Former Konawaena standout Chanelle Molina gets a shot in the WNBA with Indiana Fever

ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2020
Chanelle Molina, a former All-State player of the year at Konawaena, averaged 14.6 points for Washington State in the 2019-20 season and led the Cougars with 4.2 assists per game.

1/1

Swipe or click to see more

ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2020

Chanelle Molina, a former All-State player of the year at Konawaena, averaged 14.6 points for Washington State in the 2019-20 season and led the Cougars with 4.2 assists per game.

Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.

Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.

Get unlimited access

From as low as $12.95 /mo.

Subscribe Now

Chanelle Molina is getting her shot at the dream: the WNBA.

The former Konawaena and Washington State basketball standout announced on Monday that she has signed a training camp contract with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. In 15 games with the Norrköping Dolphins of the Swedish Basketball League, the 5-foot-9 guard is averaging 18 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and two steals per game. She is shooting 43% from 3-point range and 52% overall from the field with just 1.8 turnovers per game.

“I’m super excited,” Molina said late Monday night, European time.

On the Fever’s site, Coach Marianne Stanley expressed her insights about Molina.

“Chanelle recorded an excellent career at Washington State in the very challenging Pac-12 Conference. She is a skilled and versatile guard who will bring high energy and competitiveness to our training camp,” Stanley said. “She is having a great year overseas in Sweden this season because of how she has continued to improve.”

Indiana last won the WNBA championship in 2012.

Earlier in the season, Molina downplayed the possibility of playing in the WNBA this year, but her numbers were too strong to ignore. Going into the 2020 WNBA draft, speculation was that the Connecticut Sun would be a good landing spot. Instead, the Sun drafted a 3-point specialist.

Molina had been coming off a minor knee injury suffered during the Pac-12 season. She rehabbed quickly, and the opportunity in Sweden opened up.

Molina, a three-time Star-Advertiser All-State player of the year, will have to earn a spot on the Fever’s 12-player roster.

She expects to stay with Norrköping, which is 9-6 and in position to make the playoffs, until the end of the season in the spring.

The plans could change.

“(WNBA) training camp starts April 25, I believe. Our playoffs will end around there, so after that, I’ll be going straight (to Indiana),” she said.

The dream is so alive. Molina has a message for her family, friends and longtime fans.

“I just want to thank everyone for all the love and support throughout the years,” she said. “You guys are the fuel that keeps me going!”