By Jamie Thomas
There’s a new floor general in town for the Wildcats and Head Coach Kenrick Liburd looks to have unearthed another gem as he brings first-year-pro Brooklyn Pannell to the WBBL in the hopes of leading Nottingham to success this year.
The 5ft 9” University of Charleston graduate looks to have everything she needs to fill the void left behind by the departing Chelsey Shumpert, flexing her muscles as a well-rounded, high-energy point guard in her collegiate career, and we caught up with the 23-year-old recently to discuss her next adventure.
“I’m very excited for everything about this season, particularly to be back in front of the fans because they bring a different intensity to every game, and to be playing with a new team in a new league – I’m just really looking forward to all of it.
“Nottingham just seemed like a perfect fit for me, after speaking to Coach Kenrick about his philosophies and they really fit with what I was used to in college, as well as the values the club is built on being a family-first organisation.
“To have that chemistry with the people of this club on and off the court is going to be a great fit for me. Coach told me a lot about his experience in the game, so hearing all of that really reinforces just how strong a coach he is. He’s keen to empower us as players to show our personalities on the floor, and I’m looking forward to learning a lot from him.”
“I can’t wait to compete with everybody.”
Stepping into the professional game after a lifetime of working towards this moment would understandably elicit some nerves for rookie players, but Pannell seems very relaxed and at ease with the challenge that lays ahead, if not more eager than anything else to get out there and show that she’s ready to tackle everything head on.
Her words will offer much encouragement to Wildcats fans who will be eager to see what their new star can do, as Pannell gave her assessment of how challenging she’s expecting her debut professional season to be.
“It is definitely going to be a different level of competitiveness, but I’m excited for that challenge. Hearing the colleges that some of these players came from in this league and just things of that nature, it is going to be a great experience for me to elevate my game and performance.
“We’ve had a few practices so far and some games, and I feel like compared to what I’ve seen from last year this team is a bit bigger and longer which is only going to help us on both ends of the floor, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do together when the games start.
“I can’t wait to compete with everybody. London Lions are obviously a team with big expectations and I got to see their play last year in the playoffs, so I know a bit about how they play and have a feel for it, but with everybody else I’ve not seen too much so I’m really excited for those new challenges and experiences and seeing what I can do.”
“I’m going to bring a relentless attitude and approach to the court.”
Something the Wildcats pride themselves on is their work in the community, where their thriving programme for junior players of all ages and abilities inspires many that they can be the best versions of themselves, whether that be through basketball or anything else they want to do.
Adding to the family-first culture that attracted her to the club, Pannell says that inspiring young people is a key focus for her stint in Nottingham too, which she discussed further as well as adding what those in the community can expect to see from her when she represents them on the court in the WBBL this term.
“I’m really looking forward to working in the community and inspiring younger kids who want to continue to develop in basketball. Not everybody wants to be a professional player, but they might want to go to college and keep playing or something like that. A big goal for my time here is to help inspire young people however I can to keep getting better at whatever they want to do.
“When playing, I’m going to bring a relentless attitude and approach to the court. I feel like from start to finish I am the same player throughout the game on offense and defence. I thrive off steals and fast-break opportunities, and I love to create for others in the half-court, and I’m excited to do my part to help the team be successful.
“I feel like our defensive capabilities as a team will be a big piece for us this season. We’ve got a lot of size and length in the team so switching up on that end of the floor is going to be an important option for us.
“We just need to take things one game at a time.”
In what promises to be another intensely competitive season in the WBBL, it is hard for most teams to set their expectations at this stage, the 23-year-old is realistic in her assessment of how the season could pan out, identifying what the focus will be in the opening months of the year, before turning to look at trophies and titles as the season’s end nears.
“There will be some nervousness before tip-off, I’m sure, but as soon as the jump-ball goes I feel like I’ll ready for everything. I am looking forward to embracing this experience in a new country, a new league, with new gyms I’ve not played in before, and just everything about it.
“I will be setting goals for myself, definitely, not just statistically on the court but also as a person in this new adventure, growing in leadership areas and gaining new experiences every day. Basketball is more than what happens on the court, so putting everything together is only going to elevate me as a person and make me a better player in the future as well.
“We just need to take things one game at a time, learn from each experience we have on the court together, and then in a few months turn our focus to winning titles. To have success in a competition this season would be a huge achievement, and like everybody else our main goal is to win it all, but we know we’ve got to work hard and grow together to make that happen.”