There is nothing ordinary about Lynx center Quanitra Hollingsworth.  She started high school as an 11-year old, graduated at 15, earned a college degree at 20 and she loves math. The second of the Lynx two first round picks in April’s draft, Hollingsworth expects to do extraordinary things.The 6-5 rookie took some time out after practice last week to discuss her WNBA baptism, background and the possibility of dunking:

DZ: You’ve been the WNBA for a little over a month now, what are your impressions so far?

HOLLINGSWORTH: You are definitely going to have your ups and downs. I started to get a little better and now obviously, my playing time has been cut back. I am just focused on working hard everyday. Eventually, when I get the opportunity again, I am going to go out there and give my fans what they expect from me.

DZ: Is there anything that has really surprised you about the league or you have found more difficult than you expected?

HOLLINGSWORTH: Not necessarily more difficult. A lot of the players are the ones you watched on TV and idolized other times and once you actually get out there and have the opportunity to play against them you realize that they’re humans too. That also gives you the motivation to want to be just as good as them one day.

DZ: You mentioned your playing time before; do you know what your role is on the team right now?

HOLLINGSWORTH: Yes and no. Roles change as the season goes on, they start to expect more from certain people and getting close to playoff time; they are going to need a lot more from a lot more different people. I know my role, but I know it is changing at the same time.

DZ: I’ve noticed that (assistant coach) Jim Petersen has taken you under his wing and spent a lot of time with you.  You guys seem to have a pretty good relationship, could you talk a little about that?

HOLLINGSWORTH: As soon as I got here, he worked on my shot and I’ve seen a lot of changes in that. He definitely wants me to become a dominant post player because he knows I have the potential to do it and he wants to expand my game. I came in pretty much a back to the basket post player and at this level – obviously, there aren’t that many left – but you don’t want to limit yourself so everyday he pretty much gives me something to work on. He’s bluntly honest with me everyday, sometimes it may hurt, but I know he’s doing it for the best.

DZ: Could you just give a quick synopsis of your background?

HOLLINGSWORTH: Pretty much everything I’ve done in my life, I’ve been the young one in the bunch. I started school early – many people do – also I skipped 5th and 6th grade which allowed me to be a lot younger than my peers. When I started basketball I was much younger than the competition I was playing. Coming into college, I chose a basketball scholarship over an academic scholarship and I went in there young as well and still strived and excelled and was a leader on the court and off the court. Here it is the same thing, but I think my role has changed a little – I find the leaders are my teammates, not myself right now – I think over time that will change. That’s pretty much my synopsis (laughs).

DZ: I noticed your major was Operations Research – is that computer related?

HOLLINGSWORTH: It is – computers, mathematics – pretty much computer science, programming, a lot of mathematical sciences…I really was planning on going into computer engineering but my love for mathematics kind of caused me to change my direction a little bit.

DZ: I noticed you wore No. 00 in college; did they not let you wear that in the WNBA?

HOLLINGSWORTH: That wasn’t an option (laughs). On draft day they called me and said “Pick a number 1 through 99” and I said “Are you sure?” and they were like, “Yeah, 1 through 99.” I chose 9 being that I was the 9th pick on the 9th day of April.

DZ: One more thing, on Tuesday night you had a knifing lay-up through the lane and it almost looked like you could’ve reached up and dunked it. You were kind of in traffic, if you get a little space is there any chance we’ll see you dunk?

HOLLINGSWORTH: I think it’s something I would have to focus on. Right now, that’s not really my focus. I know a lot people say a lot of positives will come out of that…right now I am just really focused on my team doing well. So given the opportunity, I may or I may not – if we get victories I am happy.

DZ: If it were a close game and you missed one, what do you think Coach Gillom would do?

HOLLINGSWORTH: I honestly don’t know what she would do. My philosophy is that I would rather make a lay-up than miss a dunk.

See more of David Zingler’s interviews with Lynx players:

July 1: Charde Houston