storm.wnba.com Goes Inside Betty Lennox’s Head
 To Lennox, rebounding is all about desire. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE/Getty |
Final possession of the Sacramento game. You get the ball. What are you thinking?
Lennox: "Score. Put the ball in, make something happen. That was exactly what I was told to do, and that was exactly what I was thinking. Make something happen and score."
In general, what are you thinking when you're isolated on the wing against your defender?
"Again, at that time, score. I'm always thinking of scoring. That's my mentality. I may do other things, rebounding and passing, but even when I'm rebounding, I'm thinking score. I get the ball. Now I've got the ball, go down and score. At all times, I'm thinking score, make the best out of the situation."
How about when you're inside the lane with the ball, surrounded by big players?
"Again, score. Use my advantage. I'm short. Try to get them to swing (at the ball) or get them off-balance a little bit. It's hard for big people to guard little people, so I just use my advantage."
What about when you're rebounding?
"When you're rebounding, rebounding is something that you don't learn to do, you just want it. It's something that you just have the want for, the desire. I have a really good sense of where the ball's going to be at. As you've seen, in the rebounds I've gotten, I haven't even really had to jump. It's just about my nose for the ball, being at the right place at the right time. Being able just to block out people, just block out."
When you're playing the passing lanes, looking for a steal, what are you thinking?
"Actually, I'm just gambling at that point, just gambling. I'm of a scorer's mentality, and you can't score without the ball, so I'm always trying to steal the ball in some way. Sometimes I gamble and it's a bad situation, sometimes I gamble and it's a good situation. When I'm playing the passing lane, I'm trying to keep my player from getting the basketball. Again, if it goes my way, I have an opportunity to go out and steal the ball."
How about on defense when you're matched up against a bigger player?
"I'm always matched up with a bigger player! (laughs)
"Again, I just use my strength, which is my strength and my quickness. I just try to figure out their weakness and use my strength against their weakness, because I'm always, at all times, guarding someone who is taller than me. At all times. Even every day in practice, I'm guarding someone taller than me."
Notes
"Your hair's got to have a rest," she explained. "Take it down, wash it, give it a little break, try to get it back up for the game."
