FORT MYERS, Fla. – 75 minutes before tipoff, Yarden Garzon sits alone on the sideline. Her teammates are stretching and warming up on the court around her, chatting with each other, singing along to the music over the speakers and working with various coaches. Garzon is by herself, silent and stoic. She’s either incredibly focused or staring into space.
No one knows what’s going through her head except for her. Her facial expression is the same one she has when she’s on the court: unreadable. She could be thinking about her friends and family in Israel. She could be thinking about the homework she needs to do, what she wants the postgame meal to be, or the fact that it’s her 20th birthday.