Anastasiia Kosu and Cheryl Reeve. Credits: Instagram (@olainca_21, @minnesotalynx)

"It will be expedited if the president calls Putin": Cheryl Reeve makes hilarious statement after Lynx draft Russian Anastasiia Kosu

Modified Apr 15, 2025 05:09 GMT

The Minnesota Lynx added Anastasiia Kosu to the roster using their No.15 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. Shortly after acquiring the Russian guard, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve passed a hilarious remark about bringing Kosu to the league soon.

“Perhaps it'll be expedited if the President calls Putin. We might have a good shot at it sooner rather than later,” Reeve jokingly told reporters in an interview.

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Although Reeve was joking, her comment described the Lynx’s urgency to bring Kosu to team camp. It also shuts down speculation about the 19-year-old Russian being a “draft-and-stash” prospect.

Later in the same interview, Reeve made it clear that Anastasiia Kosu wasn’t viewed as a “future investment”, but as a player expected to contribute right away.

“We expect her to be here. I don't know how long the immigration part of it will take. We have an idea of what these could be a little bit later in camp. I don't think we can expect by the start of camp. But the expectation is that she will be reporting,” Reeve disclosed the Lynx’s plans.

Back in February, Kosu expressed her excitement about achieving her dream of playing in the WNBA, further shutting down rumors of her skipping the 2025 season.

Anastasiia Kosu is more than capable of playing in the WNBA

Anastasiia Kosu is poised to be one of the youngest players in the WNBA, but age has never been a barrier for her. At just 15, she made history in 2020 by becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a EuroLeague game.

She has been working on her game, utilizing the opportunity to compete alongside some of the league’s top talent, including WNBA stars like Natasha Howard and Arike Ogunbowale.

“I managed to practice and play with older and more experienced players. Many of them played in the WNBA, so I tried to take in the experience and the best basketball knowledge from each of them,” Kosu revealed.

Even before her stint as a professional, Kosu was fortunate to learn via observing WNBA players such as Epiphanny Prince, Michelle Snow, Candice Dupree and Nneka Ogwumike, who played Dynamo Kursk for four years (2014-2018).

“I was always inspired by Nneka’s powerful and fast game. I wanted to play the same as she did. I also know that Nneka’s family is from Nigeria, where my father is also from,” Anastasiia Kosu spoke about her favorite player via The Next.

Kosu is coming off an impressive performance in the latest season of the Russian Premier League. Representing UMMC Ekaterinburg, the forward averaged 9.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.8 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. Her memorable outings in Russian, EuroLeague, and at the FIBA level will lead to Kosu being expected to perform at that same level in the WNBA.

About the author

Advait Jajodia is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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