How do you say 'good pickup' in Chinese? Chen should help Sky
Ordering pizza requires a translator.
Hitting the mall for a new pair of shoes requires a translator.
Understanding instructions on the basketball court requires a translator.
Chicago Sky rookie Chen Nan, a 6-foot-6 center from China who speaks limited English, has a translator at her side nearly round the clock.
But when Chen wants to razz a teammate, well, a translator isn't really necessary.
Good-natured fun seems to have its own universal language.
"I have a story about Chen Nan," Sky center Sylvia Fowles said in mid-chuckle. "She's somewhat quiet, and I'm sure part of that is the language barrier. But she also has a really, really goofy side.
"Before the Atlanta game (the Sky's home opener last week), we were sitting around in the locker room and (Sky forward) Candice (Dupree) had to sign a bunch of her bobbleheads.
"Chen was putting on her shoes, looked up and saw a bobblehead, grabbed it and started punching it so that the head was going back and forth, back and forth.
"She did that because Candice is always giving her a hard time in practice. It was funny. It was like that was her way of getting back at Candice."
It was all in fun, of course. Teammates say that Chen Nan is as nice and laid-back as they come.
But make no mistake, Chen has an assertive, aggressive side, too, which is why the Sky hustled to acquire her as a free agent in the first place.
The 26-year-old Chen is a 10-year veteran of the Chinese national team, and she averaged 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the Olympics last summer in Beijing.
Several months ago, she also was named the most valuable player of the Chinese professional league (WCBA) she has played in for many years. She averaged 23.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals for a team that won four championships.
"(Chen) takes her job very seriously," said translator Margaret Wardrop, a 20-year-old Chicago Latin graduate who is a junior at Kenyon College, where she is minoring in Chinese.
"She really wanted to come here because the best players in the world are in the WNBA and she wants to improve her game. She says that all the players on her team have the desire to come here to play in the WNBA."
Chen signed with the Sky at the end of April and has a contract that runs through 2010. Her presence gives the Sky much-needed depth, size and experience at the center position.
"I give her a hard time sometimes just to mess with her a little bit, but she's really been a huge addition to our team," Dupree said. "She can shoot from outside, and she has some very good post moves down low. She's long, she's big. We can get (Fowles) a breather and not have any drop-offs."
Chen is averaging about 2 points and 2 rebounds in about 12 minutes of action per game. But once she finds her comfort level in a new system, on a new team, in a new country, the coaches expect her to blossom.
She expects the same.
"The basketball here is more aggressive," Chen said. "I will improve, and I'm hoping I can help us win a championship. I want to make sure my teammates are satisfied with me."
In the meantime, Chen is more than satisfied with her decision to come to Chicago, even though it meant leaving her husband and a legion of loyal fans behind in China for the summer.
She loves her new find (deep-dish pizza), as well as all the shopping she can do along Michigan Avenue. She's into buying shoes and would love to stock up on clothes. But that's not always easy.
"I can't find pants," Chen said with a laugh. "It's so hard to find pants.
"But I love to just look around Chicago and get to know the city. I love Millennium Park and 'The Bean.' I really like Chicago. It's a pretty city."
pbabcock@dailyherald.com