13 October 2011
Quote of the Day: Seimone Augustus
Seimone Augustus was the #1 draft pick in 2006. I've read several articles discussing how she has never really been comfortable being the "star" of the Minnesota Lynx, and how having 2011 #1 draft pick Maya Moore join the team would help take some of the pressure off of her, and make her more comfortable. (She ended up having one of her best personal seasons ever, and her team a) made it to the playoffs for the first time in her tenure there, and b) won the championship.) Here's her take on drafting Maya Moore, from an ESPN article:
Once [Augustus] knew the Lynx would pick first in the 2011 draft, she immediately began to think of ways she could help make Maya Moore's transition to the WNBA easier.
"When we landed No. 1 in the lottery, Seimone and all the players reached out to me," [Minnesota Coach] Reeve said. "I asked them who they would take, and they chuckled and said, 'Come on, Coach. That's a no-brainer.'
"Seimone understood it actually made her life easier to have Maya. At no point in time was there ever any kind of jealousy. In fact, Seimone continued to be our go-to player despite what people thought."
Augustus averaged 16.2 points in the regular season, but 22.0 in the eight games of the playoffs. She also became a more committed defender, and that was particularly evident in how the Lynx wore down Atlanta in the decisive third game of the WNBA Finals last Friday, a 73-67 Minnesota victory.
"I wanted to take that [defensive] role because Maya was coming in, and it was obvious that she was going to be starting," Augustus said. "You don't want to put that kind of pressure on a rookie to have to guard the opposing team's best player. I had to take that challenge."
Once [Augustus] knew the Lynx would pick first in the 2011 draft, she immediately began to think of ways she could help make Maya Moore's transition to the WNBA easier.
"When we landed No. 1 in the lottery, Seimone and all the players reached out to me," [Minnesota Coach] Reeve said. "I asked them who they would take, and they chuckled and said, 'Come on, Coach. That's a no-brainer.'
"Seimone understood it actually made her life easier to have Maya. At no point in time was there ever any kind of jealousy. In fact, Seimone continued to be our go-to player despite what people thought."
Augustus averaged 16.2 points in the regular season, but 22.0 in the eight games of the playoffs. She also became a more committed defender, and that was particularly evident in how the Lynx wore down Atlanta in the decisive third game of the WNBA Finals last Friday, a 73-67 Minnesota victory.
"I wanted to take that [defensive] role because Maya was coming in, and it was obvious that she was going to be starting," Augustus said. "You don't want to put that kind of pressure on a rookie to have to guard the opposing team's best player. I had to take that challenge."
Labels: WNBA
# posted by mamurd @ 9:18 PM 
