The path from college standout to WNBA rookie no longer ends at the draft. For a growing number of players, the real education starts on a plane headed overseas, and Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride thinks that step matters more than people realize.

In an interview on the Bird's Eye View podcast with Sue Bird, Kayla McBride pointed to exactly what she believes young WNBA players are missing.

"I'm kind of glad to see Sydney Taylor going over and hooping with Gala and things like that. And being able to take that step, because there is a different pride that you have as an American player playing in Europe that is different when you're in the WNBA, and that responsibility,” McBride said.

The statement by McBride is drawn from that by Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor, who joined Turkish side Galatasaray after scoring an average of 14.7 points in each game and getting a game-winning three-point shot against the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces on July 25, 2026.

Her overseas record speaks for itself. Taylor played for MB Zagłębie Sosnowiec in Poland, recording 22.8 points per game and earning league MVP honors in the 2025-26 season.

McBride continued, "I feel like a lot of young players need that to understand what their max capacity is as a player, what their ceiling is." 

That ceiling story is not new either. Legendary WNBA player Diana Taurasi created her reputation that way by starting her career overseas in 2005 with Dynamo Moscow and later winning several EuroLeague titles with Fenerbahçe in Turkey. 

Despite that, Taurasi won three more WNBA titles with Phoenix Mercury in 2007, 2009, and 2014.

That view is not just a perspective from the outside, as McBride's own personal experience proves all her statements correct.

Kayla McBride's Own European Legacy 

McBride personally experienced the growth of the ceiling effect abroad, where she plays for the Istanbul-based club Fenerbahçe Opet, participating in the Turkish Super League and considered one of the most successful Americans in contemporary European women's basketball.

Her trophy cabinet speaks for itself. McBride has won four European Championships, one in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2026, as well as seven Turkish Super League titles and two FIBA Europe SuperCup Women trophies while playing in Turkey.

This success did not come overnight. Before joining Fenerbahçe, she established herself through playing at various teams including Yakin Dogu Universitesi in Turkey, UMMC Ekaterinburg and Nadezhda Orenburg in Russia, and Uniqa Sopron in Hungary.

She remains sharp even during the WNBA off-season. She plays in Unrivaled, the domestic 3x3 basketball league in America, whenever she is not abroad or playing for the Lynx.

Do you feel that other young stars from the WNBA should follow Sydney Taylor's footsteps overseas? Post your comments below.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta