The worlds’ top women’s basketball prospects will be selected in the 2010 WNBA Draft presented by adidas, which will be held on Thursday, April 8 at the NBA Entertainment studios in Secaucus, N.J. ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will provide live coverage and analysis of the first round of the draft beginning at 3 p.m. ET. ESPNU and NBA TV will broadcast the second and third rounds.
After completing a trade with the Minnesota Lynx earlier this year, the Connecticut Sun hold the top pick in the draft for the first time in franchise history. The Sun obtained the first overall pick and Renee Montgomery from the Lynx in exchange for Lindsay Whalen and the second overall pick. It marked the first time in league history that a team had swapped the No. 1 pick in advance of the WNBA Draft. Minnesota previously obtained the pick from the New York Liberty, which ultimately led to the Lynx winning the ninth annual WNBA Draft Lottery.
The Lynx now have the second and third picks in the 2010 WNBA Draft followed by the Chicago Sky and the San Antonio Silver Stars to round out the top five selections.
Among eligible prospects for this year’s draft are the following players, who have combined for five Final Four appearances and eight Associated Press All-America selections over their collegiate careers: Stanford University’s Jayne Appel, the University of Connecticut’s Tina Charles, the University of Nebraska’s Kelsey Griffin, Epiphanny Prince, who played for three years at Rutgers University and is currently playing overseas for Botas in Turkey, Oklahoma State University’s Andrea Riley and the University of Virginia’s Monica Wright.
WNBA.com, in addition to providing comprehensive draft-day coverage, will serve as the Web destination for fans who want to track top prospects from mid-March through April 8.
The WNBA will tip off its 14th season on Saturday, May 15 as the defending champion Phoenix Mercury host the Los Angeles Sparks at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
About the WNBA
The WNBA is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity. Now preparing for its 14th season, the WNBA is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world. The 2009 regular season featured increased attendance for the third consecutive year and increased viewership on ESPN2 for the second straight summer. Average viewership on ESPN2 jumped 76 percent from a year ago for the 2009 WNBA Finals presented by adidas. The five-game series also featured three sellouts plus the highest total attendance figure (82,018) in WNBA Finals history.
Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.
The Minnesota Lynx will tip off the team's 12th season of basketball in the Twin Cities with their Home Opener on Sunday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. against the Washington Mystics. Lower-level tickets are available for as little as $10 a game for the 17-game home season and can be purchased by calling 612-673-8400, e-mailing tickets@lynxbasketball.com, or visiting the Lynx website at
www.lynxbasketball.com.
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