On Season 1 of Basketball Wives, Gloria Govan was the catalyst for a lot of drama. Well, she’s back for season 2. Below we discuss, why she came back, what happened last summer with the wedding and Matt’s arrest, her sister Laura, plus how she plans to spend her time here in the City of Angels:
Jill: So how do you like L.A. so far?
Gloria: I love L.A. You know, it took me a while to get used to it. I’m from the Bay and everyone is real chill, in flip-flops, and hangs out. But out here it’s a little more time you know, you have to be dressed, sometimes you have to be dressed to impress. You always have to be cute.
So that was something I was getting used to because I normally roll out of bed, pick up whatever is on the floor, put my hair up, run around with the kids. Out here it’s a little bit of a different story, so I’m getting used to. I’m adjusting, and I really love being on the Lakers. All the wives have been very welcoming. So it’s been a pretty easy transition.
Jill: How is it different being in L.A. versus being in Orlando and Phoenix?
Gloria: It really is different. I mean the Magic, as they are in L.A. you know, they’re really family oriented. But the environment is different. Just kind of like the team dynamic is much different. The arena is a lot more different; you know, Orlando and in Phoenix kind of had really rowdy kind of crazy fans. Out here I know they support the Lakers, but when you’re walking around the arena, everyone is on their phones. They’re tweeting about the game, stuff like that. So that’s where it becomes a little more different. But it’s been fun.
Jill: Okay, so your show, Basketball Wives, you’re back for season 2. What made you come back?
Gloria: Matt and I, we signed and are contractually obligated to do it. And although there a lot of negative things that came with it, a lot of doors opened and a lot of opportunities were presented to us.
So, you know, with season 1 under our belt and the opportunities that were given to us, you know, it’s kind of no telling what we’ll be able to do with season 2. Tons of drama. You’ll see, so.
Jill: Okay, since you’ve arrived, have you had a lot of interaction with the other ladies or is it sort of more so you with the ladies that located here in L.A., or just you and Matt on your own, or?
Gloria: You know, I definitely since being out here have made some great friends and met some really interesting and valuable wives that I think I can see myself becoming really good friends with. So you’ll see, there’s a little bit of that and there’s a little bit of me and my kind of new friends and family, and you know, Susie and I kind of reconnected after we apologized, after I apologized to her.
You know, we started talking and she’s actually really a sweetheart. So, you know, we kind of connect a little bit. So yeah, you’ll get a whole bunch of different you know, kind of variables — you kind of see me as a mom, and see me as a fiance, and the friend, and you know, the new wife in L.A. So, it’s fun.
Jill: What lessons did you take from your experience with the first season to bring into season 2, if any?
Gloria: I think what it was just kind of being real. I think one of the main things, when you step into an opportunity, you never really know… I was very cautious on season 1. Obviously, given the kind of drama I was put in the middle of, you know, I was very conscious of what I said and how I acted, stuff like that, just because it was as the new girl like the new high school kind of thing…all these women know each other and had developed relationships before being on the show. It was my first time to meet all of them.
So, I definitely…this time around I’m just like forget it; I just let it go. I really show people I think who I am and that I can defend myself, and I’m not just some poor little cat that just sits there and takes everything you know.
So you do, you really kind of get an opportunity to see me being who I am and being real.
Jill: Well, I would never have described you as just taking things. I thought that last season that was one of the things I actually liked about you was that, you always stood up for yourself.
Gloria: Oh, yeah, but I honestly think that I stood up for myself much more than the season premier portrayed me to. So I think that was one of the things I was maybe disappointed or maybe conscious about was that you know, I am, I’m kind of defensive, I’m the youngest of nine. So I’m like a little daschund, so I’m like feisty. So you know, I gave the women an earful I felt. So when I only saw maybe a quick little five seconds of me being like wait a minute, I said more than that, why didn’t they show the juicy stuff? You know, I was like wait a second.
So I think this time around I was like forget it, I’m gonna bring it, this is ridiculous. So that was one of my things this season.
Jill: So, your sister Laura was on an episode last year. Will she be involved again or is she sort of distancing herself from that and the whole stuff?
Gloria: Mm, no, I wouldn’t say she was distancing herself. I think that you know, she’s in D.C. so she’s always come out to support whatever I have going on. You know, she was at Matt’s party. So she’s always been really supportive of what I do, especially if I’m doing something for him, her being a fiance herself.
So I think you know, maybe being out here in L.A. you know, doing our own thing out here she’d definitely be involved. But she’s not really interested in kind of being on any of Shaunie’s shows.
Jill: Got it. Now that it’s all said and done, you’re wrapped with season 2, would you come back for season 3 or would this be something that you’d maybe want to work into your own show?
Gloria: I’m not going to say never because I was definitely like hell, no, I’m not coming back to that show again; and then here I am like oh, hey, I’m back, woo-hoo. So I definitely think that this time around I’m never gonna say never again. But I’d definitely would love to look into getting our own show out here in L.A. because I mean, this is Hollywood. There’s so many different elements that we could incorporate in our own show, and there’s so many wives that live out here, that we can incorporate to the show. So, although I’m not going to say no, I’m not coming back ever again, I’d rather focus on doing our own thing out here in L.A.
Jill: Okay, one unpleasant moment, what happened this summer…
Part 2 of this interview will be up later this week.
*Also please note the interview took place prior to Gilbert Arenas being traded to the Magic
