Courtside with Crystal Dangerfield

An unfiltered Q&A with WNBA players — past and present.

Hello and welcome to Courtside.

Take a break from the game. Pull up a chair. Settle in. Have some water. And relax. 

As often as I can, I’ll be bringing you honest, revealing and fun Q&As with some of the greatest players in WNBA history as well as rookies, veterans and All-Stars in the league today. 

Now, let’s get to the conversation.

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NBAE/Getty Images

Crystal Dangerfield, 22, is a rookie point guard in the WNBA. She was drafted 16th overall in the second round of the 2020 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She spent fours years at the University of Connecticut, under the tutelage of legendary women’s basketball coach, Geno Auriemma. Dangerfield is second in single-season assists (225) behind former Husky and Seattle Storm point guard, Sue Bird, and fifth place all time in career assists.

“If you notice, Crystal’s best games are when she’s trying to score, when she’s trying to be aggressive and looks to shoot the ball. That’s when plays for other people develop.”

— UConn women’s basketball head coach, Geno Auriemma in January 2020 (The Hartford Courant)

Dangerfield is currently averaging 16.2 points (47.1 percent from the field) and 3.6 assists per game for the Lynx, making a strong case for Rookie of the Year — she was recently awarded WNBA Rookie of the Month for August. It’s easy to see why:

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How did your time at UConn and playing under Geno Auriemma help prepare you for the next level?

Definitely, just from day one, you know, you have to build up a level of mental toughness and physical toughness to play at UConn. And we practiced hard, worked out hard, in terms of making the game a little bit easier. So, that’s what I’ve been trying to rely on.

Do you feel you were drafted by the right team at the right time when Minnesota picked you 16th overall in the second round?

Absolutely. You know, I think there’s a reason for everything. Sometimes, it’s not going to make sense right when things happen. But in the end, I think things work out. So yeah, I do.

Going into the 2020 season, there was a lot of talk about Sabrina Ionescu, Chennedy Carter and Satou Sabally. Do you think people underestimated you and the immediate impact you could have with the Lynx?

I would say so, you know. My job at UConn wasn’t to be the headline every night. It was just to do my job, and that’s what I really sell myself on — going out there and being as consistent as possible. Those were the conversations I’d have with Coach Auriemma, about coming into the league. [He’d say] just make sure you’re being consistent, being a reliable player. So that’s what it’s really been like for me.

You were recently selected as the WNBA Rookie of the Month for August, which has been most of the WNBA season, essentially. What would winning Rookie of the Year mean to you and was that a goal of yours heading into the season? 

I wouldn’t say it was a goal, because — like I said — I’m more concerned about the wins, how my team is doing, how we can better position ourselves and things like that. But it would mean a lot, you know, that hard work paid off. This season hasn’t been easy on anybody. Rookies as a whole, I think we’re kind of still trying to get our feet on the ground with what’s going on this season. But it would just mean a lot. This has been my dream and it’s a dream come true. So, that would be something cool.

How great has it been to be able to reunite with your former UConn teammate, Napheesa Collier and what kind of advice, if any, did she give you at the start of the season?

It’s been great. You know, Phee — playing with Phee — she was one of my favorite teammates to play with back in college. And then advice, it’s just to continue to do what I do. [She said] you don’t have to come into this league or be on this team and do anything out of character. Just do what got you here. And be consistent at that. It was just like — you have more freedom and it’s fun, because you’re not bogged down with school and stuff. 

We’re at the point in the Wubble season where the isolation and grueling schedule is starting to wear on some people. How have you been able to work through it and stay focused on basketball?

Our team does a good job of, you know, making sure we have breaks. Like, we have a ping pong tournament, we’ll have excursions that the league has provided for us. So, it was the beach one day, golf another. It’s tiny things, but it can take your mind off of it to not seem like you’re just basketball 24/7. But when it is time to get on the court, I’ve been able to flip that switch. There’s a difference between business and having fun.

What’s something about you that people would be surprised to know or wouldn’t expect?

Um . . . probably that when I was younger, I used to dance — ballet and tap dance. It was when I was way younger. 

What’s your guilty pleasure? Could be a song, movie, food, etc.? 

It’s definitely candy. Right now, I’m stuck on Reese’s Cups. I’ve probably had way too many bags here in the bubble. Pop them in the fridge and go.

What’s your go-to hype song before a game?

Sum 2 Prove by Lil Baby

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Who’s got next? 

• Current WNBA scoring leader and Dallas Wings point guard, Arike Ogunbowale

• Longtime WNBA veteran and Indiana Fever cornerstone, Candice Dupree

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If there’s a player you’d like me to have a Courtside chat with, let me know. And if you have any burning questions you’d like them to answer, suggest one or two. I will try to slip it into the conversation! 

Email: LynsD21@gmail.com