Maya Walks Away

Maya Moore, who has starred at UConn, in the WNBA,
the Olympics, the FIBA World Championships, and
overseas, is stepping away the from game in order
to pursue another calling. (Photo courtesy Stephen
Slade, UConnHuskies.com)

By Bob Phillips

MINNEAPOLIS—Maya is no more—at least in terms of active basketball status. The former UConn legend and perennial WNBA All-Star announced she is walking away from the game she loves in order to fulfill “another purpose.”

“My focus in 2019 will not be on professional basketball, but will instead be on the people in my family, as well as on investing my time in some ministry dreams that have been stirring in my heart for many years,” she wrote this week in The Players’ Tribune.

Her ultimate mission, she says, is to “know Jesus and to make Him known.”

“I will certainly miss the day-to-day relationships with my teammates and basketball family this season,” she continued, “but my no for the 2019 pro season allows me to say yes to my family and faith family like I never have before.”

One person not surprised by Moore’s announcement is Geno Auriemma, her UConn mentor who recruited the rising star out of Jefferson City, MO, and introduced her to the world of big-time college hoops. The two chatted last summer, and he got the distinct impression that she was headed in this direction.

“It’s probably a big surprise to a lot of people because she’s still in the prime of her career, really," he told Kelli Stacey of The Hartford Courant. "She’s had so much success when you think about it. But people change as they get older. Things that were not as important become really important. She sees something out there that she feels like she has to devote more of her time to, and I’m all for it. If that’s what you’ve got to do, that’s what you’ve got to do.”

During her four-year run in Storrs, Moore’s success was to that point unparalleled. She scored more points than any player in program history, boasted the highest per-game scoring average, had the most field goals, and won two National Championships and two Player of the Year awards. Moore also was named First Team All-American in each of her four years playing with the Huskies.

Prior to entering the WNBA, Moore was one of Auriemma’s most successful players. Upon leaving, she boasted several program records, including most points, highest scoring average and most field goals made in a career. She led the Huskies to two national championships, was named national Player of the Year twice and was named a first-team All-American four times.

After being drafted No. 1 overall by the Lynx in the 2011 WNBA Draft, and her success continued in the pros. She has been named All-WNBA in each of her seven seasons—five times to the first team and twice to the second team. She was named Rookie of the Year in 2011, Moore led the league in scoring in 2014, in steals in 2018, and was a key component of four WNBA championship teams with the Lynx (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). Basic math tells you that 2019 would be another title year for Minnesota, and still may be—just without Moore leading the way.

And while she will surely be missed in Minnesota, her coach, Cheryl Reeve, is fully supported of her star’s decision.

“As she recently shared, Maya has expressed a need to shift her attention more fully to family and ministry dreams in a way that she has been unable to as a professional basketball player," Reeve said in a statement released by the team. "We support her in this exploration and will continue to provide her the love and care she has always known from her Lynx family.”

Not everyone is convinced we have seen the last of Moore on the basketball court, however. Keep in mind, she hasn’t announced her retirement, only a desire to take some time away from basketball to pursue what she considers a greater calling, And at 31, she is literally in the prime of her career. Count Auriemma among those who thinks Moore may return to the court at some point.

“I’m not sure Maya’s done for good,” he said. “It might just be ‘I need a break,’ or ‘I need to explore something that’s right now inside of me.’ What she’s done for that franchise in Minnesota and how she’s put a stamp on winning in that league in such a short period of time, between the NCAA Championships and the WNBA Championships and the world championships and the Olympics… It’s a lot [and] I don’t know that we’ve heard the last of her. That would be my guess.”

—with staff reports