Minnesota Lynx rookie forward Napheesa Collier has had a big impact since she was drafted sixth overall from UConn, scoring an average of 11 points per game and becoming the team's first rookie all-star since Maya Moore in 2011.
She started with a bang — a 27 point debut against the Sky in May.
FSN highlights from Napheesa Collier's 27 point debut for the Lynx pic.twitter.com/BHheVgCyVR
— Paid man gets bored (@cjzero) May 26, 2019She also has been solid defensively, and is third in the league in steals, with an average of 1.9 per game, She told Hepola it's a part of the game she enjoys.
"Defense is really fun and one thing that really gets your offense going is when you have a great defensive possession, so it's definitely something that I take pride in," she said.
Rookie Napheesa Collier denied Liz Cambage at the rim --(via @minnesotalynx)pic.twitter.com/CXxRUskLq1
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) June 17, 2019(830 WCCO listeners may recognize the voice of the announcer calling that last play)
In the process, Collier has learned to appreciate Lynx fans, who she has are the most dedicated in the WBA.
"We have amazing fans. I mean, we have a bunch of people at every single game — doesn't matter what time it is or when it is," she told Cory Hepola during his 9-noon show. "And you definitely notice that difference when we play other teams and just the enthusiasm, like you said, that they have for every game. It's amazing... I don't think it compares to anywhere else.
She also told Hepola about she started with soccer and softball before a basketball coach spotted her in fourth grade, and how she got recruited by UConn.
Listen to the full interview here:
