Shaina Pellington watched her first WNBA game in style.
Sitting a suite high above the court at Phoenix's Footprint Center, Pellington — along with her Arizona teammates and coaches — watched former Wildcats Sam Thomas and Aari McDonald play against each other on July 17. Thomas is a member of the Phoenix Mercury, while McDonald plays for the Atlanta Dream.
The road trip to Phoenix came with an extra perk. Pellington talked to Ann Meyers Drysdale, a Hall of Famer and one of the greats in the sport, after the game.
"It was cool to see the inside framework of how the league is designed and to speak to Ann afterwards," Pellington said. "She was talking to us a lot about Title IX and how far basketball has come since back in the day and women’s rights. I think it was really important. A lot of people can’t say their first experience going to a WNBA game they got to speak to one of the most influential women within the game. For me, and I think a lot of my teammates, it was a really cool experience, and it's definitely something I won't forget."
Drysdale asked the Wildcats who their favorite players were and most of them mentioned the men who play in the NBA — like LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
"She said, ‘How are you a woman and your favorite basketball player is not a woman? You need to support each other, because they are not going to do it,’" freshman Kailyn Gilbert said.
Added fellow freshman Lemyah Hylton: "I have to kind of find a way to balance it out or find a way to put my support towards the women more. That also stood out to me a lot."
Women’s basketball pioneer Ann Meyers Drysdale talked to Arizona’s players following a Mercury game last month. Among the topics discussed: the need to support fellow women’s basketball players in a sport where much of the attention is focused on men.
The game itself was extra special to those who played alongside Thomas during her senior season. Thomas signed with the Mercury as an undrafted free agent and then defied the odds to make the team.
"Seeing her pursuing her dreams and doing what she worked her entire life to do … it’s really good to have someone like that to look up to," Pellington said. "Being a part of somebody's journey, watching how they did things and then being able to excel at that level. I think it's great."
The Wildcats also have seen the extra work that McDonald, a first-round draft pick in 2021, has put in.
Hylton said it was, "enlightening for me to see these foundational players (of the program) that were here in my shoes,and now they are in the WNBA fulfilling their dreams."
Sam in Sardinia
Thomas will spend her WNBA offseason playing for Dinamo Sassari in Sardinia. The move came with the blessing of UA assistant coach Salvo Coppa, a native of Italy.
"He had nothing but great things to say," Thomas said. "I called back my agent and said, 'Let's do it. Let's accept the deal.' It was really fun. I'm excited to go there."
What does Thomas know about her new team?
"Nothing," Thomas laughed. "I know it’s an island. I know that in coach Salvo’s opinion, it has the best beaches in Italy."
Altanta Dream guard Aari McDonald, pictured during a game against the Mercury in June, is posting career highs in all major statistical categories this season.
Showing versatility
McDonald has really shown her versatility on the court during her second season in the WNBA. McDonald started multiple games — including a June 10 game in Phoenix against the Mercury. During that time, she stepped up and led her team.
McDonald is averaging 11.1 points per game in her second season, up from 6.3 as a rookie. Her rebounds, assists and steals totals are up — as are her minutes.
"That gave me the confidence that, 'OK, you can do that when you start. Now, when you come off the bench, make sure you do that, as well. Translate it,'" McDonald said. "I’m a team player. It’s always ‘we’ over ‘me.’ Whatever position or role that my coach or teammates need me, I’m going to do that and I'm going to do that to the best of my abilities."
Some things have changed for McDonald — namely, her pre-game routine. At Arizona she would sleep and binge on candy before taking to the court.
Now, she gotten a bit more serious about how she prepares — and what she eats.
"I just want to make sure I get a good meal, listen to music, relax. I’ll watch film and look at the scout," McDonald said.
While she hasn’t totally eliminated candy from her diet, McDonald says she is "more conscious on what I put in my body now, so I don't eat it as much."
"I made minor changes and I actually feel better," she said. "Imagine if I do it as a whole."
Rim shots
• The Wildcats participated in a cooking class this summer. They learned how to season and grill chicken and fish, how to cut vegetables, as well as when to increase or decrease their carbohydrate intake. Hylton, who likes to cook, learned a tip about preparing kale: "You’re supposed to crunch it up in a ball and then cut it. It was weird, but it made sense at the same time."
• During the All-Star break, McDonald visited Chicago — where the game was played — and met with the young girls taking part in the Nike Tournament.
"I’m nothing without the fans," McDonald said. "They’ve always been my biggest supporters. They cheer me on win or lose — my fans are always there for me. Now being a pro, the message I’m giving to young players: 'Always be a student of the game, be confident, be yourself. Always be coachable, God first, value school.' That's the message that I'm giving them. I hope they are listening and really taking it in."
• Former Wildcat Dominique McBryde, playing in the new league in New Zealand, injured her left ankle a few weeks ago and has been deactivated for the season. Another ex-Cat, Trinity Baptiste, is also playing in New Zealand for the summer. She will suit up this fall for FCC UAU Arad in Romania.
