1997 WNBA draft
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| 1997 WNBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| DateTemplate:Pluralize from text | April 28, 1997 |
| Overview | |
| League | WNBA |
| First selection | Tina Thompson Houston Comets |
| Template:Succession links | |
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The 1997 WNBA draft was the 1st draft held by the WNBA through which teams could select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. Unlike later drafts, this draft was unique because there were three different stages in which teams built their rosters.
First on January 22, 1997, the Initial Player Allocation draft took place in which 16 players were assigned to each team in no particular order.
The elite draft portion comprised professional women's basketball players who had competed in other leagues, usually international leagues. On February 27, 1997, an elite draft added two more players to each team. Michi Atkins (2nd Round, 11th overall pick) is the only player selected in the elite draft that never played a game in the WNBA.
On April 28, 1997, the four rounds of the regular WNBA draft took place. Racquel Spurlock (3rd Round, 17th overall pick) is the only player selected in the college draft that never played a game in the WNBA.
Draftees Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson would become the core pieces of the Houston Comets dynasty.
Initial player allocation
| ! | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-WNBA Team |
| + | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
| x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-WNBA Team |
| # | Denotes player who never played in the WNBA regular season or playoffs |
| Bold | Denotes player who won Rookie of the Year |
| Count | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + ^ | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | Maryland |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | NC State |
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Louisiana Tech |
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Iowa |
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ ! | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | Texas Tech |
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ ! | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | USC |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ ! | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | USC |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Long Beach State |
| 9 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + ^ [a] | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Connecticut |
| 10 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ ! | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Louisiana Tech |
| 11 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + ^ ! | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | WTV Wuppertal (Germany) |
| 12 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Ole Miss |
| 13 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Auburn |
| 14 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Tennessee |
| 15 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | CSKA Moscow (Russia) |
| 16 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Georgia |
Note: 16 players assigned in no particular order.
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- ^ Lobo has also been inducted to the Naismith Hall, but as a contributor instead of player.
Elite draft
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The elite draft portion was composed of professional women's basketball players who had competed in other leagues, usually international leagues. It was the first time where the teams could draft the players out of a talent pool.
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Tennessee |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Colorado |
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | NC State |
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Arizona State |
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | South Florida |
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Hawaii |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Florida |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort".^ | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Tennessee |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Virginia |
| 10 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ ! | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Kansas |
| 11 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | Texas Tech |
| 12 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Louisiana Tech |
| 13 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | Polti (Brazil) |
| 14 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Japan Energy Griffins (Japan) |
| 15 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ ! | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Old Dominion |
| 16 | Zheng Haixia | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | China |
College draft
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * ^ ! | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | USC |
| 2 | Script error: No such module "Sort". ^ | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | USC |
| 3 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Stanford |
| 4 | Script error: No such module "Sort". x | G | Template:Flagicon Czechoslovakia | Cleveland Rockers | Bourges (France) |
| 5 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Virginia |
| 6 | Script error: No such module "Sort". + ^ | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Rutgers |
| 7 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | Virginia |
| 8 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Iowa |
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Iowa |
| 10 | Sharon Manning | C/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | NC State |
| 11 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Florida |
| 12 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Maryland |
| 13 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Florida |
| 14 | Script error: No such module "Sort". * | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Kansas |
| 15 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Howard |
| 16 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | Florida |
Round 3
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Script error: No such module "Sort". # | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | Louisiana Tech |
| 18 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | Auburn |
| 19 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Maryland |
| 20 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | Penn State |
| 21 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | Colorado |
| 22 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | NC State |
| 23 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | Louisiana Tech |
| 24 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | NC State |
Round 4
| Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Phoenix Mercury | Arizona State |
| 26 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F/C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Charlotte Sting | Mercer |
| 27 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | New York Liberty | Georgia Tech |
| 28 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Utah Starzz | DePaul |
| 29 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Cleveland Rockers | New Mexico State |
| 30 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Los Angeles Sparks | Lamar |
| 31 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | C | Script error: No such module "flag". | Sacramento Monarchs | George Washington |
| 32 | Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Houston Comets | Pool Comense (Italy) |
Notable undrafted players
These players were not selected in the 1997 WNBA draft but played at least one game for the WNBA.
| Player | Position | Nationality | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Ohio State |
| Script error: No such module "Sort".[1] | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Virginia |
| Script error: No such module "Sort".[2] | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Furman |
| Script error: No such module "Sort".[3] | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Alabama |
| Script error: No such module "Sort".[4] | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | LSU |
| Script error: No such module "Sort".[5] | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | USC |
| Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Texas |
| Script error: No such module "Sort". * | G/F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Tourbillon Kinshasa (Congo) |
| Script error: No such module "Sort". | F | Script error: No such module "flag". | Ole Miss |
| Script error: No such module "Sort". | PG | Script error: No such module "flag". | Southwestern Louisiana |
| Script error: No such module "Sort". | G | Script error: No such module "flag". | Tennessee |
See also
References
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jenny Boucek Player File". wnba.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rushia Brown Player File: Rockers". wnba.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Linda Burgess Player File: Monarchs". wnba.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Comets Player File: Pietra Gay". www.wnba.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 1998. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sparks Player File: Kim Gessig". www.wnba.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."All-Time WNBA Draft List". WNBA. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WNBA Elite Draft". WNBA. Archived from the original on April 16, 1997. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
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