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Teaira McCowan and Napheesa Collier begin WNBA journey

By David Yapkowitz

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: Teaira McCowan speaks with the media during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: Teaira McCowan speaks with the media during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Both players are getting ready as the WNBA season looms near.

LOS ANGELES — The WNBA Draft was held on April 10, and the hopes and dreams of some of the top college basketball players in the country came true.

For players already heading to established teams, they’re going to be asked just to fit in. But for others, they’re going to be asked to step in and contribute in a major way as soon as they step out on to the hardwood.

Two of those players, Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan and UConn’s Napheesa Collier, will be asked to play meaningful rotation minutes right from the start.

McCowan is headed to the Indiana Fever, the team that finished with the worst record in the league last season and just lost Victoria Vivians to injury. And although Collier is going to a storied franchise in the Minnesota Lynx, they were barely a .500 team and will be without Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, and possibly Rebekkah Brunson.

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McCowan brings a low post presence to the Fever, something that could really help set the foundation for Indiana’s future. She was one of the most dominant scorers in the paint in college basketball and she’s hoping that can translate to the WNBA.

“Most definitely, I’m always around the rim, I’m not too far out,” McCowan told High Post Hoops at ESPN’s College Basketball Awards on April 12. “But sometimes when I’m out there, I look to get it to one of my guards, cut down to the paint, and then post and re-post so they can get it back to me and I can get a bucket down low.”

For a team in desperate need of reinforcements, McCowan could be the breath of fresh air the Fever need. She plays a complete game, not only was she a dominant scorer, but she was one of the best defensive players in the country as well.

Once you get to that next level, everyone can score. What often sets players apart is what else they can bring to the table. Her ability to be a defensive anchor in the paint is something that should definitely translate to the pro game.

“I pride myself on playing both ends of the floor. That’s set me up for all that I’ve done and all the awards I’ve gotten,” McCowan said. “Just playing both sides of the floor, I like to be in help side, help my teammates getting beat off the bounce. I like knowing the personnel of each of my teammates, who needs help defensively and who doesn’t need my help.”

For Collier, she too will help set up the Lynx for the future. While stepping in to fill the void left by Moore is no easy feat, Collier is similar in that she can play a few different positions on the court. She can run the floor and shoot like a guard, and she can play in the paint.

Being able to switch between multiple positions is something she believes will be her biggest strength for Minnesota.

“I think I can bring my versatility, I can play a couple different positions,” Collier told High Post Hoops. “I know that I’m going to work as hard as I can every day. They know that too and they’ll know what to expect from me every single day.”

In addition to her on-court talent, Collier believes that her mental toughness will be just as important to finding early success in the league. At the pro level, mental toughness is just as important as what a player brings on the court.

She thinks one of the biggest takeaways from her time at UConn is getting mentally ready for the pro game. According to Collier, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma does a great job getting his players ready in that regards. Many of his former players have gone on to make major impacts in the WNBA.

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: Napheesa Collier talks with media during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: Napheesa Collier talks with media during the 2019 WNBA Draft on April 10, 2019 at Nike New York Headquarters in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

“His biggest thing is being mentally strong and having high basketball IQ. My time at UConn, I’ve definitely seen a lot of growth from that aspect of my game,” Collier said. “I definitely think that’s something that translates over because you need to be able to pick up things quickly, know what’s happening in the game, and he really prides himself on teaching his players how to do that.”

It’s going to be a quick turnaround for both McCowan and Collier. They just finished playing in the NCAA tournament and were both in Los Angeles last week as John R. Wooden Award candidates. Training camp is set to open very soon and they’ll both be thrust into the fire right away.

Although it’s looming near, McCowan hasn’t yet thought much what she wants to really get out of her rookie season. She does know that it’ll be a much more physical game and that’s something she’s ready for.

“I haven’t set any goals yet, but soon I’ll set some goals for myself. I’ll see what the coaches need from me, try to just fill those roles that the coaches need me to fill,” McCowan said. “The more physical the better, I just like going head to head whenever we’re on the court. You step in between those lines, I have to guard you and you have to guard me, just know it’s going to be a physical night.”

For Collier, she’s hoping to learn as much as possible from her veteran teammates.

“It’s crazy that it’s so close,” Collier said. “I’m just going to come in and work as hard as I can and just be a sponge absorbing all the knowledge the people on my team and my coaches have to give me, and we’ll see what happens.”

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