On Monday, May 6, the Mystics held their annual media day. I had one-on-ones with four players which you can see here.
But depending where you’re from, you may also be a little surprised or feel vindicated to learn what Elena Delle Donne had to say in her presser which can be seen above.
“It’s great that you know we have our core from last season and then to be able to add a superstar like Emma to that mix is pretty crazy to think about,” Delle Donne said in response to a question about Meesseman’s return after missing the 2018 season. The emphasis is mine.
“When we’re really spreading the floor playing position less basketball, there’s nothing that fits our system more than Emma’s style of play,” Delle Donne continued. You can listen to that segment at the one-minute mark of the video.
There has certainly been debate about whether Meesseman is a superstar. Albert pointed out her potential... in 2015! And though Meesseman has improved and taken bigger roles with the Belgian national team and with UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, many Mystics fans are still skeptical that she is capable of being that type of player.
I don’t know about you, but if a known superstar like Delle Donne calls another player like Meesseman a superstar, that’s all the validation I need.
So yes, Emma Meesseman is a superstar. She may not be an American who went to a college like UConn or Maryland. But her talent and skills shouldn’t be a question at this point.
That being said, putting Meesseman back into the mix is a different issue. We will have more on that later today!