SPOKANE, Wash. — It is not often you get to spend time with the best three point shooter in the entire nation, unless you are a member of the twentieth ranked Gonzaga women's basketball team.
This season's newest Zag leads all of division one in three point shooting percentage through 17 games.
Brynna Maxwell grew up just under five hours away from Spokane in Gig Harbor, Washington. Both of her parents played basketball at Pacific Lutheran University, so the game has always been in her blood.
Her first coach just happens to be the best three point shooter in PLU history.
"I think I started playing (basketball) when I was two years old. My dad is just my number one fan and biggest supporter. He has coached me and taught me as much as he can, he says he has told me everything he can. He has brought me a long way and my best memories are of shooting with him in the backyard or the garage," Maxwell said.
Maxwell was named the 3A Washington state player of the year in 2019 after leading Gig Harbor High School to the school's first ever state title in girls basketball.
"High school was great, I had great teammates. In the summer of my sophomore year of high school, I started getting some letters and got my first offer, which was a surreal experience because my dreams were coming true," Maxwell said.
A four star recruit, she chose to attend the University of Utah where she became a two time All Pac-12 honorable mention. After graduating in just three years, Maxwell decided to enter the transfer portal. The first school that came calling was the school that finished second to Utah in her first college decision.
"What I wanted out of the next couple of years and what Coach Lisa (Fortier) and the staff wanted for me for the next couple of years matched up. I prayed a ton about it and here I am. I don't regret it and I am having the time of my life (at Gonzaga)," Maxwell said.
This season, Maxwell has become the best three point shooter in the nation shooting a staggering 53.33 percent from beyond the arc.
"Over the offseason, Coach Jordan, one of our guards coaches, he helped me a lot with some little tweaks to my shot that have helped a lot," Maxwell said.
One aspect of her shot that helps greatly is her lightning quick release. Maxwell gets the ball up in just six tenths of a second, which allows her to evade close out defenders.
"My dad has always taught, once you have the ball, have no wasted movements. When you get it, have your feet set, so you can catch it and go up. We have worked a ton of hours on that in the gym, it does not come natural," Maxwell said.
On top of her great shooting, Coach Fortier also notes Maxwell's fierce competitiveness and her will to do whatever it takes to win.
"The competitive nature she has is not something we knew as an opponent or as coaches recruiting her before she came to play for us. She is trying to complete in every drill to win it," Fortier said.
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