Former UConn guard Evina Westbrook is undeterred with even ‘more gasoline on the fire’ as she navigates third WNBA team in rookie season

Nearly half an hour after the conclusion of Sunday’s WNBA game between the Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics, the stands at Mohegan Sun Arena were empty, the loud cheers and music from the overtime thriller had faded and most players were back in the locker rooms getting ready to leave. But one group was gathered at center court, arms wrapped around each other in a giant hug.

Evina Westbrook was surrounded by the UConn women’s basketball team, reunited with former teammates Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Dorka Juhász, Nika Mühl, Caroline Ducharme and Amari DeBerry, along with new freshmen Ayanna Patterson and Isuneh Brady. The prior week and a half had seen the former Husky guard waived by the Minnesota Lynx and signed to a seven-day contract with the Mystics, marking her third team this season after being drafted 21st overall by the Seattle Storm in April.

Geno Auriemma used to tell Westbrook and those teammates that “90% of the game is mental.” That sentiment has especially rung true over the last few months as she’s confronted the business side of basketball firsthand. Westbrook, who signed a second seven-day contract with the Mystics on Monday, has navigated a different WNBA path than the one she envisioned, but she’s still grateful to be living out her dream of playing in the league. And the experience has shown her that she’s stronger than she realized.

“I feel like mentally I can take more,” Westbrook told The Courant before Sunday’s game. “Every time I’ve gotten cut it’s just poured more gasoline on the fire.”

Westbrook was waived by the Storm in May before the start of the season, dealt the same card as many rookies and talented players across the WNBA as teams tried to meet the league’s hard salary cap. A week or so later Westbrook signed with the Lynx, where she averaged 2.6 points, 1.4 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game.

Westbrook didn’t have any inclination that the Lynx were cutting her until the moment it happened. After the team’s home victory over the Phoenix Mercury on June 23, head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeves sat her down and broke the news.

“I kind of took that night to feel sorry for myself and be sad and do all that and be upset,” Westbrook said. “But then once the morning hit I was just like just like, ‘Whatever happens, I’m just ready to get back in the gym, work as hard as I can.’”

There wasn’t much time to process everything. Less than 24 hours later her agent contacted her with interest from the Mystics. The franchise announced it signed the former UConn guard to a seven-day contract on June 27.

From there Westbrook quickly moved out of her apartment and got on a flight to Washington, D.C. But there was another essential task on the agenda: Tell former UConn teammate Christyn Williams, who is sitting out the season with a knee injury after being drafted by the Mystics.

Once Westbrook landed, she sent a Snapchat: “Guess who’s coming to Washington? Call me immediately.” To say Williams was excited is quite the understatement.

“As soon as I touched down in DC, Christyn called me and was screaming on the phone,” Westbrook said. “I was like, ‘Man, it’s really good to have another Husky on the team.’”

The duo reunited soon after. Westbrook walked from her hotel to Williams’ apartment right after checking in and she’s been over there pretty much every day since to spend time with Williams and her girlfriend and they often share meals together. Having them around has made Westbrook’s adjustment to a new city a lot smoother.

Westbrook likes to “cook extravagant,” so she showed her appreciation by making the couple a meal of stuffed salmon, mashed potatoes and corn last week. Westbrook can’t eat salmon herself, but she’d always wanted to learn how to make it.

“At the end of the day that’s my sis, that’s my sister,” Westbrook said of Williams. “We’ve been through so much, too much, together. It feels good to have someone like that here, especially in a new place.”

Westbrook is grateful for the support of her close group of family, friends and mentors throughout her journey in the league so far. UConn assistant Morgan Valley has been in her ear with words of encouragement on a daily basis, reminding her to keep grinding and maintain her work ethic despite the disappointment of being cut, while her brother and mother have played a big role in her positive mindset. Veterans have also reached out to share similar stories of being waived, which has made her feel more understood and the process less lonely.

In terms of the basketball itself, Westbrook has been navigating a new set of plays with Washington, with the ones from Seattle and Minnesota still in her head. She’s been watching film and studying new teammates in between practices to learn the new system.

“She’s what I wanted her to be,” Mystics head coach Mike Thibault said. “She’s come in, picked up stuff quickly”

Westbrook played in her first game for Washington June 28, recording a 3-pointer, three assists and a steal in 11 minutes in a win over the Atlanta Dream. Fudd’s parents, who live in the area, even came to cheer her on. Westbrook air-balled her first attempt from deep, but encouragement from her teammates to be aggressive, along with some positive self talk, gave her the confidence to make her second.

“It’s just like me telling myself, ‘Evina, you’re a dog. Play like that,’” Westbrook said. “So just trying to get out of the little shell and the college stuff and try to put my WNBA shorts on and just having that mindset going into each game. … So the second one, just for it to go in and my teammates’ reaction, it’s just like, ‘Ahhh okay.’ It just gave me a sense of calmness.”

Westbrook didn’t play in the close contest against the Sun, but seeing her former UConn teammates for dinner the night before and again after the game gave Westbrook a similar feeling of ease. She still feels like she’s those players’ mom or big sister after being called ‘Momma E’ throughout her time in Storrs.

“Seeing them really does bring me happiness,” Westbrook said. “At dinner they’re asking me questions like, ‘How’s it going? How do you feel? Is it crazy?’ Blah, blah, blah, all this and that. So I’m able to kind of like tell them what’s been going on or even stuff that’s going on in the league, like, ‘It’s a business, but it’s fun. Once you guys get here, you guys will really enjoy it.’”

The reality of that business makes it uncertain how much longer Westbrook will be with the Mystics. A player can’t sign more than three seven-day contracts with the same team in one season per the WNBA’s CBA, and she’s now on her second. But after everything she’s already navigated, Westbrook is confident in her future.

“No matter what happens, if I’m on a team or I’m not,” she said, “I just want [UConn fans] to know I’m gonna be okay. I’m gonna stay in the gym, I’m in the gym all year long. When it comes to this time next year, it’s gonna be different.”