Before the Kings collapsed against the Chicago Bulls Saturday night, I caught up with former Monarchs point guard Ticha Penicheiro. The WNBA career assists leader still calls Sacramento home and occasionally shows up at Kings games. When the Monarchs folded almost a year ago, she signed with the L.A. Sparks. But her close connection with former Monarchs coach/general manager John Whisenant is no secret.
Partly because Whisenant was so demanding, Ticha dropped about 30 pounds and became a terrific defender - and though initially skeptical, a huge Whiz supporter. So don't be surprised she is reuinted with her former coach, who recently named GM/coach of the New York Liberty. I would be shocked if Whiz doesn't make a serious play for his former point guard and current free agent, though more in the role of tutor/mentor. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet," Penicheiro said, grinning.
Seeing Penicheiro made me nostalgic. Frankly, I miss those days at Arco Arena. Defense. Fastbreaks. Ball movement. Creative playmaking. Ticha was a classic, intuitive point guard in the sense of thinking pass-first, setting up teammates, and running the break. Though a subpar scorer and not particularly quick, she utilized her size (5-foot-11), length, anticipation and intelligence en route to a marvelous career. And clutch? Ticha's two third-quarter steals triggered the Monarchs' second-half rally in the championship clincher in 2005.
Once again, I was reminded that it's not the label that matters. For those who also might have forgotten, the selfless, cerebral, agenda-free Doug Christie was listed as the Kings two-guard when they were contenders, but while sharing the backcourt with Mike Bibby, he was the club's primary ballhandler and playmaker, and a triple-double threat every time he walked on the court.
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