Alexander Shun

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We’re excited to have the opportunity to let Renee be a part of this again,” said Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve when asked about the team’s trade for guard Renee Montgomery. “She’s older, wiser, has seen a lot since she went away and I think she’s in position, from a skillset standpoint to really help our team.”

Less than 24 hours after the Lynx traded guard Monica Wright to the Seattle Storm for Montgomery and the Storm’s 2016 second-round draft pick, the buzz after practice was all about Montgomery; and for good reason too, just ask Lynx forward Maya Moore.

Moore played with Montgomery at the University of Connecticut and is thrilled to be teammates with her once again.

“We’re hoping to recreate what we had [at Uconn],” Moore joked, referring to the Huskies’ undefeated National Championship run with Moore and Montgomery in 2009. “She’s a competitor, very skilled and there will be nothing but good things from her coming to the team.”

In 17 games with the Storm this season, Montgomery averaged 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists; numbers that Reeve believes can go up given the opportunity Montgomery will be given.

“We’re thin at the guard spot, so opportunities abound for her,” said Reeve. “I think this is a player that can really help us try to keep moving forward with where we’re trying to go.”

Having faced the Storm three times already this year (and having won all three, I might add), the Lynx have a pretty good idea as to what skillset Montgomery will provide the team.

On the flipside of that, Montgomery should also have a strong idea of what the Lynx like to run and should learn things very quickly.

“We’ve played Seattle three times and so I suspect her scouting report could come in handy as far as knowing what we like to do. There’s nothing like doing it yourself, but we’ll definitely keep it simple for her and try to put her in position to be successful.”

Moore seemingly knows Montgomery better than anyone on the roster, and has a scouting report of Montgomery herself.

“She can pass the ball, she can shoot, and she is an offensive weapon so teams can’t sag off of her. She’ll communicate, she pays attention and she’s just a smart player so it’s going to be fun trying to help her catch on to what we’re doing pretty quickly.”

Moore remembers Montgomery having a lot of success from their time together in college and Moore says that of all things, Montgomery’s competitiveness is what she remembers most.

“She’s a competitor and we were always competing in practice,” said Moore. “We’d always be on opposite teams when teams were being made because we were two of the most competitive players, so it’ll be fun to have that energy from her added to an already competitive team.”

Moore believes that Montgomery will fit right in and be able to contribute right away, and if Moore is right, the Lynx will have become an even more dangerous team; if that is even possible.