On Sunday afternoon at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the Minnesota Lynx will see Seimone Augustus take the floor in a game wearing another uniform for the first time ever.
Augustus, who is in her 15th WNBA season and first with the Los Angeles Sparks, will square off against her former team at 2 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN for the first of two matchups against the Lynx this year.
After spending the first 14 years of her career in Minnesota before making the surprising decision to leave the only organization she has played for to sign with rival Los Angeles during free agency this offseason, the veteran guard will battle her former teammates and coaches Sunday afternoon as one of newest members of the Sparks.
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But for Augustus, she is trying to treat this game as just another game in the 22-game regular season schedule.
“It’s just another game as far as I’m concerned. As we always said in Minnesota, it’s the biggest game because it’s the next game,” Augustus told Zone Coverage on Saturday. “I’m not trying to put too much weight on what this means, who we are playing against or what’s going on. We are trying to win a game and trying to get on track as far as what we want to do here.”
Augustus and the Sparks will enter the game at 3-3 overall, coming off of a loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday. Los Angeles will face a streaking Lynx squad, who come into the contest at 5-1 overall and winners of four straight.
“I want it to be fun and don’t want it to feel like it’s going to be weird,” Lynx center Sylvia Fowles said of playing against her former teammate Sunday. “Obviously, I want her to do well. At the same time, I’m just worried about the Minnesota Lynx.”
Augustus admitted leading into the game on Sunday that it will be weird to face off against some familiar faces on the other side of the floor, but added since the game will be played in Florida, it won’t be as weird as if she was returning to Minneapolis or to Target Center for the first time.
“It’s always going to be weird. I won two championships with (Sylvia Fowles) and I won four with Rebekkah (Brunson). It’s always going to be an odd feeling,” Augustus said. “We kind of get that out of the way in the bubble. … I’ve run into some of the players and the staff while being (at IMG Academy). I think the feeling of seeing them for the first time as if this had been a regular season and I was showing up Minnesota to play would have been a tad bit different than what we have been doing in the bubble of running into each other and having conversations. … It’s a bit of a different feel preparing for the game (Sunday).”
RELATED STORY: After Her Surprising Departure from Minnesota Lynx, Seimone Augustus Adjusts to Playing for Rival Los Angeles Sparks
Shortly after making her decision to leave the Lynx to join the Sparks this offseason, Augustus took to her Instagram to open up a bit about the apparent frustrating negotiations that took place between her and Minnesota. But the veteran wing said Saturday she doesn’t hold any hard feelings towards the Lynx organization.
“I have no ill will to anyone or any situation. Change happens, as we know in life. It happens,” Augustus said. “It’s just unfortunate that you spent 14 years somewhere and you have a vision as to how you would like it to end, and it doesn’t end that way. … My 14 years in Minnesota were something I will always cherish. I grew up there. I came in a young woman and I left there as an adult that learned so much in life. I had so many experiences in Minnesota.”
Although the decision to leave was hard for Augustus to have to make after playing 14 seasons in one location and with one team, she’s happy to be with a new team in Los Angeles while trying to make another run at a championship this year.
“The information that I gathered and had to speak to my family about to make the decision (to join LA) was as I feel enough to make the decision,” Augustus said. “I spoke to LA twice. It was a small conversation that kind of set LA apart from Minnesota. Any decision that I made was based solely on what the (negotiation) specifics were with Minnesota.”
So far this season, Augustus is having a nice year in Los Angeles, playing in every game for the Sparks prior to Friday night’s contest when she sat out due to rest. Coming off the bench, Augustus is averaging 9.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and one steal in 17.4 minutes per game. This year, she also feels like she’s finally back to being healthy and at full strength after dealing with some injury issues the last few years in Minnesota.
“Last year was frustrating when going through an injury and you don’t feel like yourself,” Augustus said. “Last year, I gave up myself in other ways and helped steer younger Lynx players on the team with my voice on the bench. At some point, I knew I would heal and become myself again. … I’ve always felt confident in myself in whatever position or role I am playing on the team.”
While she looks to help the Sparks get back on track in the shortened WNBA season with a win on Sunday, it will no doubt be weird for everyone as Augustus takes the floor against the Lynx for the first time as an opposing player and sporting a different uniform.
“I grew as a professional player coming in and left (Minnesota) winning four championships while being mentioned in the rankings of a Houston Comets team that basically started it all for this league,” Augustus said. “I’m definitely happy with my time in Minnesota, the fans and the city and everyone I was able to share moments with.”
