Grindin' for the Longest
Slam|May 2017

Like many women’s hoops stars, ANGEL MCCOUGHTRY spends her WNBA offseasons playing more pro ball overseas. Which is why the 30-year-old is stepping away from the Atlanta Dream this coming season.

Ryne Nelson
Grindin' for the Longest

It’s a typically frigid 22-degree January night in Russia when Angel McCoughtry dials the long-distance number to the SLAM Dome in Manhattan.

The Atlanta Dream star is spending her “offseason” in Kursk, a historic Russian city that sits on the largest known iron-ore reserve in the world.

Tucked away among the city’s many universities and 18th Century cathedrals, McCoughtry has been quietly putting in work alongside reigning WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike, New York Liberty guard Epiphanny Prince and Minnesota Lynx guard Anna Cruz.

“I wanted to be on a team where I didn’t have to kill myself,” McCoughtry says of her current club, Dynamo Kursk. “Last year [in Turkey], I had to do so much for so many minutes. Then come to the Atlanta Dream, and I had to do so much for so many minutes. It wears you down.”

Now 30, McCoughtry is understandably sensitive when it comes to the mileage she puts on her body.

Since entering the WNBA in 2009, she’s scored more points and recorded more steals than any other player in the league. She’s a six-time All-WNBA team selection and an eight-time All-Defensive teamer.

She's won two Olympic Gold medals (’12, ’16) and two World Cup golds (’10, ’14) with Team USA, too.

And that’s only during her summers.

McCoughtry, like the vast majority of professional women’s players, spends about eight months every year playing outside of the States.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Slam.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Slam.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS SLAMAlle anzeigen
The SUMMER THAT WASN'T
Slam

The SUMMER THAT WASN'T

Playground entry fences chain locked. Rims removed. Leagues canceled. Summer basketball just stopped in 2020. And as its effects extended beyond the blacktop, we were reminded why it's so important.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
METAMORPHOSIS
Slam

METAMORPHOSIS

The sport of basketball speaks to so many people in so many ways. Dan Peterson, the founder of Project Backboard, has teamed up with artists to use the beauty of the sport to turn local courts into works of art that are accessible to all.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire
Slam

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire

For former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, the last three years have had their ups and downs. Now that he and the Phoenix Suns are back on the way up, DA wants everyone to know that's where they're planning to stay.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
June - July 2021
Now What?
Slam

Now What?

As North Carolina rapper J. Cole transitioned from up-and-comer to full-blown vet, he came to a realization: staying sharp and fighting off complacency ain't easy. Inspired by his love for basketball and his desire to remain on top of the game, the 36-year-old has been treating music like a competitive sport while he readies his next project: The Off-Season.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
June - July 2021
ONE STEP AT A Time
Slam

ONE STEP AT A Time

NBA and G League vet Jeremy Lin and Loyola Marymount's Anthony Yu speak candidly about the ups and downs of being Asian American in the basketball world.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
THE GARDEN Blooms
Slam

THE GARDEN Blooms

The Knicks are back. Deadass, they're back. A return to the tough, gritty, resilient style that made the teams of the past so dominant has allowed Saba Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and the Knicks an opportunity to compete for homecourt advantage in the 2021 playoffs. Facts.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
CITIZEN OF THE World
Slam

CITIZEN OF THE World

Congolese native Yannick Nzosa played for professional teams in Italy and Spain before he turned 17. Now that his name is moving up the 2022 pre-draft boards, the former soccer player has one thing front and center in his mind—succeeding for his family back home.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
STRONG Island
Slam

STRONG Island

Mental fortitude and physical toughness are what's helped Long Island's Arella Guirantes make it all the way to the W.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June - July 2021
KICK IN THE Door
Slam

KICK IN THE Door

The WNBA, now in its 25th season, is the longest-running women's sports league ever. SLAM sat down with four of the most influential players of all time Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Sue Bird to discuss their part in making the League the force it is today.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
June - July 2021
Can't YOU SEE
Slam

Can't YOU SEE

It ain't hard to tell that supernatural vision has established Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as a clear candidate for the 2021 MVP Award.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
June - July 2021