Griffin sensational in WNBA debut (Basketball)
In the build-up to her WNBA debut today, Kelsey Griffin of Eagle River stayed cool, calm and collected.
Then it hit her.
“I got a little nervous when we started going over personnel again right before the game started,” she told me. “Just hearing your name and seeing who I’m going to match up against, that’s when I got a little nervous.”
Griffin, of Chugiak High fame, is a rookie with the Connecticut Sun and it didn’t take long for her to find her groove.
“Once the game starts it’s just basketball,” said the league’s No. 3 overall draft pick.
Indeed, and her first game as a professional was typical Kelsey—rugged defense, effective rebounding and a victory.
The 6-foot-2 Alaskan collected eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and took two charges in a 74-61 home win over the Chicago Sky in the season opener for both teams.
“I really just want to do what my team needs from me to win,” she said. “Right now we’ve got so many capable scorers on the team. I try to take my shots but at the same time rebounding and team defense, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
At the University of Nebraska, Griffin was a NCAA First Team All-American who seldom came off the court.
As a rookie with the Sun, though, she will come off the bench.
“I love it,” said Griffin, who still played 31 minutes. “I like it a lot more than starting actually. It’s great.”
Off the court, she is still acclimating to her new surroundings. She lives about 20 minutes from the Mohegan Sun Casino, which hosts Sun home games.
“I am getting setting in. It’s nice,” said Griffin, who has never been to the Northeast. “I like it. It’s nice. The people in Connecticut are great. There have awesome fans out here.”
