Magic Johnson welcomes Monika Czinano to Hollywood
When you think of Los Angeles, you think of basketball. The City of Angels has been the home for so many legends of the game.
Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have all donned the gold and purple for part or all of their careers. With the nice weather and the celebrity star power of the city, Los Angeles is the place you want to go as a player.
Iowa center Monika Czinano is pursuing her dream of playing professional basketball, and she will have her first opportunity in Los Angeles. The four-time first-team All-Big Ten center was drafted 26th by the Los Angeles Sparks. The newest Spark was greeted by Lakers legend Magic Johnson in his usual lovable style on Twitter.
I enjoyed following Monika’s career in the Big Ten. A great post threat, she has the ability to score down low and has a high basketball IQ! Welcome to LA Monika Czinano! @MCzinano @LASparks
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 11, 2023
Czinano later commented that throughout the jubilation of being drafted, her mom was even more excited about Magic Johnson tweeting about her daughter.
Making the WNBA is extremely hard, but the former Iowa big will certainly have a shot with L.A. Despite being one of the traditional superpowers of the WNBA, the Sparks are still reeling from former coach and GM Derek Fisher’s disastrous handling of the squad at the end of his tenure.
For a team looking to reestablish its identity as one of the premier organizations in women’s basketball, it sure could use an experienced player who can help instill a high-level culture in the locker room.
For Czinano, she’s going to have to keep improving her game to prove she belongs in the WNBA. Known for scoring without dribbling the ball, Czinano was one of the best players in college near the basket. Her footwork, strength and IQ made her a dangerous threat down low.
She’ll have to stretch her game to the mid-range while proving a difference-maker in the paint on both ends.
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Iowa, women's basketball fans react as Monika Czinano's WNBA dream comes true
Iowa women's basketball lands commitment from 2024 guard Teagan Mallegni
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