This time, there’s a different feel at the start for Waubonsie Valley’s Danyella Mporokoso.
Last season, Mporokoso made varsity for the Warriors as a freshman and then made an immediate difference, even though there were still many lessons for her to learn.
The experience of a full varsity season and an offseason of playing high-level AAU basketball with Midwest Elite, however, have changed Mporokoso’s growing perspective.
“I’m definitely a lot less nervous, more vocal and know more of what’s going on and what the expectations are at practice,” Mporokoso said. “I’m able to talk more and be more comfortable in that role.
“That’s really important for me because I have some skills, but being able to take instruction and see things on the court is the next step.”
Waubonsie coach Brett Love has worked with Mporokoso since she was young, so he has seen her development arc.
As a rookie, Mporokoso fit in with the varsity right away. She averaged 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals to earn all-conference honors for the Warriors (24-8).
That’s just the beginning of her ceiling, though.
“She put in a lot of work in the spring and summer, really specific work on things she needs to work on,” Love said. “It was not only in her skill and her strategy but how to attack and how to become the player that she wants to become.
“She got stronger and faster. She understands this level.”
Her skills were immediately evident last season, but even senior forward Hannah Laub can see the difference in her sophomore teammate during practice.
“Last year she played well, but I think this year, she is more comfortable, and that is what’s growing her game,” Laub said. “She’s not passing up shots she should be taking. She’s opening up more opportunities for everybody else to get open shots.
“It’s helping not only herself.”
Love knew that was part of Mporokoso taking the next step in her career.
“I’m always critiquing her game,” Love said. “One of the biggest things was where to be on the court, always being around the ball, 5-10 feet away, always wanting the ball.
“It’s really just being a playmaker all the time. That was one of the biggest things.”
Those improvements have not gone unnoticed at the Division I level, either. It was an eventful offseason in terms of her future in college.
Mporokoso has picked up offers from DePaul, Marquette, Northwestern, Southern Illinois Edwardsville and, most recently, Loyola.
“It was really exciting and super cool to go on those trips,” she said. “It’s nice when you put in all the work and you get recognized for it. When you go on visits and see practices, it’s really cool and helps me learn what it’s going to be like at that level.
“It all happened really fast.”
Love talks to the coaches who are hot on her trail, and he’s noticed the traits that make Mporokoso attractive to those programs.
“They like that she has a high motor,” Love said. “They like her shot — nice and smooth. They like her ball-handling. A lot of the things we continue to focus on in practice.
“A lot of coaches are looking for her to show leadership skills as well.”
Mporokoso realizes that’s the next step in her development. The fact she’s more comfortable at the varsity level after a season of success is contributing to her confidence.
It’s a season of big expectations for both her and the Warriors.
“I think this season with our schedule, we’re not going to be able to get comfortable,” Mporokoso said. “We’ll be playing good competition all season. We can’t wait.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.