Kat Wright was introduced as “the shooter” when she transferred to the University of Arizona from Florida Atlantic in June.
And why not? She averaged 11.7 points and shot 40 percent from the 3-point line in her final season at FAU. On Jan. 30, 2016, Wright lit it up, hitting 11 three-pointers — the second-best single 3-point performance in NCAA history.
Yet Wright has developed into more than just a shooting star. The fifth-year senior was named one of three captains this season, along with senior JaLea Bennett and freshman Sam Thomas.
On the court, Wright is stealing passes, collecting rebounds and disrupting shooters. Off it, she soaks up all the basketball knowledge she can — fitting for someone who wants to coach after college.
“This is who I’ve always been,” said Wright, whose Wildcats will visit Stanford on Sunday. “I’ve never been a prolific scorer. I pride myself on my defense more than shooting.
“I like to take charges and I had three (in last week’s win over Colorado). I love that. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two go hand in hand; my defense fuels my offense.
“You’ve got to get the stops. A lot of what I do doesn’t show up in the stat sheet and if that’s what it takes to get a win, I’m down for it.”
The stats aren’t bad, either: Wright is averaging 7.8 points per game and hits 30 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. An even 60 percent of Wright’s shot attempts are 3-pointers.
Wright knows that good performances don’t happen on their own. Those extra passes that opened up the offensive flow helped her put up 16 points against Colorado. Wright dished out assists during the game and after, praising her teammates’ play.
Wright missed all of last season due to an injury, and admits she hasn’t been fully healthy this year, either. The oldest player on the UA roster won’t give specifics about her ailment; she’ll only joke that it is “old age.” Nevertheless, Wright is averaging 32 minutes per game.
“She’s tough; I like her mentality,” coach Adia Barnes said. “She is unselfish. For some, everything is predicated on scoring. With Kat, it’s the little things when she’s not getting her shot; that’s why she is still on the floor playing. A lot of players, when they are not scoring, they are not effective.
“I love coaching her; she gets the big picture. Some players I have to push. Not Kat, I have to rein her in. She works her butt off. She never gives less than 100 percent and is fun to coach. I wish I had coached her for all four years.”
Wright may join Barnes on the bench someday. Wright has been picked to participate in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s annual “So You Want To Be A Coach” Program, a three-day workshop held during this year’s women’s Final Four. She is one of just two players from the Pac-12 to be picked; Dominique Williams from UCLA is the other.
For now, Wright is focusing on finishing strong. Maybe she has another 11 3-pointer game in her.
Speaking of which, how did that happen? Wright doesn’t like talking about it.
“We lost that game, and for players, a loss is a loss,” said Wright. “It’s bittersweet. I was shooting without a conscience. I went 2 for 8 in the first half and came out and kept shooting and went 9 of 10. My coach said ‘Keep shooting, we need you to keep shooting.’”
And then Wright begins talking about her teammates — again.
“One thing about the game was that my coach drew up plays for me and my teammates set screens,” she said. “It was a team effort to get me the ball after I hit four.”
