Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Amy Atwell had already checked most of the boxes on her goal chart for her final season of college basketball.
The University of Hawaii forward can write in another line to the list.
WNBA draft pick. Check.
After helping the Rainbow Wahine claim the Big West regular season and tournament titles, earning the conference Player of the Year award and closing a record-setting six-year career with a statement performance in the NCAA Tournament, Atwell was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in the third round of Monday’s WNBA Draft.
“It was an unreal feeling, just a wave of emotions,” Atwell said of watching her name appear on the screen during the draft telecast. “It was awesome to have my teammates and some of my closest friends there by my side. But it was just surreal to watch my name pop up on the screen and soak in what that means. I still can’t put it into words, but it was an amazing feeling.”
Atwell’s selection with the 27th overall pick meant she’d become the second UH player taken in the draft and the first since Judy Mosley was picked by the Sacramento Monarchs in the first round of the inaugural WNBA Draft in 1997.
“It was never really on my cards,” Atwell said. “Obviously it’s something all little girls dream of when you start playing basketball. It’s the ultimate goal, it’s the pinnacle of women’s basketball. Coming back this year was all about a conference championship, and this has been an added bonus and icing on the cake.”
The graduate student from South Perth, Australia, closed her UH career as the most prolific 3-point shooter in program history and will now take a shot at earning one of the 12 roster spots with the Sparks.
“With Amy’s ability to shoot the ball, you don’t find that very often with how quick her release is,” Sparks head coach and general manager Derek Fisher said in a Zoom session with media.
“She’s earned the opportunity to have a chance to come in and prove that she’s capable. … We’re excited for Amy and all of our players because it’s just a really, really hard position just to get into and we’re thankful to play our part in trying to create these opportunities.”
Atwell decided during the abbreviated 2020-21 season to return to UH for a sixth year with designs on helping the Wahine celebrate a title.
She led the Big West with 17.8 points per game, going for at least 20 points 13 times and reaching 30 twice.
Along the way, she broke the UH record for 3-pointers in a season (76) and career (205) and ascended to seventh on the Wahine scoring list with 1,270 points.
“You always want to see kids get rewarded for good, honest hard work and that’s what she’s done,” said UH coach Laura Beeman, who served as an assistant coach with the Sparks in 2008 and ’09.
“I also think it allows a lot of the younger kids the opportunity to say, ‘Wow, if I put the work in and do the things Amy did, I too can have this opportunity.’ That’s what you want as a coach, to provide your kids with opportunities and they do something with it.”
Atwell capped her UH career by hitting six 3-pointers in a 29-point, 13-rebound performance against Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 18 in Waco, Texas.
Three Baylor players were selected on Monday — forward NaLyssa Smith (Indiana Fever, No. 2 overall), center Queen Egbo (Indiana, 10) and guard Jordan Lewis (Connecticut Sun, 24).
“She was playing against bigger, faster, stronger (opponents) and she was still able to get her shot off and be incredibly consistent. I think that put her on a national stage,” Beeman said. “I think the body of work speaks for itself. But definitely going to the NCAA Tournament and having the opportunity to be seen on a completely different level, obviously that doesn’t hurt either.”
Atwell said playing professionally in Australia appeared to be her most likely route after college. But after the nationally televised game at Baylor, “I started getting some interest from WNBA clubs and I was, ‘Oh wait, this could actually happen,’” she said.
After putting in the work to earn a place among Monday’s 36 draftees, Atwell will take aim at a new target.
“I’ve been drafted, that’s the beginning, and now it’s making the final roster,” Atwell said.
“It’s just that added motivation, but also all my work that I’ve already put in is what’s really going to matter. It’s going to be a pretty quick turnaround. … I’ve kind of been preparing for this without knowing for the last six years at least and hopefully all the work pays off.”
72