The skill-set that’s helped Toronto’s Kiki Rice transition to the WNBA appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
LOS ANGELES – The transition from college to the WNBA is a quick one. Players go from taking final exams and playing in the NCAA Tournament to preparing to the WNBA Draft and training camp in the span of a couple of weeks. Toronto Tempo rookie guard Kiki Rice understands that better than most, having had a quicker than usual transition to the WNBA.
Advertisement
Following UCLA’s national championship win, the Bruins returned home to Los Angeles with a packed schedule, and little time in between until the WNBA Draft. One night it was an appearance on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ The next day it was a guest appearance at Raising Canes. And in the blink of an eye, WNBA training camp was here.
But amid the whirlwind schedule, Kiki Rice has been able to make a strong adjustment to the WNBA due to her combo guard role with the Tempo. At UCLA, Rice was used to playing both on and off the ball, a skill-set that has been beneficial during her early days in the league.
“I think that’s been an area where I feel like has been really helpful for me in that transition. I think playing with three really good guards on this team, Julie [Allemand], Marina [Mabrey] and Slim [Brittney Sykes] who start first, I think it’s just coming in and making an impact in any way I can,” Rice told a small group of reporters prior to the Tempo’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks last Friday.
“Whether that’s on ball, off the ball, stepping in at point for Julie, coming in at the two, just being able to play with other really good guards, it’s something that I’ve been able to do over these past years in college and it definitely helped me in that transition.”
Advertisement
Rice was needed to step in at point guard for during the Tempo’s second game against the Sparks last Sunday. With Allemand sidelined due to a hip injury, Rice responded with her best game of the season so far. She finished with 19 points, five rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes in a win.
She played well alongside Mabrey and Sykes, honing in on the combo guard role she perfected at UCLA. During her first three seasons with the Bruins, Rice was the primary point guard and ball-handler. This past season, she shared those responsibilities with Charlisse Leger-Walker, getting time to play off the ball and be more aggressive looking to score.
Rice’s time at UCLA was a big preparation for the role she now plays in the WNBA. She left the program with a professional mentality that’s carried over to the Tempo.
“It’s been a lot of learning, a lot of new opportunities, a lot of really cool things we’ve been able to do over these past two weeks,” Rice said. “I think Cori [Close] prepared all of us seniors who graduated to just kind of fit right in at the next level. I think having been coached by Cori, I had the mindset of really being prepared to step in.”
