Anosike offering some perspective

Photo by Gus Ruelas

Los Angeles Sparks' Shannon Bobbitt, left, drives on Minnesota Lynx's Nicky Anosike (21) in the final second of the second half of a WNBA basketball game on July 3, 2008, in Los Angeles. The Lynx won 88-70. Both Bobbitt and Anosike are former Tennessee Lady Vols.

Nicky Anosike knows something about teamwork, enough to critique the current Tennessee Lady Vols.

"I think they just need to pull together,'' the UT alum said. "I think when someone's getting yelled at and things like that, they just let that person get yelled at because they're just happy it's not them."

Anosike was more than merely an interested observer Thursday. She also took part in a portion of Tennessee's team practice as part of her recovery from left knee surgery. She's between teams, having finished her rookie season with the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx and preparing to play in Romania.

In between, she returned to Knoxville to have the surgical procedure to repair cartilage damage. She's been rehabbing at UT and will be a practice player as often as allowable before heading overseas.

Official practice starts today. The Lady Vols wrapped up their preseason work with Thursday's workout.

"Supposedly (it's) occasional,'' UT coach Pat Summitt said of the guidelines for former players practicing. "It's kind of an unknown. We'll go to our compliance people and verify everything."

Anosike was the starting center on back-to-back national championship teams in 2007-'08. She was instrumental in drawing up team contracts and helping to nurture a sense of togetherness.

"I think the biggest thing in our program was me, Candace, Bird, Shannon and Lex, we had each other's back, no matter what, and we were in it together,'' Anosike said. "That kind of eliminates a lot the confusion and things that you see out there. I just think they need to pull together and become a real team."

Anosike was known for being blunt with her teammates. She intends to be more tactful with this group.

"I would never want to disrespect one of the players because I would never want anyone disrespecting me,'' Anosike said. "I know they have people yelling at them all (through) practice. After awhile that goes in one ear and out the other. So I think when someone really takes the time to talk to them and see what they're feeling and kind of come to them on a different level instead of yelling all the time, I think that they are more receptive to that."

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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