Shay Doron wanted to prove she has what it takes to be a professional basketball player. The New York Liberty is going to give her that chance.
Doron, who just completed her four-year career at Maryland, was chosen by the Liberty Wednesday with the 16th pick overall in the second round of the WNBA draft. Doron?s selection represents a homecoming for Doron, who played at Christ the King High School in New York before going to College Park in 2003.
“Playing in the WNBA is a dream of mine and something I?ve always wanted to do,” Doron said during a pre-draft teleconference last week.
Doron participated in the two-day WNBA pre-draft camp in Cleveland last weekend. The second-leading scorer in Maryland history, Doron and 51 other potential draft picks showcased their talents and played against one another in various drills while looking to improve their draft status. She was also one of 22 players to be invited to Cleveland to be present during the actual draft.
Doron is also the first player in coach Brenda Frese?s five-year Maryland tenure to be invited to the WNBA pre-draft camp. The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 14 points, four rebounds and 3.1 assists during her career at Maryland, which included winning a national title in 2006.
Doron is the fourth Maryland player to be drafted in the WNBA, joining Sonia Chase (1995-98), Katrina Colleton (1990-93) and Jessie Hicks (1990-93). Three other former Maryland players ? Vicky Bullett (1986-89), Kelley Gibson (1995-99) and Jasmina Perazic (1980-83) ? have played in the WNBA.
The Liberty team Doron joins is currently going through a rebuilding process after completing the worst season in the franchise?s 10-year history last year. New York went just 11-23 and missed the playoffs for only the second time in its history.
Along with Doron, the Liberty drafted Texas forward Tiffany Johnson with the fifth pick overall. New York also traded guard Becky Hammon and a 2008 second-round pick to the San Antonio Silver Stars for the rights to Ohio State center Jessica Davenport and a 2008 No. 1 pick.
WNBA first round
1 » Phoenix: Lindsey Harding, Duke (traded to Minnesota)
2 » San Antonio: Jessica Davenport, Ohio State (traded to New York)
3 » Chicago: Armintie Price, Mississippi
4 » Minnesota: Noelle Quinn, UCLA
5 » New York: Tiffany Jackson, Texas
6 » Washington: Bernice Mosby, Baylor
7 » Seattle: Katie Gearlds, Purdue
8 » Houston: Ashley Shields, Southwest Tennessee Community College
9 » Indiana: Alison Bales, Duke
10 » Chicago: Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt
11 » Detroit: Ivory Latta, North Carolina
12 » Connecticut: Kamesha Hairston, Temple
13 » Connecticut: Sandrine Guda, France
