Former Husky Collier adjusting well to WNBA
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Napheesa Collier sank a shot from halfcourt to conclude Wednesday’s shootaround, but hardly anyone noticed. Karima Christmas-Kelly had hit one moments earlier, making Collier’s feat somewhat anticlimactic.
Collier threw both hands in the air, as if to celebrate, then remembered she had one more job to do. She went to retrieve a basketball that had been kicked into the second deck at Westchester County Center.
“Now I feel like I’m a part of the team, well, except for after shootaround when I had to go get that kicked ball,” Collier quipped.
Being a rookie in the WNBA comes with some mundane tasks, even for one as highly regarded as Collier. Beyond all that silliness, though, are reminders that the UConn product is adjusting quite well to the pros.
Collier has proven to be an instant success for the Minnesota Lynx, who selected the versatile forward sixth overall in April’s draft. Through six games, she’s averaging 13.3 points — Sylvia Fowles, a five-time All-Star and former MVP, leads the team at 14.7 per game — and 5.0 rebounds while adjusting to a different position.
The 6-foot-1 Collier has enjoyed a strong start at small forward, earning the nickname “Nathreesa” for her improved outside shooting. She poured in 27 points and shot 3-of-4 beyond the arc in her debut against the Chicago Sky.
A season-ending ACL injury to fellow rookie Jessica Shepard, though, may mean Collier transitions back to the post.
“It’s not completely different. I’m getting a lot of the same shots inside that I was in college. It’s just, the 3-point is the biggest thing offensively,” said Collier, who’s shooting 35.3% from 3 and 50% overall.
The bigger adjustment, Collier noted, has been on defense. Assignments are different from at UConn, where Collier primarily guarded players in the post.
“Our defense expects you to be up on the person. That was kind of mentally the hardest thing for me because you’re always worried about getting beat,” she said.
Collier was thought to be more polished than most rookies, which is why the Lynx didn’t dare pass on her. Head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve raved days after the draft about Collier’s UConn pedigree, calling her a player who “does everything.”
So far, Collier has lived up to that reputation, and then some. She’s been a steady presence for one the league’s top teams, averaging 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in
addition to leading all rookies in scoring.
“There’s obviously things I want to fix, just being more consistent in the shots I’m making and taking,” she said. “That’s why I’m getting in the gym and shooting. I want to continue making 3s and things like that. I am happy, but there are a lot of things I want to get better at.”
Collier had an unforgettable senior year at UConn, albeit one that ended with a Final Four loss to Notre Dame. She was the first player in program history to average a double-double since Rebecca Lobo and went alongside Katie Lou Samuelson — who was drafted fourth overall by the Sky — into the Huskies of Honor.
Naturally, she credits Geno Auriemma for helping her get pro-ready.
“Obviously, physically,
everyone’s stronger and bigger — everything like that,” Collier said. “But mentally, you have to … know what we’re doing. We have a short amount of time to learn all the plays and all the offense. Coach obviously expects that from us at UConn to be mentally checked in, so training myself there in those four years really helped transition to this.”