Photo by Michael Starghill, Jr.

by DCist contributor Elisabeth Meinecke

Back in July, Mystics point guard Lindsey Harding was hoping she didn’t lead the WNBA in minutes played come September.

But nearly one week away, she’s topping the league with over 36 minutes per game, an immense average for a player who has battled injuries throughout her professional career.

Mystics head coach Julie Plank is well aware of Harding’s superwoman minute totals, but a complete confidence in her point guard and Harding’s drive usually win over the clock. In fact, Plank says she tries to avoid looking at Harding when she’s resting on the bench, since Harding’s already flashing an “I’m-ready-to-go-back-in” look within sixty seconds of being taken out.

Harding herself will tell you that a point guard can’t lead from the bench, and leadership is the signature of her style. Watching her on the court is like watching a general on a battlefield. Plank, who loves Harding’s up-tempo play, says she sets the tone on offense and defense for the Mystics.

“She really runs the show for us,” Plank said. “I’m afraid to take her out of the game.”

Harding’s drive to win even bleeds over into practice drills, but she’s far from a ball hog. In fact, Harding may have started off the 2009 season being too unselfish — in the Mystics’ second game, she spent 36 minutes out on the court and walked away with zero points. By July, however, she rebounded with a career high 27-point game against her former team, the Minnesota Lynx. She’s currently third in the league in assists and has climbed back into the top 20 in points per game.

Harding says longtime teammate Alana Beard, one of the league’s standouts who earned an All-Star nod this season, sometimes has to remind her to attack with the ball rather than pass it on.

“She’ll say, ‘Lindsey, hey, whenever you’re aggressive and you attack, it opens up the floor for everyone else,” said Harding.