Whether it was the blinding light of the brand new, way-too-bright jumbotron (I don’t even like when my phone updates, so maybe I’m biased), or the shock at being back on the court after the Olympic break, the Los Angeles Sparks looked like deer in the headlights on Thursday night. But, there was one player who didn’t seem to look at all nervous, despite wearing a jersey that hadn’t even been emblazoned with her name yet: Odyssey Sims.
Sims signed a seven-day hardship contract with the Sparks after being waived by the Dallas Wings on August 14 (Sims had signed a rest-of-season hardship contract with the Wings in late June). Sims averaged 17.2 points in 33.9 minutes per game for the understaffed Wings.
Her answer for how she’s able to do this on such short notice? “I stay ready. I stay in the gym,” she told reporters before her first game with the Sparks on Saturday. “You never know when that moment is going to come, that opportunity.” She notes that she’s just always ready to have fun – and she’s bringing a freeness to the game that the Sparks need, in what’s been a season wrought with unwelcome surprises.
“I’m getting older, but I feel like I’m getting younger as I get older on the court,” said Sims. “I feel real good. I take care of my body off the court. I stay hydrated. I’ve always been one of those players that stay ready. You never know when that moment’s going to be called.”
Sims has played on hardship and seven-day contracts consistently (or, as consistently as one can play on those types of contracts), but her positivity stays strong. “I look at myself as an impact player, game changer,” and she is excited to bring energy and leadership to the team. She is hopeful that the “good vibes” she felt immediately with the Sparks will translate off the court.
While she hasn’t had immediate scoring success with the Sparks, coach Curt Miller has already demonstrated his trust in her – she’s played 16 minutes in each of her first three games with the Sparks, running the point with confidence in a few close matchups.
“Odyssey doesn’t know one play call that we have,” Coach Miller said after the close Chicago Sky loss. “We tried real quickly to get her up to speed, but she’s a pro. I knew she could defend and she could facilitate. […] Obviously, we had to keep it very generic and very simple, when she arrived last night at 2 a.m.”
Sims noted that she only had a few hours to find childcare for her son in Dallas and get her things together – as is often the case with hardship contracts, where players are brought in due to a roster having 10 or fewer active players.
In yesterday’s matchup against the Connecticut Sun at TD Garden, Sims again didn’t shy away from the spotlight, making a huge bucket to take the lead with 4:52 left to go. While it’s clear she’s still adjusting to Miller’s offense, her presence is already felt.
“I’ve coached Odyssey before and I have confidence in her,” Miller said. “We’re at the highest level of women’s basketball and thankful that Crystal has been really a pleasant surprise for us, being able to step into difficult situations on hardships now as the starting point guard. […] I just give these guys credit.”
Sims joins fellow hardship contract player Crystal Dangerfield, who was waived by the Atlanta Dream on June 26. Dangerfield moved into the starting lineup for the Sparks following news that Aari McDonald would be out indefinitely with a foot injury following the Olympic break. McDonald started the season with a nagging foot injury, and is now in a boot.
Dangerfield is averaging 15.0 minutes per game since coming to Los Angeles, along with 4.8 points, and has provided an important burst of energy off the bench. With Dangerfield on her third (and final allowed) hardship contract, it’s not a surprise that the Sparks chose to bring in Sims – not only a veteran and prolific scorer from the point guard spot, but also a total pro when it comes to these challenging seven-day contracts: able to pick up immediately and run.
“It’s remarkable what this group is continuing to try to do and stay positive, through all the adversity that we continue to try to endure,” says Coach Miller.
