How Veronica Burton went from out of the WNBA to guarding Caitlin Clark in the playoffs

uncasville, connecticut. — throughout the second quarter of Wednesday's deciding game between the Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever. veronica barton I’ve never been subbed out.

The 5'9 Sungard matched up with Caitlin Clark's full court and exploded for eight points during the period. Burton didn't do that. know She was scheduled to play 24 minutes in Game 2, but knew she would be needed more with starting guard Ty Harris sidelined with an ankle injury.

This time, the same player fired by Dallas Wings Just a few minutes ago, he quickly established himself as one of the Sun's most important pieces in a crucial playoff win. She finished Game 2 with 10 points, three assists, three rebounds and a plus/minus of +10, second on the team. As a result, the Suns defeated the Fever in the first round series and advanced to the semifinals.

“As far as the playoffs in general, this is where we want to be,” Barton told SB Nation after the win. “This is what we work for.”

Veronica Barton spent the first two seasons WNBA After a successful career with the Wings, he was abruptly released from the team in June. It was a tough moment, she said, remembering the strong relationships she built with her teammates and members of the organization.

“But at the end of the day, it's kind of a part of this league,” Barton told me when he first joined the Sun a few months ago.

From the jump, Burton's fit for Connecticut was undeniable. She was a defensive-minded guard and a capable organizer. A standout defender for four years at Northwestern, she was able to serve as a floor spacer while also matching up with the opponent's best players, hitting 35.1 percent from 3-point range as a Sun. .

Additionally, her emergence as a reliable backup point guard allowed the Sun to use Moriah Jefferson as a trade chip to acquire Marina Mabry, greatly improving Connecticut's championship chances.

Now, Record-breaking 2.5 million people As people watched, Barton was right in the middle of all the action, guarding the game's most high-profile player.

“I was definitely excited to be in this game and witness this moment,” Barton said. “Guarding a player like Caitlin Clark is obviously an incredible job and challenge.”

Clark still had a very good game, scoring 25 points (10-23 FG), nine assists, and six rebounds.

But Burton still made life difficult.

“She's going to get her own,” Barton said. “But it's definitely something you look forward to.”

Burton is the youngest of four children and has been an elite defender since he first started playing basketball.

“The aggressiveness was always there, just being the youngest of four,” Burton said. “Hand-eye coordination has been developed over time just by doing a lot of practice with tennis balls to get deflections.”

That realization came early on. At Northwestern, Barton was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for three consecutive years and finished his collegiate career with the third-most stolen bases in conference history.

“That's something I'm very proud of, and at Northwestern, that was kind of their identity,” Burton said. “I was able to be successful on that end of the floor.”

Today she has 2nd best defensive rating Among WNBA players who averaged at least 10 minutes played in 30 or more games.

Teammate Dijonai Carrington, who has established himself as one of the league's best guard-defenders, praised his contribution to Wednesday's victory.

“V is always ready whenever his number is called, whether it's for two minutes or 25 minutes, it doesn't matter,” Carrington said. “She was on the All-Defensive team in college and knows that one of her roles on this team is to pick people up and guard at 94 feet. Masu.”

When the buzzer rang, Carrington immediately ran over and celebrated with Barton.

“We use V as often as we use Nai. [DiJonai Carrington]” Stephanie White said after the win. “She must always keep a formidable opponent in check.”

In two postseason games, Barton is averaging nine points on 60 percent shooting in 22 minutes. This is a significant increase from her regular season average of 3.1 points per game and reflects her increased desire to score.

“I think sometimes I tend to get glued to the facilitator, but my teammates give me confidence and my coaches give me the confidence to be aggressive and try to score,” Barton said.

His emphasis on offensive aggression didn't go unnoticed by his teammates.

“We needed it,” Carrington said. “It really was.”

Moreover, doing so meant potentially tiring an opponent who happened to be one of the world's top offensive talents.

“I knew who was on me and that was where I could be aggressive and let Caitlin Clark guard and no matter who was on me, I couldn't just bend over and help as a defender. I didn't, but I needed to know where I was at.'I was on the floor a little bit, too,'' Barton said.

Burton, a native of Newton, Mass., had friends, family and old teammates in the stands — something she was acutely aware of.

“Every time my mom does something small, she blows the famous whistle that gets our attention since we were kids. And she does it before every game,” Barton said. “That's why I always keep an eye on her.”

The victory advances the Connecticut Sun to the semifinals, where they will face the Minnesota Lynx in a best-of-five series on Sunday. Ty Harris' status in this game was unclear. Stephanie White said Harris is making progress and was already listed as questionable on the injury report for Wednesday's win after taking a bad spill in Game 1.

But with or without Harris, Burton has shown that she can be counted on when the light is brightest. She was waiting just a few months ago.

“It's just a blessing. That's how I look at it literally from above. Honestly, my faith keeps me grounded and prepared throughout the entire process. God prepared me and gave me a great opportunity, so I'm really grateful and I'm grateful to the organization at the Connecticut Sun.”