When the WNBA finally reached an agreement a week ago to continue its season, there was one Ohio State athlete breathing a sigh of relief.
Ohio State women’s basketball senior forward Courtney Coleman was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2003 WNBA draft. Coleman was the first player chosen in the second round.
Coleman had her day in the sun when the Connecticut Sun drafted her with its first pick on April 25. The draft was held a few hours after stalled labor negotiations were finally settled between the league and the players’ union. The two sides eventually agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement.
“I was excited because I went higher than I was expected to,” Coleman said. “I didn’t really care what team I went to as long as I was drafted.”
As a Buckeye, Coleman was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten squads the past three seasons. She served as team captain in the last two years and scored over 1,000 points in her career. Coleman led the nation in field goal percentage for much of the 2002-03 season, and ended with an overall 60.3 percent career field goal percentage, ranking her first in OSU women’s basketball history.
“Courtney’s strengths are that she is good around the basket and she can run the floor well and score in transition,” OSU coach Jim Foster said.
According to Foster, teams in this year’s draft took players based on need, and new Connecticut head coach Mike Thibault is looking to play a fast-pace style of basketball.
“When I spoke with Coach Thibault on the phone, he told me he wanted to play fast in transition and be aggressive on offense and defense. He thinks I fit that profile based on my athletic ability,” Coleman said.
Coleman is headed to a team under new leadership in a new environment. The Connecticut Sun – formerly the Orlando Miracle – was moved this past year to Uncasville, Conn. because of the financial struggles of the WNBA. Connecticut was picked as the new location because of the fan-friendly atmosphere the state has toward women’s basketball and because the Sun is bringing two popular Connecticut Huskies’ players – Rebecca Lobo and Nykesha Sales – back home to play.
As the Miracle, the team went to the playoffs one time in it’s four years of existence, losing in the first round in 2000. Last season, the team was 16-16 and failed to make the playoffs by one game.
“Everything has happened so fast that it hasn’t all hit me yet,” Coleman said.
Coleman left Wednesday morning to join her new team. Preseason games start today, and the WNBA 2003 regular season will begin on May 22.
