UNM basketball icon Jordan Adams will complete her first season in the WNBA in the fall - however her career in professional basketball has just begun and is expanding at an enormous rate.
Adams signed a contract in late April with the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx season opener was on May 24 against the Sacramento Monarchs. However, Adams' professional debut wasn't until the second Minnesota/Sacramento matchup on July 8, when she managed to pull down a defensive rebound in a minute of action.
Adams didn't make a major impression on the WNBA until July 23 in Connecticut. After Michele Van Gorp injured her knee, Adams confidently stepped up to fill the shoes of the starting forward. Playing 31 minutes, Adams scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds against the Sun.
"She has handled the adjustment very well," Lynx head coach Suzie McConnell Serio said. "The biggest adjustment Jordan has had to make is in the physical nature of the game."
At 6-feet-3 and 180 lbs., Adams is used to dominating the paint with her skill and size.
"I'm used to being one of the bigger bodies on the floor - now I'm not," Adams said. "The game is a lot more physical now."
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Another element of pro ball that Adams is getting accustomed to is playing the forward position.
"I've been a center my whole life, so it's definitely a challenge," she said. "But it gives me a lot more opportunities to shoot on the outside."
Nine of Adams' 13 points in Connecticut came from behind the 3-point arch.
Adams' agent Eric Wiesel said she has an all-around game.
"She's very mobile for her size and she can score as well as defend," he said.
McConnell Serio noted Adams' wide range of skills during Minnesota's recruiting process, studying her on-game film.
"I liked her versatility and I thought she ran the floor very well," McConnell Serio said. "She will become a go-to girl for us. If we get her the ball, we know she will produce."
Although she was immediately drafted by the WNBA, Adams felt she needed more experience. In Europe, the women's professional basketball season extends from October to May, while the WNBA season is only three months long.
"This is my job," Adams said. "I figured I would go overseas and make some money."
Adams signed with Calais, a French first division team, and wrapped up the final details last week. She will be in Calais by Sept. 13 at the latest, depending on how far Minnesota goes in the playoffs.
Due to the short 34-game professional season in the United States, many women basketball players spend the off-season training and playing in other countries. Four of Adams' teammates from the Lynx also play in European leagues.
McConnell Serio appreciates her players' desire to continue to compete during the WNBA off-season. The only drawback would be if a player were to get injured. However, this isn't a big concern for McConnell Serio or the "swing" players.
"I think it's good for them to stay active, competing in game situations," she said. "But I do hope they're back in time for training."
Adams said playing in a foreign country is a learning experience she feels will allow her to grow and mature in her game.
"My goal is to get experience playing against tougher people," she said. "I'll have a lot more opportunities to play and get tougher."
