Former Gophers All-American guard Rachel Banham wasn't ready to give up her playing career to coach, but the chance to do both was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.
While Banham played this summer with the Lynx, Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen reached out to gauge her interest in possibly joining her basketball staff.
With the WNBA season over, Banham could start working on a college staff while still continuing her playing career — her ideal situation to start coaching.
"I think she always knew because we had conversations about what I wanted to do in the future," Banham said of Whalen. "After the season, when she had a role and offered me, I was like 'absolutely.' "
Banham, 29, who replaced Whalen as the program's all-time leading scorer in 2016, is coming off her seventh WNBA season and third with the Lynx. Her coaching experience so far was as a high school assistant at Roseville for two years.
As the U's quality control director, Banham will have responsibilities with the day-to-day operations of the team from practices to scouting and game analysis.
"I've kind of dabbled in a lot of stuff when it comes to coaching, especially with the younger players," Banham said. "I can't wait to be on the sideline and learn from the staff and Lindsay."
Whalen was announced as Gophers coach in 2018, but she didn't take the sidelines until after she retired from the Lynx. Banham looks forward to using what she learns from coaching to help her become a better player.
