All Sacramento Monarchs rookie Charel Allen has to do is look at the beginning of two of her teammates' careers to know first-year production is not always an indication of future success in the WNBA.

In her first season in Sacramento, Allen is averaging one point per game while shooting 40 percent from the field in 5.3 minutes per contest.

Before they became starters for the Monarchs, Nicole Powell and Rebekkah Brunson had similar quiet first seasons in the League. Powell, then with the Charlotte Sting, averaged just 4.3 points per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field in 12.4 minutes of action. Brunson, meanwhile, averaged 4.4 points per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field in 14.5 minutes per outing.

Like her veteran teammates, Allen earned her spot in the WNBA by first making a name for herself in high school and college.

In high school, Allen averaged 26.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, five assists and six steals, while becoming just the eighth player in Pennsylvania high school history to amass 3,000-plus points. In college, Allen's dominance continued, as she became the first women's basketball player in Notre Dame history to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals. She finished her Fighting Irish career with 66 straight starts and highlighted her final NCAA run with a 35-point outburst against Oklahoma in the second round, while leading her team to a Sweet Sixteen berth.

Although she hasn't turned in a 35-point performance for the Monarchs, rest assured Allen is working hard to continue improving so she has the opportunity.

"I've used this time to just improve and work on my game," Allen said of her first season in the WNBA.

Allen's agreeable disposition and sense of humor, a self-admitted sarcastic jokester, have only helped her deal with the first-year ebbs and flows. And while she's endured stressful times, Allen knows what she must do to earn more playing time.

"Right now they're telling me I need to develop," Allen said with a smile. "So I think it's overall, just getting stronger, gaining more confidence, just the intangible things. Not so much on the court because I'm a scorer. I'm always working on my defense. That's been an adjustment for me because I played a lot of zone in high school and in college. So coming here, playing man-to-man is different, so I have to get adjusted to that."

No matter when Allen's time comes, Monarchs assistant coach Monique Ambers says it's confidence the young guard needs to maintain.

"She's been through her highs and lows as far as her confidence level," Ambers said. "That's the biggest thing for her, keeping her confidence up and then showing it out there on the court. It's hard thinking, 'I don’t' know what I'm getting better for, because I'm not getting in the games.' But it's definitely going to help her in the long run."

Despite seeing most of her minutes on the practice court, where fellow rookie A'Quonesia Franklin says, "She hits big-time shots," Allen understands she can still make an impact on young people looking up to her who may deal with similar bouts of unconfidence.

"Don't let anyone tell you, you can't do something," Allen said. "If that's what you want to do, do it. I'm living the dream. This is the dream I always had when I was younger and it feels great.

"Every time you step on the court you have to work hard, you have to bring it and that's the biggest thing."

Often one of the last players to leave the practice court, Allen's persistent smile and contagious laugh reaffirm how much fun she's having as a rookie.

"I feel like if you can make someone laugh, it brightens your day," Allen said beaming. "I don't like to see people down, I feel like everyone should just be smiling. Don't dwell on what's not a big issue. So just let it go, and just enjoy life."

That's exactly what Allen's doing, enjoying life, even if she isn't the star on the team for the first time in her career. Her time will come, just as it did for Nicole and Bekky before her.