Bendu Yeaney took her time.
She looked at what was in front of her and took a quick check on what was behind her. She waited for the right moment, then picked a steal.
That’s how Yeaney moves on the court.
She is the same way off the court, especially when it comes to big decisions.
Yeaney didn’t decide to come back for the 2022-23 season until the day before Arizona’s final regular-season home game against USC. That’s right, Senior Day.
There were a lot of factors to consider — everything from possibly getting a masters degree to playing professionally to taking advantage of more Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals.
Yeaney knew coach Adia Barnes wanted her back, which helped.
“From the first day of school she was telling me, ‘You have an extra year. Do you want to use it? Do you want to use it?’” Yeaney said.
Yeaney’s decision was yes. She made the announcement during Senior Day ceremonies.
“Now, I can just play free and think about playing in the NCAA Tournament,” Yeaney said.
The decision of whether to return next season — or whether this was it; the end of her college career — weighed on Yeaney all season. One of her first thoughts was about COVID-19. All the cancellations and restrictions wreaked havoc with her college experience.
Bendu Yeaney finishes off a fast-break layup during the Wildcats’ Feb. 4 win over Oregon.
Injuries did, too. While an underclassman at Indiana four years ago, Yeaney suffered a foot injury during the NCAA Tournament. She tried to return the following season, but wasn’t fully healed. Yeaney transferred to Arizona before the 2019-20 season, hoping for a fresh — and healthy — start.
Then the pandemic hit. Her first season at Arizona was played with no fans in the stands and a foot that wasn’t 100%.
Still, Yeaney earned a starting position, averaged 23 minutes a game, grabbed 30 steals, dished 40 assists, blocked 19 shots and averaged 4.1 points per game. Yeaney was an integral part of the Wildcats’ national championship run, disrupting offenses and getting baskets at key moments. Yeaney amassed 12 steals in six NCAA Tournament; she had five in the national title game alone.
She’s been even better this season.
Yeaney is averaging 26 minutes and 6.3 points per game. So far, she’s dished 57 assists, grabbed 43 steals and blocked 11 shots. Her ball-handling has improved, too, with her assist-to-turnover ratio at a career-high 1.54.
Yeaney said that while she has played four college seasons, they haven’t been full — or free — because of her foot injury. She wants to play professionally, and to do so, she must be at the top of her game.
Following the Wildcats’ regular-season-ending win over USC, Bendu Yeaney took part in Senior Day festivities — then announced that she’ll be returning for the 2022-23 season.
Another year at Arizona will allow Yeaney to learn more until Barnes and assistant coach Salvo Coopa. The two coaches have given Yeaney “everything,” she says, from confidence to tweaks to her shooting technique and other little things. On defense, Yeaney now slides her feet instead of crossing them over.
Barnes, a former WNBA and overseas player, know what it takes to play professional. So does Coppa, who coached overseas.
“I know I am going to be a good pro and a good basketball player,” Yeaney said.
Yeaney is also excited about the future of the Wildcats’ program. The UA will welcome the highest-rated recruiting class in program history next season, a group that includes Maya Nnaji, Paris Clark, Lemyah Hylton and Kailyn Gilbert. Yeaney said she’s excited to leading the newbies and other teammates who haven’t played a lot of minutes yet. Yeaney is also expected to be more active on the NIL market: She’s expected to soon announce a partnership with Beast Mode Marketing, the company owned by former NFL running back. She is expected to release a line of T-shirts in time for this year’s NCAA Tournament, with the rest of a clothing line scheduled for next season.
“I want to be able to play the 1,2,3 and sometimes play the four, to be a small forward,” Yeaney said. “Just everything. Working on my mid-range, different finishes, my 3-point shot.”
Before she can get to that, she is completely focused on what’s in front of her — the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will learn their NCAA Tournament fate at 5 p.m. They’re projected for now as a No. 4 seed, which would allow them to host the first two rounds of the tournament.
“The pros can wait,” Yeaney said. “You can’t always have these college experiences. I might as well live it to the fullest and that’s what it all kind of boiled down to. I know the pros are always going to be there, but you can’t always get this this time and these experiences with your team.”
