Smith Selected 14th Overall in WNBA Draft
April 8, 2010 | Women's Basketball
April 8, 2010
Complete 2010 WNBA Draft Board
Washington Mystics
SECAUCUS, N.J. - Illinois senior center Jenna Smith (Bloomington, Minn.) was selected by the Washington Mystics with the 14th overall pick of the 2010 WNBA Draft (second pick of the second round), held Thursday afternoon in Secaucus, N.J. Smith becomes the highest draft pick in Illinois history and is the fourth Illini selected in the 14-year history of the WNBA Draft.
"I was speechless when I saw my name pop up on the screen" Smith said of finding out her fate. "It's always been a dream of mine to play in the WNBA and I just feels great to know that I'm going to get that chance. I can't wait to go to training camp to compete with other great players and represent the University of Illinois the best I can."
Smith joins Tauja Catchings, selected in the third round by Phoenix in 2000 (37th overall), Cindy Dallas, picked by San Antonio in the second round in 2004 (21st overall), and Angelina Williams, chosen by Phoenix in the second round in 2005 (18th overall) as Illinois players chosen in the WNBA draft.
Smith will go down as one of the best players in Illinois women's basketball history. She is a former All-American and is a three-time first team All-Big Ten selection. Her name is all over the UI records books as the Illini all-time leader in career scoring (2,160), rebounding (1,217), blocks (231), double-doubles (53), games started (121) and minutes played (4,561).
During her senior season, she averaged 18.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from three-point range and 88.4 percent from the free throw line. She broke the Big Ten single-season rebounding record with 387 boards in 2009-10 and ends her career as one of just two players in conference history to rank in the Big Ten top-10 in career points, rebounds and blocks, joining former Ohio State center Jessica Davenport in the exclusive club.
Smith will join fellow Mystics draft picks Jacinta Monroe, a forward from Florida State (first round, sixth overall), Shanavia Dowdell, a forward from Louisiana Tech (second round, 18th overall) and Alexis Gray-Lawson, a guard from California (third round, 30th overall) when she reports to Washington later this month. Washington opens its exhibition season on May 5 vs. New York and kicks-off the regular season on May 15 at Indiana.
Fellow UI senior Lacey Simpson (Zion, Ill.) was not selected in the draft, but is expected to receive a training camp invite within the next few days.
Illinois WNBA Draft History Year Player Team Rd./Pick Overall Pick 2000 Tauja Catchings Phoenix 3/5 37 2004 Cindy Dallas San Antonio 2/8 21 2005 Angelina Williams Phoenix 2/5 18 2010 Jenna Smith Washington 2/2 14
