ARLINGTON, TX — Every professional athlete has to go through an adjustment period before joining their league. We’ve seen it in every sport. The WNBA is no exception, as making the jump to the top level of women’s professional basketball is a tough task. Dallas Wings Rookies Jacy Sheldon, Sevgi Uzun and Lou Lopez Senechal took the time to discuss the topic with ClutchPoints after the team’s practice on Wednesday.
Wings’ biggest WNBA rookie challenges so far
Dallas has five rookies on its roster. Sheldon was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. A guard from Ohio State, she has continued to improve throughout the season. But what has been her biggest challenge in her rookie season so far?
“I would say it’s just an overall adjustment… That’s where people want to admit it or not,” Sheldon said. “The pace, the way the game is played in particular. You just have to get comfortable with it… I feel more comfortable with each game. There’s that adjustment at the beginning of the season… You also have to learn things in such a short period of time. You come straight from college, training camp, and then you start playing games. It’s probably the hardest thing so far, but it’s a lot of fun to be a part of.”
Sheldon was a standout at Ohio State before joining the Wings. The same can be said of Lopez Senechal when she was drafted out of UConn. She was also selected with the fifth overall pick by the Wings but was drafted in 2023. An injury sidelined her last season.
“You have to get used to the pace of the game,” Lopez Senechal said of her biggest challenge in the WNBA. “Obviously, you have to play against very experienced players who have been here for many, many years. They know all the players, all the teams, very well. So I think it’s just getting used to the pace and getting comfortable with our games.”
A different transition
While Sheldon and Lopez Senechal transitioned to the Wings and the WNBA after college, Uzun has already played overseas in Turkey. She also opened up on Wednesday about her biggest challenge in the WNBA.
“The games,” Uzun said. “Sometimes we play two games in a row, we travel, we play the next day, we travel again. The schedule is very tough. It’s not something I’m used to abroad. Trying not to feel tired… mentally and physically, it’s a challenge.”
Another interesting topic that has been making the rounds in the basketball world, both in the WNBA and the NBA, is the style of play. European basketball seems to be catching up with American basketball. Many of the best players are European. Has Uzun noticed any big differences in the styles of play?
“Here it’s very fast,” Uzun said. “Everyone plays very fast, the next possession comes very quickly. Abroad it’s more… I don’t want to say they control the game, but here… they manage to keep such a high pace of play, I thought, ‘Okay, this is something I should get used to.’”
Taking steps forward
The Wings are hoping Uzun, Lopez Senechal and Sheldon will all play important roles in the team’s future. The same can be said for the Wings’ other first-year players, Jaelyn Brown and Stephanie Soares.
Dallas has struggled to get started in the 2023-24 season. However, the future remains bright. Progressing and continuing to develop is the number one priority for the Wings’ young players.
“I feel like between last season and this season, last year I was injured, I think you have to be patient… I’m just trying to express myself more,” Lopez Senechal said of her progress so far in the WNBA. “I think it’s really important here to talk a lot and obviously have an open mind. But I’m just trying to express myself a lot and be really focused every practice and every game.”
The Wings can only continue to work hard and improve. At some point, the results will speak for themselves. Despite the team’s current struggles, finding a way to improve is of the utmost importance.
“I think I’ve grown a lot,” Sheldon said. “It just comes down to being more comfortable in all aspects… Learning the offensive and defensive system and being comfortable with it. And I have. I think it’s showing a little bit more, so I’m looking forward to growing even more.”
