Evina Westbrook, former UConn guard, was taken in the second round of the 2022 WNBA
draft by the Seattle Storm. She played during the preseason but got waived by the team
because of the limited spots on the roster.
Westbrook was picked up by the Minnesota Lynx right after the Seattle Storm let her go, but
without too much attention and playing time, she got waived again before the WNBA league’s
guaranteed contract deadline. “Twenty-four hours after I was waived from Minnesota, my agent got a call from [Mystics Coach Mike Thibault], saying they were interested in signing me to a seven-day [contract],” Westbrook said.
Although Westbrook is still a rookie, she’s already on her third team. Westbrook understands
there are only 144 slots in the WNBA, and to take one of those, she needs to earn it. “My brother [supported me] like, ‘You’re still in the league.’ This is an amazing blessing,”
Westbrook said Friday after practice.
As the Washington Mystics were winning by 18 points late in the third quarter, Westbrook took
her chance and entered the court for her first game as a Mystic. According to The Washington
Post, “Westbrook was active in that 11-minute opportunity, scoring three points and notching
three assists and a steal while also committing three personal fouls and two turnovers.”
Coming to Washington was a choice made with such a short notice. Not only did Westbrook
learn the new system of the Mystics, but she had to unlearn most of the system that she’s already played in. “I gave myself the night to be sad and be upset,” Westbrook said. “The next day … I was going to use everything that I felt and add that to my game. It’s adding fuel to that fire.”
draft by the Seattle Storm. She played during the preseason but got waived by the team
because of the limited spots on the roster.
Westbrook was picked up by the Minnesota Lynx right after the Seattle Storm let her go, but
without too much attention and playing time, she got waived again before the WNBA league’s
guaranteed contract deadline. “Twenty-four hours after I was waived from Minnesota, my agent got a call from [Mystics Coach Mike Thibault], saying they were interested in signing me to a seven-day [contract],” Westbrook said.
Although Westbrook is still a rookie, she’s already on her third team. Westbrook understands
there are only 144 slots in the WNBA, and to take one of those, she needs to earn it. “My brother [supported me] like, ‘You’re still in the league.’ This is an amazing blessing,”
Westbrook said Friday after practice.
As the Washington Mystics were winning by 18 points late in the third quarter, Westbrook took
her chance and entered the court for her first game as a Mystic. According to The Washington
Post, “Westbrook was active in that 11-minute opportunity, scoring three points and notching
three assists and a steal while also committing three personal fouls and two turnovers.”
Coming to Washington was a choice made with such a short notice. Not only did Westbrook
learn the new system of the Mystics, but she had to unlearn most of the system that she’s already played in. “I gave myself the night to be sad and be upset,” Westbrook said. “The next day … I was going to use everything that I felt and add that to my game. It’s adding fuel to that fire.”
