Arizona basketball's Adia Barnes on growth as coach, recruiting, being honored by WNBA's Storm, more

Adia Barnes’ offseason has been one of both reflection and looking forward.

From coming back to earth after the high note of her Arizona Wildcats sprinting their way into the NCAA Tournament and winning a tourney game, to being part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first season of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, to recruiting future UA women’s basketball players, it’s been a whirlwind.

The Star sat down with Barnes for a conversation on topics ranging from her strategy in recruiting at July tournaments, the impact of UA performance coach Chris Allen on the Wildcats, as well as some family time this summer.

What did it mean to you to be selected by the Seattle fans to be honored as part of the Storm’s 25th anniversary team a few weeks ago? (Editor’s note: Barnes was also named to the Seattle Times’ 25th anniversary Storm team.)

A: “It was so special. I am so humbled and honored because I have so many fond memories in Seattle. I spent a large portion of my life and my career there. I was there for 14 years.

“I was there as a professional basketball player, a broadcaster; I was there as a coach and I got married there. Seattle holds so many special memories. And then being on the All-Decade team, the 25-year anniversary team, it was just very, very special to me.

“I love that place. I love those fans.”

You have the July recruiting period coming up and you have the core four — Montaya Dew, Jada Williams, Breya Cunningham and Skylar Jones — plus, you brought in pieces this offseason. What is your strategy going into those weekends and what are you looking for?

A: “We kind of already have an idea already going into this weekend — where you are with the 2025 class. For the 2025 class we already have visits set and we might add a couple of visits.

“You are really sitting on ‘25s that you really want, and then we’re really looking at 2026s. Because the 2026 class is really important for us.

“Because remember, all those kids are then seniors, and we’re going to graduate a big group at that point.

You’re not really evaluating; you know who you’re looking at. You may add some younger players, but you’re honing in, sitting on your ‘25s and your top ‘26s.”

In those situations, do you see someone you didn’t expect that might fit your program — like a Lauryn Swann, who was a late bloomer? Is there anybody at that point that you’re like, ‘Whoa, where did she come from?’

A: “Yeah, I think you see that with improvements. You see that especially like on ‘26 or ‘27. Sometimes you may have watched someone, you may say, ‘Wow, this player looks a lot better.’

“But sometimes, if you realize that right now, it’s really late for 2025 with relationships and time. You might do that more with that next class.”

As you head into your ninth season as Arizona’s head coach, what do you see as your biggest areas of growth?

A: “I think just understanding what’s urgent and what’s important.

“I think being fluid with changes. In my nine years everything has changed drastically in college athletics and women’s basketball. Being able to adapt to these changes is so important. Also, understanding that culture is so important. I look back at our championship run, we had really good chemistry. We had a really good balance of leadership. Cultivating future leaders is really important, and we missed that after like Sam (Thomas) and other players left. Making sure the pieces are right. And it’s not always about talent, because having less talent the right pieces, I think could lead to more winning.

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“I also think where I’ve grown is (that) I really trust my gut now. My gut told me to make some moves this year I would have never made three four years ago, and they were the best decisions I made, whether that’s from staff or team.

“I’m not super impulsive. I think about things. I’m pretty objective with things, and so just trust my gut, because when I’ve done that, we’ve had a lot of success. Sometimes that’s hard because people have so many opinions and have something to say. But not to worry about that stuff and do what I know is right. When you’re doing the right thing for the right reasons, in the right way, you have to trust your gut. She’s helped me out for these 47 years, so I’m not gonna not listen to her now.”

Chris Allen, your team’s performance enhancement coach, has been an important addition to your staff. How do you think he has impacted your team and made them better in just one year?

A: “Chris has made our program tremendously better. He’s not afraid to be the bad cop. He’s brutally honest. They all love him outside the weight room. They love, respect him; they listen to him and he pushes them. And I’ve seen growth in every single player in a positive way.

“He’s extremely valuable for what we do, and then he’s a great person. I trust him. I trust his work. He works hard. He gets it.

“One of the reasons he gets women’s basketball is because he was in football for so long. He understands what it is to work. He understands the commitment to women’s basketball. A lot of people in his profession don’t understand that; don’t want to commit to it. And he is all in — whatever I need, whatever I ask; I trust him and he’s like family. And he’s really good at job.

“He’s the best strength and conditioning coach I’ve ever had. Hands down.”

With so much going on in your offseason, will you get any family time before next season?

A: “It’s extremely important to me because we don’t get a lot of it. We’re going to a big festival in Italy and Salvo’s (Coppa, Barnes’ husband and an assistant coach on her UA staff) family is going to meet us there for a week. It’s time together. I’m looking forward to that.

“Now, the not-so-good parenting thing is I’m pulling my kids (nine-year-old Matteo and soon-to-be four year-old Capri) out of school. But I figured they’re young, and the stuff they’ll learn from the week in Italy is more valuable what they learn in a week in school.”