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Nykesha Sales, a top scorer at UConn, is realizing she doesn't need 30 a game to contribute.
By ANTONYA ENGLISH
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 31, 2000
ORLANDO -- Her college resume lists credentials reserved for stars: Kodak and AP first-team All-American, member of a national championship team, all-time leading scorer in Connecticut women's basketball.
The outstanding college accomplishments made Nykesha Sales the designated franchise player of the Orlando Miracle in 1998.
After sitting out that season rehabilitating a torn Achilles' tendon, Sales was ready to prove herself worthy of the high expectations. But when she finally was able to take the court, Sales discovered what many college standouts have learned: The transition to the pros is much tougher than it may appear.
In retrospect, the expectations for Sales were probably too lofty, Orlando coach Carolyn Peck said.
"I think a lot of people put a lot of pressure on Nykesha last year because she was our first allocated player -- our franchise player," Peck said. "They did not take into consideration that she was out a year without playing and she was a true rookie coming in. This season, more will be expected of her, and we've talked about it. She's expecting more from herself."
It's not like her rookie season was a failure. Sales started all 32 games and was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. She was the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.7 points and 4.2 rebounds. She was 13th in the league in scoring and fifth in steals. She posted a career-high 29 points in a win over Los Angeles.
But the 6-foot guard/forward often struggled in games, seeming unsure as to whether her role was as a scorer, a floor general or both.
Sales, 24, and the Miracle open the 2000 season at Washington tonight at 7. With her inaugural season behind her, Sales said she believes she'll be more at ease in her role. "I've been thinking about that a lot since I got down here (in the off-season)," she said. "I think right now I know what to expect. I know my team a little more, I know what kind of coaching style Coach Peck has. So now I just have to relax."
With three weeks of intense preseason training behind her, Peck said Sales already has shown she is prepared to become a complete player.
"Nykesha has come to camp in really great shape and has been quite a leader for us this year," Peck said.
While Sales has the Connecticut school record for points in a game (46) and career, she also was a stellar defensive player. She was voted Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1998 and also has the all-time steals record at UConn (447).
But fans knew Sales as a prolific scorer. And they expected as much with the Miracle.
"From people seeing me at UConn and what I did there, they automatically assumed it was going to be that easy here," Sales said. "But it's not that easy. I had to learn just like any other player. The only problem is those other players had been overseas; they had a chance to go over there and play, then come back, so it was just a lot different. Me, I was hurt for one year and then I didn't know what to expect. I came in and tried to adjust. I think I did pretty good last year, but this year I definitely want to get better. I want to make sure I do my part."
When she wasn't promoting the game in the off-season, she was practicing it. Since January, Sales has spent time with Peck honing her game and watching the Orlando Magic, hoping to emulate some of its guard play.
Although she admits she is not sure if her role ever will match her college days, Sales said she is prepared to do whatever is necessary to help the team. "I didn't always score a lot last season but ... it's not really that important to me," Sales said. "I need to score, but I don't know that I need to score 30 points every game. ... But I definitely feel a lot more comfortable than I did last year. Just being here a little longer has helped."
HEAD COACH: Carolyn Peck (Vanderbilt '88).
ASSISTANT COACHES: Rick Stukes, Charlene Thomas-Swinson.
CONFERENCE: Eastern.
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 15-17.
RETURNING STARTERS: G/F Nykesha Sales (13.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg); G/F Sheri Sam (11.4, 4.6); C Taj McWilliams (13.1, 7.5); G Shannon Johnson (14, 4.7); Andrea Congreaves (6.7, 4.8).
TOP NEWCOMERS: F/C Cintia Dos Santos (14 ppg, 7.1 rpg in Italian League last season); G Romana Hamzova (8.9, 4.3 in Czech Republic).
ARENA: TD Waterhouse Centre.
SINGLE-GAME TICKETS: $8, $13, $17, $22, $29 and $34 (lower level only).
WHAT'S NEW IN THE WNBA: Four teams -- Miami, Portland, Seattle and Indianapolis, bringing the league to 16 and adding 44 player positions. Eight teams, the best four from each conference, advance to the playoffs, instead of two from each conference.
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. College
28 Cintia Dos Santos F/C6-4 181 Brazil
24 Cornelia Gayden G 5-9 150 LSU
15 Romana Hamzova G 5-9 148 Czech Republic
22 Jessie Hicks F 6-4 187 Maryland
31 Adrienne Johnson G 5-10 150 Ohio State
14 Shannon Johnson G 5-7 147 South Carolina
10 Carla McGhee F 6-1 173 Tennessee
11 Taj McWilliams C 6-2 184 St. Edwards
50 Elaine Powell G 5-9 162 LSU
6 Jannon Roland F 5-11 168 Purdue
42 Nykesha Sales G/F6-0 160 Connecticut
55 Sheri Sam G 5-11 178 Vanderbilt
32 Nadine Malcolm* G 6-1 170 Providence
12 Tiffany Wait* G 5-10 160 Kentucky
3 Andrea Congreaves (s) F 6-2 183 Mercer
MA
Today -- at Washington, 7 (Sunshine).
JUNE
1: Charlotte, 7:30; 3: at Indiana, 3 (Sunshine); 5: Sacramento, 8 (ESPN); 7: at Cleveland, 7; 8: Minnesota, 7:30; 10: at Charlotte, 7:30; 13: at Utah, 9; 15: at Minnesota, 8; 17: Indiana, 7:30; 22: Cleveland, 7:30; 24: Charlotte, 7:30 (Sunshine); 26: Houston, 7:30; 28: Miami, 7:30; 30: at Miami, 1.
JULY
1: New York, 7:30; 6: Indiana, 7:30; 8: Seattle, 7:30; 9: at Detroit, 6 (Sunshine); 12: at Cleveland, 7; 14: New York, 7:30; 19: Detroit, 7:30 (Sunshine); 21: at Washington, 7; 23: Utah, 4; 25: at Los Angeles, 10:30; 27: at Sacramento, 10; 30: at Portland, 10.
AUGUST
1: at Phoenix, 10; 4: at New York, 8 (Lifetime); 6: Detroit, 4; 7: Washington, 7:30; 9: at Miami, 7 (Sunshine).
-- Compiled by Antonya English.