Ty Young is no stranger to competition — whether on the basketball court or in the public eye. The former WNBA standout and reality TV personality has made headlines in recent years, not only for her athletic career but also for her relationships and appearances on popular television franchises like Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta and now Basketball Wives.
In an exclusive interview on the Scoop B Radio Podcast, Ty opened up about everything — from her experience filming the latest season of Basketball Wives, to persistent internet rumors involving actress Drew Sidora and how she’s grown through it all.
ON THE DREW SIDORA RUMORS AND WHY SHE’S KEEPING IT CLASSY
The internet has been swirling with speculation about Ty’s connection to Real Housewives of Atlanta star Drew Sidora, with some fans even alleging a romantic involvement. But Ty made it clear that while she has love for Drew, the rumors are exactly that — rumors.
“All the ladies do love me, right,” Ty joked with a laugh. “Ming Lee was my girl for almost nine months. Prior to that, I was single for some years. My relationship before Ming Lee I was in for 8 years.”
The speculation about Sidora reportedly stemmed from comments made by Ty’s ex, Mimi Faust, who she dated off-and-on for several years. Ty says that narrative is not only false but hurtful — especially because she hadn’t even met Drew at the time those claims were made.
“Drew is a good friend and good person so things have been said and done,” Ty Young tells Scoop B Radio.
“But I would never speak ill of Drew; I just don’t believe in that and that’s just what it is and that’s just where it is,” she explained. “You get into a relationship where some friendships are frowned upon and you want to respect the relationship that you’re in. But at the end of the day, who I am, I like to show up for my friends and show up for my people.”
Ty continued, “You know what? It’s crazy because I’ve seen people speak about that [The Game] but, I never watched that show. I didn’t meet Drew until about 2 years ago. That was me the first time meeting her and knowing who she was. But what I hate is that what my ex ‘put out there’ was that I cheated on her with Drew. I didn’t even know Drew when I was with Mimi [Faust] (from *Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta)… and we never publicly announced our breakup for the 3rd time. Which I just hate that narrative that’s STILL lingering and going around like, ‘Oh, she cheated on Mimi with Drew…’ that never happened.”
ON JOINING THE MAIN CAST OF BASKETBALL WIVES SEASON 12
Having already dipped her toe into the world of reality television on Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta, Ty saw Basketball Wivesas an opportunity to reclaim her voice — and tell her story on her terms.
“It was a dope experience,” Ty Young said of her time filming Season 12. “It was very different from when I did Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta with Mimi just because I’m in the main cast, I’m able to tell my story; I’m in L.A., the energy, the sunshine — those ladies… the ex-wives are exes to NBA players so they kind of have a little knowledge about the game. But it was cool. It wasn’t bad.”
She emphasized the importance of authenticity in a world where storylines are often manipulated for drama. “I would do it again if I had the opportunity, but I don’t have anything bad to say about the taping or the filming, you know? I was going through a public breakup, that’s not good, but I did enjoy it. I did enjoy getting to know the ladies, moving to a different city/state, and enjoying L.A.”
ON REALITY TV FAME AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS
Ty is candid about the highs and lows of reality TV. For every fan who supports her, there are critics who feel entitled to weigh in on her personal life — often without context or facts. That kind of scrutiny, she says, takes a toll.
“I guess the fact when you’re on reality TV, you have people that feel like they know you,” she said.
“They feel like they know your life and they ‘know’ everything but they really don’t,” she explained. “You have to have tough skin, you have to be mentally stable because people’s computers and phones, they will get on the internet and say anything and you can either choose to go back and forth with them and let it consume you and your time, or you can ignore it.”
It took time — and growth — for Ty to stop taking the bait.
“When I first started I used to have a rebuttal — because I got a slick mouth,” she said.
“So I would say things back [laughs]… But in real life, in all actuality, all they want is some attention. So they want that, you know? And so I just stop. Now if I do see anything negative, I just block and I ignore it because we’re not dealing with negativity.”
MOVING FORWARD WITH PURPOSE
Through heartbreak, public breakups, and constant online judgment, Ty Young has remained grounded and resilient. She’s focused on growth, healing, and staying true to herself — both on camera and off.
Whether it’s on the hardwood or the Hollywood Hills, one thing is certain: Ty is showing up for herself and those around her.
FROM MICHAEL JORDAN TO A’JA WILSON: TY YOUNG’S JOURNEY COMES FULL CIRCLE
Long before reality TV or professional hoops, Ty Young was just a girl with a jumper in Wilmington, North Carolina — walking the same high school halls as Michael Jordan at Emsley A. Laney High School. And while comparisons to His Airness are inevitable, Ty’s story has always been her own.
Years later, that Laney connection unexpectedly came full circle when she ran into Jordan himself — and completely froze.
“When I first met Michael, it was in Chicago in the Barney’s store,” she recalled.
“My best friend was like: ‘There goes MJ.’ I was like, ‘MJ who?’ and he said, ‘Michael Jordan fool!’” she recalled, laughing.
“When I tell you my heart and stomach dropped… I’ve never seen myself not able to say a word… But I can say he remembered me because when I went later to NBA All-Star Weekend, he gave me a hug and showed me some love. I was like, ‘A’ight… he knows who I am!’”
From idolizing MJ to coaching future legends, Ty’s full-circle moments now include mentoring the next wave of WNBA superstars like A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese. “Black women who are themselves, being authentic but they’re great people as well,” she said of the duo’s influence.
“They both work extremely hard and that’s just the way they set the standard to continue to grow… they didn’t come in as rookies acting like they knew it all. They listened, and they learned.”
She’s equally vocal about pushing back against harmful narratives — especially around Black women in sports. “The biggest misconception about Angel Reese is that she wants to do everything else aside from basketball,” Ty explained.
“Angel is not only a basketball player — she’s a businesswoman, she’s a great person… People get it misconstrued because they see her doing so much, but she puts the work in. She’s a dog. She loves the game.”
CAITLIN CLARK & PAIGE BUECKERS
Ty also addressed the discourse surrounding Caitlin Clark, particularly in a season that saw race become part of the national conversation. As an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky, she scouted Clark firsthand.
“What surprised me was that she wasn’t scared,” Ty admitted. “White girl coming into the league with all this star power, all this attention? She really didn’t back down. There were times where she played the victim on the court like she didn’t do a little dirty work too, but she didn’t back down — and that’s what makes Caitlin great.”
As for this year’s No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers? Ty’s already game-planning.
“Paige is a great passer, so as a coach scouting her, you have to be aggressive, be physical… I would use a guard with size to clog her view,” she said. “She’s a great college player, but we don’t really know what she is as a pro yet — it’s only been preseason. You really have to wait for the regular season and playoffs to make an assessment.”
When asked who Bueckers reminds her of at the NBA level, Ty was refreshingly honest.
“That’s a good question… [long pause] I don’t know. Who do you think?” she said, smiling. “I don’t like to say things I’m unsure of.”
That kind of humility — mixed with confidence, humor, and a lifetime of earned experience — is what defines Ty Young. Whether she’s breaking down film, breaking glass ceilings, or breaking the internet with a viral moment, she’s doing it her way.
“I’ve lived a lot of life,” she said. “I’m not perfect, but I show up, I stay true, and I keep going.”
And in a world that’s always watching, Ty Young is still writing her story — and this time, she’s holding the pen.
