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In games on June 23 and 25, Kayla McBride produced a total of 18 points and six rebounds, including a nine-point, four-rebound, zero-assist performance against her previous team, the Las Vegas Aces.
In the past three games, McBride has produced 75 points, including Wednesday night when she produced the fourth game in Lynx history of 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers.
While highlighting her shooting and shot-creating, McBride also has shut down opposing stars with her defense, helping the Lynx build a five-game winning streak. That's the longest current winning streak in the WNBA, and it has elevated the Lynx, who began the season with four losses, to a 10-7 record and fourth place in the tightly packed standings.
The Lynx signed three prime free agents this winter: McBride, Aerial Powers and Natalie Achonwa. Powers and Achonwa have contributed little to date because of injuries. McBride, following a short slump, has given the Lynx three star-caliber players, along with Olympians Sylvia Fowles and Napheesa Collier, and the look of the powerhouse they promised to be.
Free agency is like ordering something online: You can only hope that the product will arrive undamaged and on time, and live up to the online description.
"We were one of a handful of teams that was vying for Kayla,'' Lynx coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve said Thursday. "We talked to her a lot about the fact that she's 29 and at a point in her career where I believe her best basketball is about to hit.
"You spend the first six years in the league learning and trying to figure it out, then you figure it out and hit your stride. We hope she wants to stay here to finish her career.''
Reeve and her staff coach minute details. McBride always was valued for her quick-release shooting and three-point range. She also favored a one-footed, one-handed bank-shot floater that she would release from as far as 15 feet from the basket.
Here's an example of Reeve and her staff — in this case, lead assistant coach Katie Smith — demanding efficiency:
"It's been a point of education with Kayla,'' Reeve said. "We wanted her to use it where it would be more efficient. She likes to use that thing from 15 feet, and we don't like that. So, if you notice, Katie has worked really hard on this with Kayla. When you come off a screen and you're 15 feet away, that's a two-foot stop. Two-foot stop and shoot it. You feel the defender behind you, but you don't fear the contact. You want the contact. You have to go over the screen with KMac, so you have them right where you want them.
"The tendency is to abandon the ball quickly. I want them to ram into you, so you go to the foul line. KMac shoots 98%, so we want the contact.
"That's a part of the game that we targeted, and here she's midway through her first season with us, and she's getting better at that.''
McBride was signed for her offensive skills yet has become the Lynx's defensive stopper. She spoke Wednesday night about understanding scorers and knowing how to disrupt them.
Free agency can be a trap. Teams pay high prices for players who were not a top priority for their previous employer. Free agents tend to have a few miles on them, and they don't always adapt to new surroundings.
McBride looks to be the exception. She has spoken reverently about the Lynx's championship history and "culture.'' She has adapted offensively. She has shined defensively. She has given the Lynx a third star.
"She's passionate about her teammates and passionate about being a Minnesota Lynx,'' Reeve said. "Those things we knew, which is why we wanted her to be a part of this. Your selection of people is the single most important aspect of putting together a team, and we hit it out of the park with Kayla McBride.''
