Lynx's Odyssey Sims apologizes for arrest

Lynx starting guard and leading scorer Odyssey Sims apologized after practice Thursday for her June 6 arrest on suspicion of drunken driving.

Because the case has not yet been settled, Sims and general manager/coach Cheryl Reeve made only brief statements and would not speak to specifics of the case or take questions about it.

"I'd like to apologize on behalf of Glen [Taylor, the Lynx owner], Cheryl Reeve and this organization," said Sims, who is in her first season with the Lynx. "I take full responsibility for my actions. I know the consequences. And I'm going to get past it, move forward, continue to play hard every day, day-in and day-out. And get over it, eventually."

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Sims was pulled over on Interstate 394 west of downtown Minneapolis shortly after 1 a.m. after being observed driving 77 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone and making a lane violation. Three field sobriety test indicated impairment by alcohol, and a preliminary breath test showed a reading of 0.206, according to the complaint. At the Hennepin County jail, a breath test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.20 — more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 for driving in Minnesota.

"More than anything, what our team wants you all to know is that's not who we are," Reeve said. "That's not who Odyssey Sims is. We made a mistake. And the effect that it has on our fan base, our ownership group, those are things we're really mindful of. And that's something that was addressed, and now we move on."

According to court records, Sims is scheduled to appear in court July 16. Sims, 26, faces two gross misdemeanor charges of third-degree drunken driving.

Once that case is settled, the Lynx and the WNBA can decide what action to take. It is a decision that will likely be driven by the league in conjunction with the team. There is precedent that would suggest the possibility of a two-game suspension, which is what both Phoenix star Diana Taurasi (2009) and the Tulsa Shock's Alexis Hornbuckle (2010) received for similar incidents.

Sims is the Lynx's leader in scoring (15.2) and assists (4.9) and is tied for second in steals (1.4).