Veronica Burton has been a key to the surprising season of the Golden State Valkyries. For her career, she averaged only 18 minutes per game. As a result her stats were: 5.3ppg, 2.4rpg, 3.1apg, and shot 32% from threes.
This season she finished with 12.0ppg, 4.0rpg, 6.0apg, and her three percentage jumped up to 35%. How did she improve so much in her fourth season?
I had an opportunity to listen to a podcast interview with her. Her insights are things that all players should hear.
She described when you are on the bench, like she was her first three WNBA seasons, part of you thinks you are sitting because of bad judgement of the coach. It is easy to fail to be self-accountable.
When you are not willing to be self-accountable, you don’t make an honest assessment of your abilities. As a result, too often players think they can stay the same- they are good enough. They just need for the coach to recognize their ability.
What further complicates it is that people close to you- family and friends- can give you a delusion of your ability.
Burton said that the key to her improvement this season was to recognize a need and an urgency to improve her game. She went to Australia to play in the off-season. While she played in a league, she daily worked out.
It wasn’t just about playing or time- it was about focused plan. Her primary focus was to become better reading and coming off ball screens. She credits this increased skill level as key to her status with Golden State.
It all started with self-accountability. Change your game, and change your playing time!!
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