UConn grad Juhasz has earned trust as a starter in Minnesota
Jul. 31—MOHEGAN — DeWanna Bonner of the Connecticut Sun has a signature move, a shot fake, then a step-through, leaving the defender in the dust long enough for Bonner to drive to the basket unencumbered or to pick up a foul on the poor, off-balance soul.
Dorka Juhasz, a rookie for the Minnesota Lynx, was the victim of the Sun's 14-year veteran on more than one occasion Sunday afternoon, something which landed her frequently on the bench.
"What's good about Minnesota and obviously having coach (Cheryl Reeve) is that she lets me have those mistakes," said Juhasz, who played two seasons at UConn before being selected by the Lynx in the second round of the 2023 WNBA Draft.
"She's not taking me out right away. She let's me, like, 'Hey, stop jumping!' Even today when DB (Bonner) got me a couple times on the shot fake, step-through, (Reeve) is like, 'If you jump one more time!' I'm like, 'I got you, coach.'"
The Lynx secured an 87-83 victory Sunday, the first of back-to-back games between the teams this week at Mohegan Sun Arena, when the 6-foot-5 Juhasz finally stopped jumping and kept Bonner in front of her, blocking Bonner's game-winning 3-point attempt with 1.8 seconds remaining. Juhasz got her fingertips on the ball.
Juhasz re-entered the game with 11.3 seconds left with Reeve giving her the task of guarding Bonner on the final play.
The Sun (18-7) and Lynx (13-13) will play a rematch at 7 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN).
"We were riding Dorka pretty hard with her defense this game," Reeve said. "Her defense on Bonner where she's jumping, leaving her feet, getting schooled by Bonner. We needed a play."
Reeve, a four-time WNBA champion with the Lynx and the present USA Basketball Women's National Team head coach through the 2024 Olympics, called Juhasz's block a "good, disciplined, heady play."
"She wanted that responsibility," Reeve said. "That was a big decision for us in that timeout, who we were going to have guard DB (who finished with 31 points). That's a tough one in terms of experience. I appreciated that Dorka sort of learned from earlier in the game and stayed disciplined.
"It was great, the rookie in her first game back. It was a journey this game. It was a journey. There was a lot of things that didn't necessarily go well for her. That up-and-down nature of the game where I think Dorka's really good at sort of responding and unfazed."
The Lynx started the season 0-6. A native of Pecs, Hungary, who played for Ohio State for three seasons before appearing as a graduate student at UConn, Juhasz has started the last 21 games for Minnesota, averaging 6.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists. She's shooting 47.7%, 30.3% from 3-point range.
She had a career-high 16 points in a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on July 20 and has registered three double-doubles. Juhasz has had 12 rebounds on two occasions. On Sunday against Connecticut, she had 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Juhasz last played at Mohegan Sun Arena when UConn won the Big East tournament in March.
"I felt good," Juhasz said of returning to Connecticut. "I just remember coming off the bus and coming into Mohegan Sun. It smells like home, it looks like home. I had so many great memories here with UConn. So it's awesome to be back and now that we were able to get the W, that's just something that I can put on my list as a professional."
Juhasz posed for numerous photos and signed autographs following the afternoon game.
"There's such a strong bond between UConn fans and UConn players," Juhasz said. "I heard sometimes somebody was clapping for me when I made the (three-point play). I was like, 'Who is that? A Connecticut Sun fan?' That's something I never take for granted. UConn fans are amazing."
Reeve was complimentary of Juhasz during Sunday's postgame. She called Juhasz comfortable and confident in her ability (confident enough to run plays that Reeve hasn't necessarily called for).
"The separator for a lot of players that make the league and don't make the league is knowing that you belong and having that belief in yourself," Reeve said. "'I belong.' I don't think Dorka's ever doubted that she belonged on our team or doing what she's doing in games."
Reeve said she admires Juhasz's ability to ride through the ups and downs of a rookie without ever changing her demeanor: no sulking or serving as an "energy-drainer."
And something Reeve wasn't even fully aware of when she drafted Juhasz ...
"I like Dorka's versatility," Reeve said. "I don't know if I've ever coached a big that is as good as she is with the ball, dribbling the ball, up the court, driving, decision-making. She's very comfortable in that space."
There are still challenges, such as Sunday's. Juhasz has guarded the league's stars in Brittney Griner, Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, DeWanna Bonner.
She's earned Reeve's trust with her talent and also her maturity.
"My whole rookie season, every single game it was a new challenge for me," Juhasz said. "I've seen a lot of growth in myself in ways of figuring out stuff.
"There's going to be ups and downs, games that I can't score, games that things are not going my way. Learning to just be steady and bring something else ... it's just the constant effort I want to give every single game."
