There might have been a little shock initially when Lynx fans heard that the team had traded for Odyssey Sims, but after two days of camp there is no reason for anyone to expect anything but greatness from the new partnership between the Lynx and one of their oldest-standing (former) rivals.
Long story short, this is a great situation for both sides.
In Sims, the Lynx gained a tough-minded, versatile, competitive guard who can bring a real scoring punch to the team and act as a defensive stopper at multiple positions. In the Lynx, Sims has found a world-class organization to help her get the absolute most out of the second phase of her career. She will be a meaningful, active part of this team as she plays her prime years in blue and green.
Ask head coach Cheryl Reeve what she thinks of Sims and the positive descriptors begin to fly.
“Physical toughness, the over-used word swag, confidence, scorer, physical defender, pushes pace, applies pressure, she brings a lot to the table.”
The work has only just begun, but early returns are extremely positive. Sims and Robinson have developed a bond and Sims’ veteran experience has been a boon to a team that has a ton of young players on the roster.
“Not to say I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s gone really well,” Reeve said after the first day of camp. “She looks happy. Confidence is key for her and I told her the first day what we need from her. I don’t need her to be bashful, I need her to go get buckets. This is a team that’s going to need that, this is the perfect time for her to be the one to come in here and be a key player for us, so I think that’s appealing to her.”
This can’t be an easy situation for Sims to move across the country and immediately jump into camp with a team she’s spent her career competing against at the highest level, but she has wholeheartedly embraced the process. In that process she has found a chance to be very happy and successful.
“Being my third organization since I came into the WNBA, this is by far the best. They take care of you, they’re all about communication, they make sure they want to know how you are, how you’re feeling, that’s something I’m not used to,” said Sims. “They really care about your wellbeing, it’s not one worried about themselves. Here everyone’s a team, everyone’s worried about their teammates more so than each other individually.”
That recognition that the Lynx take care of and care about their players has come across in Sims’ play on the court. Sims has already achieved a ton, but she’s not stopping—she knows she can use her time with the Lynx to get better.
“I’m big on body language and eye contact, she’s just been really happy, really engaged and connected, not only to our staff but to our players,” said Reeve. “An eagerness to learn, this is what we talked about—there’s your first five years of your career and there’s your second five years of your career. You want the second five to be better than the first five.”
Exactly how Sims will be used is still a work in progress, but a few things are set in stone. First off, she will see the floor. Sims is too good of a player who does too much on the court to not play. She will have a role. Second, her relationship with Danielle Robinson will be key. Reeve firmly believes that Sims and Robinson can play together, likely with Sims spending more time off the ball but playing matchups and taking what the offense gives them as well.
“I think it’s going to be fun to play with O,” said Robinson. “The way we attack the basket, the way that I can kick out to her, somebody can drive, or she can kick out to me, and drive or shoot the three or whatever, whatever we need to do we’re going to do, and she just plays so hard, her energy and her passion and her grit are something that we need.”
That feeling is mutual.
“Danielle is very crafty, and she’s going to be fun to play with this season just because she moves great without the ball, she pushes the ball, she knows how to stop and start, and that’s very important,” said Sims. “I’m just like a sponge learning as much as I can from the coaches alongside the vets. I trust them. They know how to win; they know what it takes to get back to where they were.”
With her comfort level in the organization rising and her role on the court becoming clearer, Sims is primed for a successful year. All the little things that make for a successful season are sorting themselves out—even the uniforms are to her liking.
“I have to still let it set in, but I think I look better in blue.”