UConn’s Kelis Fisher looks ahead after freshman season

STORRS — Kelis Fisher was one of the last subs off the bench for UConn women’s basketball last season. The last guard to check in during garbage time of Big East blowouts.

But the freshman point guard from Baltimore expected as such. The Huskies had backcourt depth, and as the youngest, least experienced on the roster, she knew her place.

Still, the adjustment from high school star to UConn freshman was difficult, both mentally and physically, as she was challenged every day in practice by Geno Auriemma and during games as she sought to prove herself and improve in limited minutes.

Now, with a season under her belt, Fisher is ready for more. She’s put in the work in the weight room and, most importantly, in herself, boasting newfound confidence on the court following last season’s ups and downs and through the support of her teammates.

“Everybody got to wait their turn,” said Fisher during the Huskies’ summer session. “I definitely understood that process, and my teammates just been there to help me.”

Fisher, the No. 25-ranked recruit in the Class of 2025, averaged 2.7 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.3 steals in 5.7 minutes per game last season. Her playing time was limited as the third option at point guard. Which meant her learning curve often came with steep hills – both in games and in practice.

Whether it was the final minutes of a 40-point victory or the high demands of practice, Fisher said she struggled adjusting to the Huskies’ system.

“Just like the mental part, and like the physical part of going in the weight room every day, and you know, sometimes we just have bad days at practice, and just being able to take that challenge on, and like just keep going,” she said. “The mental part, I would say that’s a big part of the game, you know, like when Coach (Auriemma) yells at you, how you gonna respond and just come back and just continue to work.”

She’d get in the final minutes of a game and be tasked with leading UConn’s reserves and keeping the opponent at bay. Sometimes it looked great, other times not so much. Against DePaul on Dec. 7, Fisher played a season-high 16 minutes in UConn’s 102-35 win, stuffing her stat line with six points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds. Yet, she also turned it over three times and finished just 2-of-8 from the floor.

Fisher played for more than 10 minutes only one other time last season: 14 minutes against Butler on Feb. 7, where she scored six points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists. Despite UConn winning its three Big East Tournament games by an average of 45.6 points, Fisher only averaged 5.6 minutes per game in her first conference postseason.

And as UConn struggled to build consistent momentum in the NCAA Tournament, Fisher’s minutes didn’t just plummet but disappeared entirely. The guard’s only March Madness minutes came in UConn’s first-round win over UTSA, when she scored two points in four minutes.

Fisher affirmed that even though she didn’t get a ton of playing time, she never doubted her place in the program nor considered transferring.

“I would never have a doubt,” she said. “I mean, I came in here with a mindset of it’s gonna be hard, nothing is gonna be easy. So, them doubts in my head, they ain’t never come, no doubts like that. Nah.”

The lack of playing time was disappointing, but Fisher remained positive through the support of her teammates. They encouraged her to keep working hard in practice, to build steady habits and, most importantly, to believe in herself. Fisher said she watched Azzi Fudd and learned from the former star how to give oneself grace.

“It’s not one person in the world that’s perfect, and everybody’s gonna make mistakes and just learn from them and keep improving,” said Fisher. “Don’t let the mistakes close me off from the team and all that.”

Senior point guard KK Arnold noticed Fisher’s confidence during the Huskies’ summer session last month. She could tell she was translating her off-court energy and confidence into intention and productivity on the court – especially on offense.

“She’s stepping out her shell a little bit in terms of attacking the basket, being that aggressive (player) she always has been when she went to the game, but I feel like she’s understanding and slowing herself down a little bit, and just kind of understanding, knowing what we want as a team, and how to be better, be the best version of herself for us,” said Arnold.”

Junior point guard Kayleigh Heckel also notices the difference.

“I love Kelis,” said Heckel. “… I think that she’s especially gotten a lot more confident. I think that offensively she’s been a lot more aggressive. I think defensively she’s stepping into that a little bit more. So, I’m just really proud of her. I think that she’s growing in a lot of ways, and it’s just really cool to see someone come in here as a freshman and already be growing the way she is.”

Fisher knows next season won’t be any easier. Sure, there’s less depth, but she remains the third option at point guard behind Arnold and Heckel as newcomer Jovana Popovic will also challenge Fisher for minutes. Yet, Fisher now has a year under her belt and the newfound confidence to prove she deserves more playing time.

“Obviously, last year, it was a hard time, but UConn is not easy, so I expected it to be hard,” said Fisher, who said she’s working on her stamina and pull-up shooting this summer. “This year it’s gonna be even harder, so you know, I just gotta keep taking the challenge on.”