Former UConn Husky Anna Makurat recently signed a rookie scale deal with the Phoenix Mercury, getting her first shot in the WNBA with the team that she’s always been a fan of because of Diana Taurasi, her all-time favorite player.
She recently spoke to Swish Appeal about her time as Husky, from being recruited by UConn to playing for head coach Geno Auriemma and with Paige Bueckers to returning from serious injury and betting on herself.
After four years in Europe, she was rewarded for her perseverance with a WNBA contract. Despite her achievements, Makurat remains remarkably honest about her career. Some highlights from what she shared with Swish Appeal includes:
On early comparisons to Diana Taurasi by one of her coaches:
He was thinking about the court vision. Back then, I was also playing at the point guard position, so I was creating a lot for myself, but also for other teammates….also the way I was built, my body and so it kind of reminded him of her. But like I said, those are huge, huge shoes to fill and I would not compare myself to her. But if I could take one thing from her, I think I would take her mindset, her killer mindset. She’s a true White Mamba on the court. That confidence, the way she carried herself on the court, the way she could hold her teammates accountable, but also how she makes them better. I think it’s truly amazing and I would definitely like to learn more about the mental part of the game.
On betting on herself and leaving UConn after her sophomore year:
I think when I was leaving UConn…it wasn’t an easy decision, but I was, I think, at my lowest point, so I wasn’t sure how I want to do it, where I want to do it, if I want to do it. I just knew how much pain I was in [due to injury]. I knew that every day was a struggle. Every day I was constantly in pain and I didn’t know how to handle that. I think I had to build a better foundation because I lost my “why.” “Why am I doing this anymore?” But I knew that I wanted to continue to do it. I knew I had more to offer. It was definitely not the end of my story, but I just didn’t know where to take my next step. And I think there’s no right answer, you just have to keep going and try to figure [things] out for yourself.
