May 3, 2010
WASHINGTON - Shanavia Dowdell is among a group of 10 post players in the Washington Mystics camp that are competing for a roster spot as the WNBA season approaches.
However, Dowdell, the rookie second round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech, has one big advantage over her competitors ... Teresa Weatherspoon.
The past two years Dowdell played for one of the legends of the WNBA in Louisiana Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. Learning from someone who has the wealth of knowledge of Weatherspoon has paid off in a number of ways, according to Dowdell.
"Learning under Coach Spoon has helped tremendously," Dowdell said. "Physically it has helped. The things we did in practice and also in my individual workouts with her definitely helped prepare me for this. She took my body beyond exhaustion, and I learned how to find ways to make it through. Now that we are having three hour practices, when I get tired, I know how to find a way to make it through."
In addition to the physical aspects of the game, Dowdell said maybe even more important is how Weatherspoon helped prepare her for the next level mentally.
"She never sugar coated anything," Dowdell said. "She tells you exactly how she feels. If you are being lazy, she will tell you just that and she doesn't worry about your feelings. She treated practice and workouts as a business. Being in training camp, I've seen that first hand here. Playing for Coach Spoon, I had to learn to take criticism but not in a personal way. It has helped here as well."
Dowdell, who was the two-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and ranked third in the country in rebounding as a senior, is in the Mystics camp with a number of high profile post players, including third year star Crystal Langhorne.
"They're all very different and we just need to see who complements each other," said Mystics head coach Julie Plank in a recent interview with the Washington Post. "It's a matter of finding the right puzzle pieces and so far I'm pleased, but it's early. With time, we'll know who will bring the right things on the court with their energy and who can sustain that intensity as we go on."
Plank also said that Dowdell has definitely caught her attention through the first week of workouts.
"Shanavia is doing a great job," said Plank. "She's picking up things quickly. She's a fighter and a very tough player. She's hanging in there physically and has a strong build. I think she's just learning every day. She's a pleasure to coach, and she listens and will do whatever we ask her to do."
Although Dowdell is new to the WNBA, the Louisiana Tech brand is not. The Calera, Alabama native is the 20th Lady Techster to either be drafted or sign a free agent contract with a team in the league since its inception in 1997.
"The overall experience in the first week has been great," Dowdell said. "The first couple of days it did not seem real. Walking into the Verizon Center to work out the first day was surreal. It was hard to believe I had made it here. The practices are competitive. Everyone competes day in and day out."
She hopes to follow in the footsteps of her former college head coach. Weatherspoon played eight years in the WNBA - seven with the New York Liberty and one with the Los Angeles Sparks - and ended her professional career as one of the true legends of the league.
The two-time WNBA defensive player of the year and five-time WNBA all-star said she has talked to Dowdell on a daily basis and is flying to Washington for the Mystics exhibition opener next Wednesday. Ironically enough, Dowdell and her Mystics teammates will be playing the Liberty.
"I'll definitely be cheering for both," Weatherspoon laughed. "I want to be there for Shanavia. I'm a Liberty girl for life, but on Wednesday I'll be an even bigger Shanavia fan."
Whether Dowdell makes the Mystics roster or not, the feeling is mutual.
