Throughout their run as one of the top teams in the WNBA over the last decade, the Minnesota Lynx relied on familiar faces to contribute to their success year after year.
Not only has Minnesota featured a star-studded starting five, it’s also carried a deep, energetic and somewhat youthful second unit that has often shined late in the postseason.
Although the starting five will remain the same in 2018, the bench will look awfully different.
After an eventful offseason, key pieces among the second unit from the last few seasons either departed in free agency – like Renee Montgomery and Natasha Howard – or retired from the league – like Jia Perkins.
That forced Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve to get creative with retooling the second unit ahead of the 2018 season. She ended up turning to a trio of players that fit the overall current state of the team perfectly: veteran players with a history of winning.
“We didn’t bring any veterans in that didn’t already have the culture pieces that we’re looking for,” Reeve said this week as the Lynx kicked off training camp. “So that’s an easy transition, the culture.”
The three veterans that will join second-year guard Alexis Jones – who will also see a larger role this season – and the rest of the Lynx second unit are guard Tanisha Wright, forward Lynetta Kizer and guard Danielle Robinson.
Wright is a 12-year veteran who sat out last season while serving as an assistant coach at UNC Charlotte. Well-known for her lockdown abilities on the defensive end, she entered training camp with Minnesota seemingly not skipping a beat from her previous playing days.
“She’s in great shape. I saw that when I went to go visit her in Charlotte (during the offseason),” Reeve said. “Tanisha values nutrition and taking care of herself, even if she’s not going to be a professional basketball player. I think that’s part of her life.”
Wright will likely take the place on the bench that belonged to Perkins for the last few years. Wright and Perkins hold a lot of the same traits, as veteran guards who are largely impactful on the defensive end, but can turn things up offensively when called upon.
Kizer will be added to a thin post group in Minnesota, entering her seventh year in the WNBA. She will be the primary backup to Fowles and Brunson, along with second-year center Temi Fagbenle. Much like what Plenette Pierson provided the Lynx last year, Kizer will also provide some grit to the bench core.
The most interesting piece of the three offseason additions is Robinson, who enters her seventh season in the league. Robinson will partially fill the void that is left by Montgomery in that backup guard position.
The interesting thing about Robinson is her style of play, including her speed and willingness to push the ball, as well as her ability to be a quality defender on the other end of the floor. She will get a nice mix of playing time between the starting unit and the bench, splitting minutes with Whalen throughout the season.
“Her being able to execute and use her quickness will definitely help us in a lot of cases,” Seimone Augustus said. “That as well as her vision on the court. I say (the quickest player in the league) is between her and the young lady that is in Chicago, (Jamierra) Faulkner. I’ll give it to D-Rob, that’s my teammate.”
The last few seasons, Minnesota’s second unit has been an offensive-focused group that operated at a slower pace. With the additions of Wright, Kizer and Robinson, this year will likely result in the exact opposite, with their strengths coming on the defensive end while playing at a faster pace.
“It’s going to give a different feel. That’s how every season is. Renee (Montgomery) brought in energy and points and things like that. This group might bring in the grit and grind of defense,” Augustus said. “Maybe they aren’t going to score a lot of points, but they are going to prevent teams from scoring points until (the starters) get back on the floor to do what we do well. That’s the fun about it.
“Robinson has been one of the best players transitioning and is coast-to-coast one of the quickest players, so she is going to get back to doing that. Wright is going to do the same. Having players that have been here before over the last few years in this league, it’s just about getting them into it.”
The main thing for the Lynx as they head into a new season — while trying to defend their title — is that their star-studded starting lineup remains intact. The second unit, meanwhile, will have a different look to it.
