Danielle McCray Wraps Up Her Overseas Experience
Goodbye Israel, Hello USA!
Wow, where do I start? Being that it was my first year overseas, this has been the greatest experience away from home for me. When I first heard I was going to play in Israel, I had mixed emotions about the country itself. But after chatting with a lot of players, my feelings changed. Being in Israel has been nothing but fun and enjoyable. I had such a great time off the court. I was lucky to see many beautiful places, such as Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Western Wall and many small unique boutiques. I was able to try different kinds of food. I shopped, enjoyed amazing weather year round, and met some good people.
As for playing on the court, things went very well for me. Going from a collegiate season-ending injury last year to the Israeli league, the possibility of not being able to perform was a small fear of mine. But I had faith, and knew that I had prepared myself well enough for this opportunity, and I had no problems with my knee or playing abilities. Many spectators didn’t think we would advance so far and be where we were due to Rishon Le Zion being a new team in the division. However, we did a good job this season in a talented pool of opponents. We made it to the playoffs, and we advanced to the semi-finals of the Israeli Cup. Overall, I think I had a great season and I improved in different areas of my game. Even though our team had some roadblocks along the way, we ended the season very strong. Having such loyal and caring coaches as well as teammates made my time in Israel successful. It was a sad ending due to the relationships I had built. Leaving the country to go home and saying goodbye to the people I became close to was definitely bittersweet! So shalom, Israel! You will all be remembered!
Currently, I am having a nice little break from basketball, vacationing with my family and close friends. Yes, I am getting to have some “ME” time. I’m very happy to be around my loved ones. It was hard to be away from home but it was a blessing to do what I love and travel the world. After my “vacay”, I will start back with workouts and prepare myself for my first year in the WNBA. I’m excited about playing for the Connecticut Sun and I am looking forward to playing in front of all you Sun fans out there!! However, I’m going to first enjoy my time off from games and two-a-days. Before I know it, training camp will be knocking at my door!
I truly appreciate all of your support - thanks for keeping up with me overseas! Stay tuned for this upcoming season!
Until next time,
D. McCray
GO SUN!!
Wow, where do I start? Being that it was my first year overseas, this has been the greatest experience away from home for me. When I first heard I was going to play in Israel, I had mixed emotions about the country itself. But after chatting with a lot of players, my feelings changed. Being in Israel has been nothing but fun and enjoyable. I had such a great time off the court. I was lucky to see many beautiful places, such as Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Western Wall and many small unique boutiques. I was able to try different kinds of food. I shopped, enjoyed amazing weather year round, and met some good people.
As for playing on the court, things went very well for me. Going from a collegiate season-ending injury last year to the Israeli league, the possibility of not being able to perform was a small fear of mine. But I had faith, and knew that I had prepared myself well enough for this opportunity, and I had no problems with my knee or playing abilities. Many spectators didn’t think we would advance so far and be where we were due to Rishon Le Zion being a new team in the division. However, we did a good job this season in a talented pool of opponents. We made it to the playoffs, and we advanced to the semi-finals of the Israeli Cup. Overall, I think I had a great season and I improved in different areas of my game. Even though our team had some roadblocks along the way, we ended the season very strong. Having such loyal and caring coaches as well as teammates made my time in Israel successful. It was a sad ending due to the relationships I had built. Leaving the country to go home and saying goodbye to the people I became close to was definitely bittersweet! So shalom, Israel! You will all be remembered!
Currently, I am having a nice little break from basketball, vacationing with my family and close friends. Yes, I am getting to have some “ME” time. I’m very happy to be around my loved ones. It was hard to be away from home but it was a blessing to do what I love and travel the world. After my “vacay”, I will start back with workouts and prepare myself for my first year in the WNBA. I’m excited about playing for the Connecticut Sun and I am looking forward to playing in front of all you Sun fans out there!! However, I’m going to first enjoy my time off from games and two-a-days. Before I know it, training camp will be knocking at my door!
I truly appreciate all of your support - thanks for keeping up with me overseas! Stay tuned for this upcoming season!
Until next time,
D. McCray
GO SUN!!
