1-on-1 with Nicky Anosike

Andrew Rosen, WashingtonMystics.com: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us. I know you are currently playing in Spain. So first off could you talk about your reaction when you found out you were going to come here to Washington, when you got the call and that process.

Nicky Anosike: I actually didn�t get a call. My agent told me face-to-face. I was with some of my teammates. Actually they�re on the team in Minnesota. So it was weird that they happened to be at the table at the same time that my agent told me but I couldn�t help but be excited. I'm going to miss them but I couldn�t hold back my reaction. I was so excited.

AR: Have you had a chance to talk to Trudi Lacey at all about your role for the team coming in next year and her thoughts?

NA: As of now, we�ve exchanged emails and made arrangements to kind of meet when I get there. I�m gonna try to get up a little early, a little bit before training camp. But I�m actually supposed to be calling her in a few minutes. So we�ll talk right after this phone call.

AR: Could you give fans a scouting report on yourself.

NA: Scouting report on myself. I think the first thing I would have to mention is my defense and my defensive intensity. That�s the first thing I want to bring to the team and then also just an all-around team player. I might not be the one that�s going to go out there and score 20 points a game, but I�m going to dig out rebounds, fight for balls, get defensive stops, and add in a little bit of scoring. Just an all-around player I would say.

AR: Obviously you�re coming from Minnesota. What are your thoughts on a new setting and a new start in Washington?

NA: I feel like it�s definitely another opportunity to show that second season wasn�t just you know luck or something that was random and that it�s really who I am. I definitely see this as a new opportunity and a second chance to show just how good I can be.

AR: Do you see yourself has a 4 or 5 and how do you think you�re going to play with Crystal Langhorne?

NA: I think I�m definitely a 5. Some people might say that I have potential to maybe play some 4. But I consider myself a 5. I prefer to really play down low and stay really close into the basket. As far as playing with Crystal, we grew up playing in the same area. She�s from New Jersey and I�m from New York. So, it�s kind of funny that you grow up your whole life playing against someone and now you end up on the same WNBA team. So I�m just super excited. We�ve been good friends for a long time. I think that we could really be a great duo.

AR: I know DC is not right next to New York City but is it nice to know that you�re going to be on the East Coast? You come from a large family with seven siblings and you will get to be semi-close to them.

NA: You know what? Washington, DC is like the perfect distance from my house. It�s not too close to you know where my sisters can drop their kids off to my apartment but it�s close enough where they can see me and come to the game. My entire family is actually coming to training camp because they�re all just so excited and want to be there with me to experience it. It�s just going to be from start to finish a really fun season.

AR: Can you talk about your time in Spain?

NA: My time in Spain has been pretty fun so far. I don�t get to play Euroleague because we have Americans Rebecca Brunson and Katie Douglas, so they play as our two Americans in the European League and then all three of us get to play in the Spanish League. So it has really given me a chance to just relax a little bit. I�m not really playing the grueling schedule and grueling traveling every week. So, it is frustrating that I don�t get to play but at the same time I�m going to come into the season so fresh because I really haven�t been doing has much has I had been doing in previous seasons. So, my time here has really been fun. Yesterday, we won game two of the semi-finals in the Spanish League so we�ll be playing in the Final Series starting this Sunday.

AR: Rumor has it you've heard from a lot of Mystics fans already on twitter what has your message been to them?

NA: Definitely. I mean I�ve already talked to so many of the Mystics fans on twitter. They all seem so excited and I�m so excited too. And you know, just to be there to cheer us on is all I can really say.