A lifetime of work culminated with a single moment last week when the New York Liberty drafted Shay Doron with the 16th pick of the WNBA draft.
With her parents and grandparents with her, Doron, a former Maryland guard, realized her ultimate dream of getting the chance to play professional basketball in what she considers the top women’s league in the world.
“This means so much to me,” said Doron on getting drafted. “This league is where all of the best players in the world come to play and a place where young girls all over want to be someday.”
Doron, an Israel native, is also getting the chance at a homecoming with the Liberty as she played at Christ the King High School in Queens, N.Y. She will also have every opportunity to make the team and see immediate playing time after the Liberty traded guard Becky Hammon to the San Antonio Silver Stars in a deal that netted New York Ohio State center Jessica Davenport.
Liberty senior vice president and general manager Carol Blazejowski said the team’s belief in Doron’s ability made dealing Hammon away easier as New York is in the middle of ayouth movement that included also drafting forwards Tiffany Jackson from Texas and Martina Weber from Iona.
Blazejowski said Doron really improved her draft status following an impressive showing at the WNBA’s pre-draft camp in Cleveland. Blazejowski added that she views the 5-foot-9 Doron mainly as a shooting guard, but could also play at point guard under the right circumstances.
The draft picks come to a Liberty team in rebuilding mode 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.
“We needed to get younger and we felt we did that and got quicker with layers like Shay, Jessica Davenport and Tiffany Jackson,” Blazejowski said. “Shay is a selfless player who sacrificed her stats her last year at Maryland to do whatever the team needed from her whether it was to play defense, shoot, pass or rebound.”
Blazejowski also said that she doesn’t expect Doron to have any problems playing on such a large stage typical of New York and Madison Square Garden.
“In New York, they expect to win, but they also expect players to give a great effort and Shay does that in every game she plays,” Blazejowski said.
