Anastasiia Olairi

Kosu

A few days after waiving Marième Badiane, the Lynx have filled the roster spot. The 6-foot-4 Kliundikova, who was in training camp with the Sparks before being waived on May 15, gives Minnesota another option to call upon in the frontcourt. And her arrival may also benefit rookie Anastasiia Oliari Kosu, as the two have been teammates with Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg since the 2022-23 season.

Signed by the Lynx in February, the 30-year-old Badiane made her unofficial debut on Tuesday. She was the second frontcourt sub off the bench, following second-year forward Alissa Pili. While Badiane provided some scoring, the two blocked shots stand out. Last season, the Lynx ranked first in the WNBA in two-point percentage defense and sixth in blocked shots. Badiane’s defense will likely need to stand out to lock down a roster spot, especially with rookie Anastasiia Kosu known for her defensive versatility.

The 6-foot-1 Kosu, who has been playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, may be the “mystery player” of this draft class. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompting the nation’s exclusion from European competition, she hasn’t had the same opportunities to compete against the continent’s best at the club or national team levels. However, the combination of athleticism and instincts stands out, which is critical because Kosu is a bit undersized for a power forward. She does most of her work offensively in the paint, and the defensive versatility cannot be overlooked. She heads to Minnesota with a chance to compete for minutes on a Lynx team that finished one win short of a WNBA championship last season.