When the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun traded Tina Charles to the New York Liberty in 2014, it was a homecoming for the powerhouse center, who was born and raised in Queens. On the eve of the Liberty’s home opener at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, the 27-year-old All-Star tells ELISABETH VINCENTELLI what she’s up to when she’s not grabbing rebounds.
I live in Queens still — I’ve always had a place in Forest Hills — but I usually venture out on weekends. I’m a foodie, so I like going to restaurants. I don’t often go to the same one twice, but I like Jacob’s Pickles, Chaiwali, Red Rooster — I really love Harlem. I eat healthy for the most part, but if I’m in the mood for chicken and waffles, I go to Sweet Chick in Williamsburg [, Brooklyn].
As an athlete you do have to pay attention to what you eat, depending on your body type and your work ethic, but I’m pretty fine with my intake.
In Connecticut we played in a casino, and you couldn’t go out and find anything. You’d eat whatever was at the Mohegan Sun. Being in New York is a night-and-day difference: Here you have so many restaurants open after the game! I really like Cafeteria. I don’t do clubs — I’m a morning person.
On weekends I relax and I do a bit of my philanthropic work from home. I have an office in the Garment District, but it’s closed on weekends. I’m the founder of the Hopey’s Heart Foundation [which helps schools and recreation centers procure defibrillators]. I like going to the movies but it has to be something I’m really into. I don’t go just to go — I have too much stuff going on for that.
If there’s a game, we have a shoot-around in the morning and we go over the game plan. If I feel like I need to work out more, we have access to the Liberty practice facility in White Plains, [NY,] at all times.