Chatting With Danielle
Although she was drafted with the seventh overall pick out of Kansas in the first round of the 2010 WNBA Draft, Danielle McCray was forced to wait an entire year to participate in her first Connecticut Sun training camp.
Surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during a practice at Kansas on February 4, 2010 kept McCray sidelined all of last summer. McCray finally returned to the basketball court during the WNBA offseason, averaging 17.6 points in 21 games for Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion of Israel.
On Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, McCray finally played her first game in a Sun uniform, finishing with four points, three rebounds and two assists during a 101-63 exhibition win over the Chinese National Team at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The next day, McCray talked about the experience.
How did it feel to finally get into a Connecticut Sun game?
“It was exciting. It was a great experience to be out there. I’m still learning a lot. It just seems like it’s moving really fast. As the days go on, I feel like it’s slowing down and I’m really grasping the concepts and learning the plays. I mean, it’s different. I’m a rookie, but I have to learn quick. This is a fast process, a quick turn-aournd. I’ve got to come in each and every day and play hard and learn and listen and get back on track."
You watched a few Sun games last year from the sidelines. Did it help your adjustment to the professional game this year at all to be able to sit and watch last season?
“I would say it really didn’t. Maybe in some aspects of it – just to kind of see how they get out in transition and things like that. But you can’t really tell until you’re out on the court. You’ve got to be out there to see how it is.”
So how would you assess your progress?
“It’s going good. I’ve got a lot of things going on in my head, just because it’s a different level. It’s faster, so I’ve got to think faster, I’ve got to think smarter. It’s going to be fun.”
Does it feel like you had to wait a long time to be back on the court playing?
“Yeah, it did. Since the draft last year, I’ve been sitting and waiting for this moment to come. Now it’s here, and I have to take advantage of it.”
So when you walked out on that court last night, was there any sense of, ‘Finally.’”?
“There was. But then again it was also, ‘I’ve got to get things right.’ I’ve got to learn where I’ve got to be, learn to do what coach is asking for, do the little things…run the court fast and the other little things I need to do to help this team.”
Were you satisfied with how you played against China?
“Not at all. First of all, I got four fouls, which was horrible. It was my first time out there, but (for) my expectation level, it wasn’t what I expected. I know I’m a rookie, but I could have done more last night, and I’ve just got to bring it.”
Surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during a practice at Kansas on February 4, 2010 kept McCray sidelined all of last summer. McCray finally returned to the basketball court during the WNBA offseason, averaging 17.6 points in 21 games for Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion of Israel.
On Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, McCray finally played her first game in a Sun uniform, finishing with four points, three rebounds and two assists during a 101-63 exhibition win over the Chinese National Team at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The next day, McCray talked about the experience.
How did it feel to finally get into a Connecticut Sun game?
“It was exciting. It was a great experience to be out there. I’m still learning a lot. It just seems like it’s moving really fast. As the days go on, I feel like it’s slowing down and I’m really grasping the concepts and learning the plays. I mean, it’s different. I’m a rookie, but I have to learn quick. This is a fast process, a quick turn-aournd. I’ve got to come in each and every day and play hard and learn and listen and get back on track."
You watched a few Sun games last year from the sidelines. Did it help your adjustment to the professional game this year at all to be able to sit and watch last season?
“I would say it really didn’t. Maybe in some aspects of it – just to kind of see how they get out in transition and things like that. But you can’t really tell until you’re out on the court. You’ve got to be out there to see how it is.”
So how would you assess your progress?
“It’s going good. I’ve got a lot of things going on in my head, just because it’s a different level. It’s faster, so I’ve got to think faster, I’ve got to think smarter. It’s going to be fun.”
Does it feel like you had to wait a long time to be back on the court playing?
“Yeah, it did. Since the draft last year, I’ve been sitting and waiting for this moment to come. Now it’s here, and I have to take advantage of it.”
So when you walked out on that court last night, was there any sense of, ‘Finally.’”?
“There was. But then again it was also, ‘I’ve got to get things right.’ I’ve got to learn where I’ve got to be, learn to do what coach is asking for, do the little things…run the court fast and the other little things I need to do to help this team.”
Were you satisfied with how you played against China?
“Not at all. First of all, I got four fouls, which was horrible. It was my first time out there, but (for) my expectation level, it wasn’t what I expected. I know I’m a rookie, but I could have done more last night, and I’ve just got to bring it.”
