Pierson Happy To Have Landed With Lynx

Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter

As Plenette Pierson finished up her 14th season in the WNBA in 2016 with the Dallas Wings, she looked ahead to where she wanted to play in 2017 in hopes of adding another championship to her resume.

In February, the Minnesota Lynx became that landing spot.

A few months before the start of the 2017 WNBA season, Pierson signed with the Lynx, adding to the depth in Minnesota.

There were numerous reasons Pierson had an interest in coming to Minnesota. The first reason was simple: Championships.

“The championships and the talent on this team,” Pierson said. “I also talked to Seimone (Augustus) and she really solidified it for me with the camaraderie that they have here and the team chemistry. Those were the big things for me.”

The Texas native is also familiar with a few members of the Lynx team. Pierson played with Jia Perkins for three years at Texas Tech before coming tot the WNBA and spent time with Cheryl Reeve in Detroit from 2006 to 2009 when Reeve was an assistant coach with the Shock. Reeve and Pierson were both a part of the 2006 and 2008 WNBA championship teams in Detroit.

That familiarity allowed Pierson to have an easy transition as she kicked off her Lynx career.

“It’s definitely easier knowing Cheryl and Jia, it was another draw for me to come here,” Pierson said. “It’s going great for me personally, physically, emotionally, everything is going great. It’s great being around this great group, being around some familiar faces with coach Reeve and Jia. It’s been an easy transition for me.”

In nine games so far this season, Pierson is averaging 4.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 10.9 minutes per game, emerging as a key contributor coming off the bench for the Lynx.

“I’m very hard on myself. . . I’ve had good spurts where I’ve played pretty well, and that’s not just offensively but defensively. That is my call to action is defense,” Pierson said. “I think I can play a whole lot better, but that’s also having to understand what is required of myself as far as the defense. Every team you go to, it’s a different defensive scheme. I think I’m finally understanding it and these two weeks at home will really help me get a lot of practice time in with it, understand it and bring that energy on defense that I need to bring.”

Outside of basketball, Pierson has spent some time getting to know the state of Minnesota, a place she has grown to really enjoy.

“Minnesota has been great. Since my nephew has been here a few days now, I’ve gone out and explored a little bit and have seen a lot more,” she said. “I braved the Mall of America on our last day off and (on Tuesday) went to Lake Minnetonka. I really love it. It’s quiet, it’s peaceful, it’s just what I look for. I just love being around nature and seeing different things and just hanging out.”

Pierson is happy to have landed in Minnesota with the Lynx. And she is hoping to help the Lynx win yet another WNBA championship in 2017.

“That’s why we play sports and that’s why we play professionally is to win a championship. But for me, my goal is to just mesh really well with this team and learn from them,” Pierson said. “I know it sounds weird, 15 years in this league and I’m still learning. I’m just learning from them, they are a great group of girls and there are always things that I can learn that will help me. . . I just want to learn so that I can be at the highest capacity that I can be at.”

Pierson and the Lynx are back in action at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Connecticut Sun at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The game will be aired on Fox Sports North Plus and 106.1 BOB FM.