Mystics' Langhorne Looks to Adjust the Way She Thinks

Crystal Langhorne wants to stop thinking. Or, perhaps more accurately, overthinking.

Her Washington Mystics coaches and teammates often tout her cerebral play -- her ability to learn from her mistakes and adjust her positioning on the fly. They regularly dub her a "smart post player." But the rookie center's biggest asset can be her greatest weakness.

"I really have a problem with thinking too much, and it's not just basketball. I think too much all the time," Langhorne said. "But lately if I miss a shot, it's been getting in my head: 'Is this going to be a good game or a bad game? Don't let me miss that next shot.' Then if I miss my next shot, it keeps going. Sometimes, even if I make my next shot, I'm still thinking about it."

Averaging 4.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, with 58.7 percent shooting in 14.2 minutes per game, Langhorne has run the gamut this season from game-leading performances to out-of-sync struggles.

But since she took over the starting role from Nakia Sanford five games ago, Langhorne has grown more confident. She'll likely start her sixth straight game when Washington (7-12) hosts the Connecticut Sun (13-7) at 3:30 p.m. today at Verizon Center.

After a rough time in her early starts on the road, when she faced premier post players such as Seattle's Lauren Jackson and Sacramento's Rebekkah Brunson, Langhorne found her stride when she returned to Washington. Against San Antonio on July 6, she scored a personal-best 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 26 minutes in an 83-75 loss.

"She's such a hard worker," guard Alana Beard said after that game. "She goes out every single night and works hard. She's very efficient. I think she's one of the best players at finishing around the goal and finding her way through those small spaces. I thought she did a heck of a job."

It didn't take long for the former Maryland Terrapins standout to earn the trust and respect of her older teammates. And they've tried to keep Langhorne from overthinking, too. Whenever Langhorne struggles, they offer their instant analysis. Against Sacramento on July 1, the Monarchs were ripping the ball away from Langhorne. Taj McWilliams-Franklin suggested she hold the ball higher and showed her young counterpart a new way to shield the ball with her body.

Ultimately, though, Langhorne knows she must rein in her tendency to over-analyze on her own. While she appreciates the support when teammates tell her to relax and trust her abilities, Langhorne said, only she can solve the problem, first by developing a strategy to quell the habit and then by actually letting it work in games.

But Langhorne is determined to make the transition sooner rather than later.

"I'm still adjusting my thought process a bit," Langhorne said. "I just try to put things behind me and try to forget about them, but it doesn't always work. I'm going to keep trying to find a better solution, though.

"I've been here more than two months now. It's time to start picking my game up. I'm not really a rookie anymore."