West Hartford — Nika Mule’s success as a player is built on a particular defensive identity, and she continues to act as a ferocious hyena without the ball. UConn Women’s Basketball Team..
But with his college career halved and coaches expressing a little more need in other areas, Mir is spending the summer trying to refine the offensive part of the game. She is trying to put herself in the middle of a stats sheet in a lineup of more talented and natural scorers. This means putting yourself at the center of her good ideas.
In short, Mir doesn’t have to worry too much about the 3-pointer barrage. She needs to finish more comfortably in basketball and make a consistent pull-up jumper. This keeps the defense honest and Paige Bueckers And Adgefad.
that is Geno Aurima Reaching to Mir after the end of the season, she prioritized accepting the “unattractive” offensive part of the game.
“When I hear the score, I feel it’s something I’ve always thought about. Will I grow up or go home,” Mir said this week. Auriemma Charity Golf Event.. “It’s not necessarily the way it should work, and I told him a lot about it. He gave me another picture about it, another way of looking at it. Since then, I’ve definitely thought of something a little different. “
Croatian security guard Mir was a big east defensive player last season as a sophomore. She averaged 2.2 steals, third in the conference, and stood out in on-the-ball and open-court defense.
She is a tornado in court. She doesn’t have to rain. She needs to convert enough baskets from the space created from the dribble. Its stop-and-pop and those drives need to bring more points.
“I’ve definitely been working on my pull-up,” Mir said. “Overall, my scoring game, I’ve been working on it a lot. I think that’s what I lack. My role is still my role. Nothing changes. It would be great if I could put in those extras, but if I still want my teammates to get the ball, I think it’s best to do it here with all these great scorers. increase.”
Mir averaged 3.8 points last season and was ninth in the team. She shot 34.2 with 3 pointers, 43.1 percent from the field. Her goal as a junior is to become a more consistent contributor by simplifying what she is trying to do with the attack.
“Coaches have really keyed it,” said Boukers. “Most of it is footwork in paint, jump stops, the use of pump fake, the use of all footwork and pivots, and the simplification of the game. It’s easy to take outside shots and 3s. You You can get those possessions anytime, really. Therefore, they want us to look at our options and get the simplest look.
“Obviously, Nika did a really good job on that, and [assistant coach Morgan Valley] It’s really difficult for all the guards for that. You can say it’s starting to work. You can see footwork and all patience bear fruit. “
Mir played 19 to 33 games last season, sometimes fitting the theme of the season. She missed only three games last season due to her leg injury, but she was hindered, if possible.
“I’m paying more attention,” Mir said. “Before, I was always just playing [through pain] But it’s not fun to go out for a month and a half while my team is playing. In that regard, I feel like I have to be smarter — say it when something hurts. So I’m working on it and limiting myself as much as possible. But also we have to work. “
Mir will return to Zagreb next week to spend the rest of the summer in Croatia. She has covered many areas in Connecticut this offseason. Mir missed an excursion to New York to catch up with her ex-teammate Ebina Westbrook, but the day after Sue Bird announced that this would be her last season, she played a match between Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun. I participated in. WNBA.
“I have never really followed UConn and American basketball or American sports,” Mühl said. “I was more interested in European sports. But when I committed to UConn, I had to watch all the games. Yes, I became a big fan of Sue Bird. She was a great inspiration and I think he’s a great player. What she did, on and off the court, and how she uses her platform is great. “
Mir previously spent time with Bird.
“She is still really working on the program,” Mir said. “It’s amazing to see all the graduates participating in this program over the last few years. That’s what we want to do. Stay around.”
30 Years of UConn Player — From Jamel Elliott to Ayanna Patterson — Gathered for post-match photos centered around birds.
“It was great to see us all together, especially after the match, just as we are all on the same team,” Mir said. “I still love the bonds that graduates share with their current players and coaches. They just talk about how great this program is and how much their family feels.”
Mir has some tattoos on her left hand and wrist. Written in Croatian by both of her grandmothers, the other is to commend her parents and the other is her sister “Baby M”, a freshman next season, Hana Mule. It is a tribute to. In the ball state.
“It’s a super personal hand,” she said.
Mir’s plans for the coming months include a “beach martini”. She was at home at the end of Christmas, but she was only a few days. She is one of Husky’s four international players, along with Dorka Juhász (Hungary), Lou Lopez Sénéchal (France) and Aaliyah Edwards (Canada).
“The team has a lot of European flavors, is a bit Canadian and very diverse,” she said. “We share many different cultures and languages. People are learning new languages. It’s really fun.”
Mir is learning a slightly different approach to attack. She wants to be somewhere between postponing to others and taking too many outside shots.
“It’s obviously a process,” she said. “I’m trying to understand that I can expand my role a bit just by trying to build confidence in my shots. Obviously, I have such great scorers around me. They Everyone is a very good scorer, I just want them to get the ball, but I understand what [Auriemma] I’m talking, so I hope I can influence the game that way too. “
mike.anthony@hearstmediact.com; @ManthonyHearst
