Alyssa Thomas - The Hero/Warrior

BASKETBALL - POWER FORWARD

ARCHETYPE: THE HERO/WARRIOR

Day 9/135

Athletic Accomplishments

Please excuse me because my bias is about to show. I’ve loved Alyssa Thomas since she showed up and showed out at my alma mater. At the University of Maryland, Thomas was a 3x ACC Player of the Year and an All-American. She is also the all-time leader leader in points (2,356), rebounds (1,235), and double-doubles (66) for the Terps.

In her pro career, Thomas has played for the Connecticut Sun since her rookie year (2014). There, she has made a name for herself as one of the most hard-nosed defenders and one of the absolute TOUGHEST players in the WNBA. How so? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the way she looks for and absorbs contact like the ideal power forward should. Maybe it’s that she played most of the season 2020 with two partially torn labrums. Maybe it’s because she dislocated her shoulder and then—36 hours later—went on to drop 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

She has earned her nickname, The Engine. And though she’s not exactly little, Thomas has proven she’s exactly The Engine that Could.

Character Archetype: The Hero/Warrior

Okay, now my pro-Terrapin, pro-Alyssa Thomas bias is NOT showing. This is me being objective. Because of all the character archetypes, AT is most obviously the warrior. She shows up BIG in times of crisis or when her team needs her most.

And, in playing with two torn labrums and a dislocated shoulder, she’s more than happy to sacrifice her body for her team and the win. Thomas also thrives in pressure situations and does the dirty work, like playing hard in the paint and playing relentless defense.

It’s textbook hero folklore. Thomas knows there is no glory without sacrifice, and she’s willing to put it all on the line and to push herself to and beyond her limits.