WNBA Senior Vice President of Personnel Renee Brown strode to the podium at the Bob Martinez Center in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday afternoon as several hopeful draftees awaited their fate.
With the 23rd pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, the Connecticut Sun selected Jolene Anderson from the University of Wisconsin,"" Brown said, sending the Big Ten Player of the Year and Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer to Uncasville, Conn., to begin her professional career.
ESPN analyst Nancy Lieberman said during the selection show Wednesday that after releasing the majority of its veteran players from last season, including 7'2"" center Margo Dydek and all-around leader Nykesha Sales, the Sun was looking forward to several high draft picks in 2008.
""In the WNBA you have to think of three things - best available, need and how can I get better by trade,"" Lieberman said. ""I think [Connecticut head coach] Mike Thibault took advantage of a need.""
""Anderson will help on the perimeter to shore up some of those deficiencies.""
Connecticut selected Middle Tennessee State forward Amber Holt with its first pick, the ninth-overall. The Sun also drafted UConn's Ketia Swanier with the No. 12 pick and acquired fellow Husky alums Tamika Raymond and Barbara Turner in the off-season, reuniting the trio with 2002 grad Asjha Jones.
Holt, Swanier, Anderson and the Sun's final pick at No. 37, Lauren Ervin, will complement former Minnesota Gophers star Lindsay Whalen - who Anderson passed on the all-time Big Ten scoring list this March.
Thibault knew this year's draft class was particularly talented, with all three rounds comprised of several high-quality athletes.
""It's one of the deeper drafts since I've been in the league,"" Thibault told WNBA.com. ""Somebody might have gotten as good a pick at 15 than they might have gotten at eight or nine, depending on how it falls out.""
""Honestly, this draft is so deep that players well into the second round could end up playing a big role this season,"" WNBA commissioner Donna Orender said. ""This is a class that will have a profound effect on this league for many, many years.""
Anderson became just the third Badger to be drafted by the WNBA since its debut in 1997. Forward Tamara Moore was the most recent Wisconsin grad in the WNBA, playing on three different teams from 2002 to 2006. The now defunct Charlotte Sting also selected Wisconsin forward Jessie Stomski in the fourth round in the 2002 draft.
Guard Robin Threatt played for Seattle in 1999 and 2000 and guard Keisha Anderson played for Washington and Charlotte from 1999 to 2002, but neither was part of the draft process.
Fellow Wisconsin guard Janese Banks, who also attended the WNBA draft combine in early April, was not selected in the first three rounds.
Barring a preseason trade, Anderson will begin training camp later this month. Connecticut's preseason opener is May 1 at Minnesota and its season opener is May 17 at home against the expansion Atlanta Dream.
