The 2005/2006 season proved to be something of a paradox for Lotos Gdynia and Polish national team star Agnieszka Bibrzycka.

After taking a much needed break from basketball in summer 2005, a well rested Bibrzycka returned to action with a vengance at EuroBasket Women. The 184 cm guard played her best championship ever with the Polish team, averaging 19.9 points per game.

However, personal success was tinged with disappointment as Poland could only finish in 7th place, not good enough for a side that has consistently been one of the best in Europe in recent years.

Bibrzycka's club competition season with Lotos Gdynia brought more of the same.

		Bibrzycka was unstoppable at EuroBasket Women 2005

Her 16.5 ppg and 45% shooting from three-point range were all career highs, but Gdynia struggled all season, finishing in 5th place in Group B of the regular season and crashed out of the competition in the first round of the play-offs against MiZo Pecs.

We caught up with the charming 23-year old at the EuroLeague Women All-Star game for the latest edition of 24 seconds. 

Which languages do you speak?

English and I understand a little Russian.

What is your first basketball memory?

My mother was a basketball player in Poland in the national team so I grew up with the ball. I played with my mother, with my family and spent a lot of hours in the gym and also my mother was my first coach.

Is she still involved in the game?

Yes, she’s still coach of young players.

Where is your favourite place to play?

For me it’s Gdynia. I spend all my time there and moved there five years ago. I like Gdynia and also we have Gdansk and Sopot which are also very beautiful cities. Pecs has great fans so when I’ playing in Pecs I feel like everyone is watching me, and that’s for me very important that fans can watch and be happy.

What is your best basketball memory?

I think in 2003 when I selected European player of the year by the Gazzetto dello Sport.

Was that a surprise?

Yes. I was very young. I was 21 and it was my second season in the EuroLeague so I didn’t expect this. That was a great honour for me.

2005/2006 has been a good year for you personally, but a bad one for the Polish national team and Gdynia. Has this been tough for you?

Yes this year was hard. I was happy at how I played at EuroBasket Women in Turkey but we were still losing our games. It’s important for me to win and it is the same with Gdnyia. In the EuroLeague Women we won some good games but lost too many games.

How important was the absence of Margo Dydek to both Gdynia and the national team?

I think everybody expected Margo to play this year. That was her choice. She told us that she’s not sure if she’s going to play. She needed to rest after the WNBA season so I understand. Margo is great a very good player, so we have to get used to her not being here any more.

The calendar in women’s basketball is a serious issue right now, especially with the WNBA playing in the summer. Do you think it should be changed?

I had the same the year before. I was tired after the season in San Antonio and Gdynia. So I said my health is the most important for me so I had 2 months off, I didn’t play. I came back for EuroBasket Women in Turkey and played well, so I think it was a good decision. It is not only basketball. It is our private life and we need to think about that.

If you could change places with anybody for one day, who would it be?

Tough question (laughs). I don’t know, probably, I don’t know. I’m happy with who I am. I’m happy that I’m Polish and I play basketball, so I don’t have anybody else I want to be.

What do you do outside of basketball?

I study. I’m in the second year of tourism at the academy of physical education in Gdansk. It’s very hard to play basketball when I study.

And you study full time?

Yes. So I’m supposed to be finished, but I’m trying because its very important for me to be educated. The most important things in my life are my family and education. I also like to have fun with my friends, to cook, we spend a lot of time in restaurants or at home.

Do you have any superstitions?

No, I’m not superstitious. I just believe in myself, my teammates and my coach.

What do you do after a game?

Mostly we go to a restaurant, it depends who we play because if we have friends on other teams so we invite them. If I’m not tired we go to a disco or a party.

Which newspaper do you read?

I don’t really read newspapers, I like the internet more. I have my own web site for my fans (Editor's note: check out Agnieszka's web site at http://www.bibrzycka.e-nba.pl/).

Do you like to have your own web site, is it a lot of work?

I have a good friend who helps me so I just answer all the letters or chat with the fans.

What ring tone do you have on your mobile phone?

Money, money, money by Abba.