Fowles, Chaney drafted by Chicago; White to Houston

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Three Lady Tigers selected in WNBA draft.

by Tigerrag.com

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Sylvia Fowles, one of the most decorated players in LSU women’s basketball history, was selected by the Chicago Sky with the second pick of the 2008 WNBA Draft on Wednesday afternoon at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.

“This is a great thrill for me,” Fowles said. “I think I can fit right in with Chicago’s style and I have some friends on the team that can help me make the transition to this next level.”

Fowles, the 2008 WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year, Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American, will play for Sky Head Coach and GM Steven Key.

“It’s exciting to have a player like Sylvia on our team, whose extraordinary skills have the potential to change the game and expand the appeal of the WNBA,” said Key. “But what’s even more exciting is that Sylvia is exactly the building block the Sky needs in our third season. I can’t wait to see her on the floor with two-time All-Star Candice Dupree at the forward and Rookie of the Year Armintie Price at guard. Wow.”

Chicago posted a 14-20 record last season to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Fowles is the sixth LSU player to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft. The 6-6 center is the second highest draft pick from LSU with former teammate Seimone Augustus getting taken No. 1 overall by Minnesota in 2006.

The WNBA training camps begin on April 20 with the exhibition season opening on April 27 and the regular season begins in mid-May.

The Sky’s first exhibition game takes place on April 30 at home against Seattle. Chicago’s regular season opener is May 17 at Seattle.

Fowles will reunite with Augustus and the Minnesota Lynx on May 29 in Chicago and are scheduled to face former Tennessee star Candice Parker, the top pick of the 2008 draft, and former LSU teammate Temeka Johnson with Los Angeles at home on June 3.

In addition to Fowles becoming LSU’s sixth first-round pick in the draft, she is also the third first-round pick of the Lady Tigers from Miami’s Edison High School. Marie Ferdinand-Harris, the 8th overall pick in 2001 and Scholanda (Hosten) Robinson, the 14th overall pick in 2006, also attended Edison and played at LSU.

Aiysha Smith, the seventh overall pick in 2003 and Johnson, the sixth overall pick in 2005, are LSU’s other first-round selections.

Erica White and Quianna Chaney, two more members of the most successful class in LSU women’s basketball history, were selected early in the second round of the 2008 WNBA draft on Wednesday afternoon at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.

White, a 5-3 point guard from Jacksonville, Fla., was taken by the Houston Comets with the third pick of the second round and the 17th overall pick, while Chaney, a 5-11 guard from Baton Rouge, went to the Chicago Sky with the fifth pick of the round and the 19th pick overall.

White averaged 7.7 points and 4.3 assists per game this past season and finished eighth in the nation and first in the Southeastern Conference in assist-turnover ratio.

“I am extremely happy,” White said. “I spent the day with my family not knowing when I was going to get picked so when I got the call I was overwhelmed with emotion.”

Chaney posted 14.4 points pert game this past year on her way to earning first-team All-SEC honors.

“I am thrilled have been selected by Chicago,” Chaney said. “This is an exciting moment for me and my family. I am also happy about being able to keep playing with Sylvia.”

This season marks the second time LSU has had three players taken in the WNBA draft. Aiysha Smith (seventh pick to Washington), DeTrina White (20th pick to Indiana) and Ke Ke Tardy (25th pick to San Antonio) were all selected during the 2003 draft.

White will begin camp with Houston and Chaney will join Fowles at Chicago’s camp on April 20.