From Russia with love: Lynx teammates Kliundikova, Olairi Kosu lean on each other

Maria “Masha” Kliundikova has a habit of nodding — even when she doesn’t quite understand.

At first, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve and her staff thought things were clicking with the Russian forward. They’d explain a concept, Kliundikova would nod, and practice would roll on.

But when the same mistake showed up again, the staff realized something else entirely: The nod or “mhm” didn’t mean “I got it.”

“So we’re learning that in Russia, ‘mhm’ does not mean ‘yes,’ ” Reeve said with a slight laugh. ”It must mean ‘I don’t understand.’ ”

Luckily for Kliundikova, when she joined the Lynx in June on a one-year contract, a familiar face was waiting for her: Anastasiia Olairi Kosu. The 20-year-old rookie known as “Ola” was drafted No. 15 overall by the Lynx in April, but before that, the two played together at Russian powerhouse club UMMC Ekaterinburg for three years. The language barrier is just one of many adjustments they’ve faced in Minnesota, but their shared background has forged a fast connection, making life in the WNBA a little easier for them both.

“I support her,” Kliundikova said of Olairi Kosu. “I want to give her my energy. I will always be with her. And she helped me a lot when I came here. … We are good friends.”

The Lynx didn’t plan it this way — Kliundikova wasn’t signed because of Olairi Kosu, Reeve said. But it hasn’t taken long to see the value of the pairing.

“It’s really great to have Masha, my teammate from Russia, here,” Kosu said. “She supports me, and I feel the love.”

At 26, Kliundikova is in her second WNBA stint.

Drafted No. 11 overall by the Sparks in 2018 (when she was Maria Vadeeva) she spent two seasons in L.A. before returning to Europe. There, she won two EuroLeague titles with UMMC Ekaterinburg, in 2019 and 2021.

The Sparks re-signed Kliundikova in February but waived her in May.

“I was sad, but I had one or two weeks to rest,” Kliundikova said. “After I started to practice [again], my agent asked me, ‘Do you want to go to Minnesota?’ And of course I said, ‘Yes.’ ”

Lynx associate head coach Eric Thibault called Kliundikova “an easy fit.”

“That’s somebody who’s been playing pro basketball for a long time,” Thibault said. “I think she has impressed teammates. The first day she was here, she was on the floor diving for loose balls.”

Her hustle has been rewarded. When Napheesa Collier missed two games last month because of a back injury, Kliundikova started against her former team June 21 — a decision Reeve said was backed by locker room input.

Kliundikova delivered with 12 points (a season high), eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks (all career highs) in an 82-66 victory over the Sparks.

After the game, Reeve praised Kliundikova’s ability to quickly step in, noting she was still learning plays in that morning’s shootaround.

“We were still, on the fly, trying to teach her stuff,” Reeve said, “and so that’s even more impressive.”

For Lynx shooting guard Kayla McBride, a former teammate in Ekaterinburg, Kliundikova’s ability to adjust has come as no surprise.

Overseas, McBride had seen Kliundikova routinely hold her own — “competing her behind off” — against such stars as Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and Brittney Griner.

“I already know what Masha is about,” McBride said. “I think once she got comfortable … she’s just really able to do so many different things for us on the court. And the hustle? That’s just who she is.”

Olairi Kosu’s journey has been quieter, more gradual. The 6-1 forward has played only 21 minutes this season, but her development is underway behind the scenes.

She arrived late to training camp and was asked to adapt quickly, Thibault said. New country. New language. A new position, the three. New system. All while competing for minutes on a veteran-heavy team.

“We kind of threw her in the deep end,” Thibault said.

At 20, Olairi Kosu is younger than much of her draft class and many current college players. The Lynx staff views her as a long-term investment with high upside — more project than finished product.

“We’re giving her some grace to work through some things in a new environment,” Thibault said. “But I think she’s getting comfortable now and we’re seeing her be assertive — within our offense, defensively [and] using her athleticism.“

That promise finally showed June 14 against the Sparks, when Kosu scored her first WNBA points.

“I was so happy,” she said. “I had a lot of emotions in that moment. … I said a few words in Russian.”

What words, exactly?

Kosu raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across her face.

“I can’t really translate it,” she said. “Just … ‘And one.’ ”

At Thursday morning’s shootaround, Kliundikova and Olairi Kosu were paired up for a post-entry sequence with assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson. Olairi Kosu posted up as Brunson demonstrated how to lob a pass over a defender’s outstretched arm.

Both of the Russians are still adjusting to terminology and play calls, and they lean on each other for translation help.

The mentorship flows both ways.

“Only English — we tell them that,“ Brunson said, ”because we want them to be able to continue to build. … But Masha has definitely helped Ola in her comprehension of what we want from her and, I’m assuming, vice versa.”

When the drill ended, Brunson wrapped Kliundikova in a big bear hug. Nearby, Olairi Kosu worked with Lynx director of player development Sefu Bernard on shot mechanics: catch, rise, follow through.

The two were among the last players on the floor that morning. Whether during extra reps, chatting or sharing the bench, they’ve become a constant pair.

“You can tell the first day Masha got here, they throwing dimes to each other,” Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman said. “I’m like, ‘Oh, y’all got a little Ekat connection, fo sho.’ ”

That connection extends off the court. Olairi Kosu just got her driver’s license, and Kliundikova has offered a few pointers.

“I was teaching her to turn right on red,” Kliundikova said with a smile, “and thinking about who is there.”

Kliundikova’s guidance has eased Olairi Kosu’s transition. Hiedeman said she’s watched the rookie grow over the past few months — showing flashes of athleticism, improved English and a shining personality.

The coaching staff sees it, too, even if the on-court results haven’t been immediate.

“We want to be sitting here in a year or two going, ‘Look at the progress she’s made,’ ” Thibault said. “There’s no time to wait for that, so we’re just going to dive right in.”

In the meantime, when a concept is new or the words come too quickly, Kliundikova does what she always does. She nods — sometimes unsure, always listening and always learning.

She knows she’ll catch up. She and Olairi Kosu both will, together.