life, she is quickly establishing herself as a voice and role model both on and off the court.

Looking back at your rookie season with the Chicago Sky, what moments stand out as defining for you personally and professionally?

Reflecting on my rookie season with the Sky, I’m grateful about the entirety of the season for so many reasons. I have sisters for life in my teammates, I played for one of the best cities in the country with the best fans, and I got to play against my sister for the first time ever. On a personal note, I met my character and was incredibly pleased with who she was. When dreams become your reality there is always some inherent expectation as to what the experience will be like, but I decided before training camp not to focus on that at all. I locked inward and only focused on how I was going to show up, every day. I set a standard for myself and I lived it out for the entire duration of the season, through every high and low, and for that I’m grateful and excited for what is to come.

How has playing alongside high-profile teammates like Angel Reese and Kamilla Kardoso shaped your growth as a player?

I was so excited to be drafted by Chicago, knowing the vets I was going to be able to learn from. I was truly a sponge to all my teammates and coaches during my rookie year. Angel has an incredible motor that she plays with and I was ecstatic to compete with her in practice knowing we were going to make each other better every day. E Will took me under her wing from the first day of workouts in Chicago and was there for me all season, just like the rest of my vets. I could go down the list of every single one of my teammates. We had a sisterhood that I’ll never forget.

What do you consider your signature strengths on the court, and how have they evolved since college?

My greatest strengths on the court include my versatility from a scoring as well as toughness standpoint. I am able to score at all three levels with efficiency and can take advantage of mismatches depending on different line-ups. More importantly though, I take a lot of pride in my mental toughness on the court. I have done the work to be mentally untouchable, allowing me the freedom to be creative on the floor with my game without distraction.

You’ve quickly become a recognized face in the WNBA. How do you balance athletic performance with public visibility and cultural influence?

I am living out my dream, playing the game I love as a career. I am living in alignment with what I feel my purpose is, and so the balance of on/off the court endeavors feels natural to pursue. My mindset is always to maximize the body of work I’ve created and not limit myself to any one thing, but continue to embrace who I am, holistically, and keep my focus on who I am becoming. I’ve been inspired by so many of my peers and mentors who have proven that it is possible to be anything I ever want to be, whether that’s an MVP, model, entrepreneur, community activist, etc., so with this, I feel a great obligation as well to pay forward the knowledge and inspiration I’ve been given.

How do you approach the mental side of the game, especially in high-pressure moments during playoffs or nationally televised games?

I take much pride in my holistic preparation. Meditation and journaling are non-negotiables for me as they both allow me to raise my awareness and exercise my mental willpower when adversity or high pressure situations arise. They are tools to help me keep my mind at the frequency I want to keep it at so I can stay present and grateful, knowing that any pressure is a privilege and something not to shy away from but to embrace.

Wellness and clean living are central to your identity. How do you integrate holistic practices into your daily routine as a professional athlete?

Wellness is a major part of my identity. I was fortunate enough to be raised eating the fruits and vegetables that my dad grew in his garden every year. As I got more and more serious with basketball, I really dove into the importance of nutrition because I was interested in sharpening every detail around my game. In my college junior year, I decided that nutrition would be a non-negotiable for me so that everything off the court was conducive to my success, not just on the court, but as a student. I loved the clarity and natural energy that I got. It truly poured into every other area of my life. Eating whole foods began to be my fixation and now a seamless lifestyle that I don’t think twice about.

Your interest in coffee has become a personal ritual and potential business venture. What drew you to it, and how does it fit into your lifestyle?

From a very young age, I remember vividly the nostalgia of my Italian mother, grandmother, aunts and cousins waking up and having coffee with their biscottis. From an early age, I saw how special that morning time was to visit with loved ones and it all be surrounded by a simple cup of coffee. Fast forward to college, I started drinking coffee and it had become my non-negotiable in the morning to set myself up for the day. I appreciate everything around coffee, specifically the mindfulness to float through the morning until you have that first sip. I started using coffee for my means of consistency, focus and presence. I dedicate time every morning to ground myself, no pun intended, through the means of coffee.

Can you share more about your vision for launching your own coffee brand and how your athletic background informs your approach?

As a basketball player at the highest level, I have a fire in me to exhaust every ounce. I am obsessed with the process and finding out ways to improve my game. Throughout my career, I’ve realized basketball is my blank canvas everyday and if I want to optimize my creation, there are variables I have to master around the game to free myself up mentally and physically, so that what I produce is seamless and smooth. That means that everything matters. Similarly, I’ve gone down a deep rabbit hole of the process of coffee-making and have found that it is no different than basketball. They share intrinsic parallels in their process when it comes to the execution of details. I’ve found myself enthralled in creating my own branded process to share with the world.

You’ve partnered with charity initiatives in the past, like selling a limited-edition coffee bean. How important is social impact in your entrepreneurial efforts?

I think it’s impossible to have a sustainable purpose that isn’t driven by impact on real lives. People deserve someone to believe in them. God has given me an amazing platform

through basketball to have a voice and to be able to influence. I carry that blessing with the obligation to share it. My purpose revolves around pouring into communities and real lives.

You’ve become a trusted voice in fashion, beauty, and wellness spaces. How do you maintain authenticity while engaging with brands and media?

Remaining authentic is challenging at this level when many things are scrutinized and privacy is limited, but keeping my core sacred is something I don’t take lightly. Authenticity to who I am, where I come from and the things I believe in are at the forefront of my character.

Looking ahead, what does success look like for you beyond the court, both in lifestyle ventures and personal growth?

Success to me looks like continuing to dig deep into myself to find out who I am and how I can optimize this life I was given. Through a business lens, I want to build success around sustainable business and investing in practices while simultaneously inspiring communities and individual lives in a positive way.