Minnesota Lynx rookie Evina Westbrook is thankful for a second chance.
The former Tennessee and UCONN standout was a 2022 WNBA draft pick by her hometown team, the Seattle Storm, in April. In the preseason, Westbrook was waived, as many WNBA players are with a limited amount of money and 144 roster spots available around the league. On May 12, she signed with the Minnesota Lynx and has found herself in the team’s starting lineup. After an 84-76 loss to the Atlanta Dream on June 1, Westbrook spoke to rolling out about her professional experience so far.
How has your time in the WNBA been so far?
It’s been crazy, to say the least, definitely a whirlwind. Everything is happening so fast, especially going from college to now being here. It’s been crazy, but it’s been great as well. Especially just Minnesota, in general, has opened me with welcome arms, taking care of me, the vets making sure I’m always good, low stuff like that. So I definitely feel like a real rookie here. But I’m starting to find my way, so it definitely is starting to feel really good.
Was there any bittersweetness going from your hometown team to your new home?
A little bit. I mean, I love Seattle and definitely wanted to be there. Just in terms of why I got waived is unfortunate, but the fact I was able to have another opportunity, I literally felt so blessed. I know I belong in the league, so I was able to get on the roster, stick and have my coach, who’s been doing this for I don’t know how many years now, but she trusted me. To have me in at the end of the game, that means a lot to me.
Someone explain, and quickly @minnesotalynx 🤨 pic.twitter.com/GwQIiREaBy
— The Splash Squad (@splashsquad24) May 28, 2022
Have you gotten any comments on the electric slide?
My electric side, if you peep Evina, I know what I’m doing, OK? But um, yeah. I know we talked about it. We’re on point now, we’re on point. We got it together. We’re all the way together now.
What does it mean to play with a legend like Sylvia Fowles in her final WNBA season?
Syl is probably one of the most special souls I’ve ever encountered — how she handles things, her sense of humor. People think and know her as this great and amazing basketball player, but the person still is 100 times better than that. I’m blessed, again, to be able to not only be in her presence, but this being her last year, me being a rookie, to take everything in. We’re different positions, but to take everything that she’s been giving me has been great so far.
