There will be a familiar face returning to the floor for the Minnesota Lynx during the 2020 WNBA season.

The Lynx announced Saturday afternoon that the organization has re-signed Cecilia Zandalasini ahead of the upcoming season.

Zandalasini, a 6-foot-2 wing who will turn 24 years old on March 16, most recently suited up for Minnesota during the 2018 season after originally breaking into the WNBA as a free agent in 2017 with the Lynx.

During the 2018 campaign, her first full season in the league, Zandalasini averaged 5.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per game for Minnesota, appearing in 29 games and starting in six of those contests. The Italian shot 40.9 percent from the field, 38.3 percent from three and 84 percent from the free throw line during the year.

Zandalasini didn’t play for the Lynx or in the WNBA in 2019 after she spent time playing overseas while later on dealing with injury issues that limited her ability to come back to Minnesota during the season.

“We are looking forward to having Ceci back with the Lynx for a full WNBA season,” Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve said in a statement released by the organization. “She is enjoying a successful European campaign and will figure prominently in the Lynx success in 2020.”

This winter, Zandalasini has been playing overseas in Turkey with Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague. In Turkish League action, she has grabbed averages of 12.3 points, 2.9 rebounds. and 2.7 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field. In 14 games in the EuroLeague, Zandalasini has averaged 16.1 points and 3.5 rebounds.

If she can continue to stay healthy throughout the WNBA season this summer, Zandalasini should see herself getting a decent amount of playing time within the Lynx rotation. Her ability to play multiple positions and give a boost to things on the offensive end of the floor and specifically from three will be a valuable asset for Minnesota.

We already got a glimpse of what Zandalasini can bring to Minnesota during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. But in 2020, she will likely see her role expand even more while returning to the floor for the Lynx.

Mitchell Hansen

Mitchell is a contributing writer at Zone Coverage, primarily covering the Minnesota Lynx and the WNBA and the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA. Growing up watching Kevin Garnett bang his head against the basket stanchion in his No. 21 Wolves jersey and yell like a crazy person, Mitchell quickly became a basketball junkie. He comes to Zone Coverage with over seven years of experience in journalism, communications and digital fields, including five years at a newspaper covering various sports teams and a year-plus stint covering the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx as the organization's Web Editorial Associate. Follow him on Twitter @M_Hansen13.

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