Kim Beck had class at 3:45 p.m. today like plenty of other GW undergraduates. But not many were having as good a day as she was.
The GW women’s basketball senior was selected by the Seattle Storm with the eighth pick in the third round of the 2008 Women’s National Basketball Association Draft Wednesday afternoon. Beck is the fourth Colonial to be drafted into the WNBA since the league’s inception in 1997.
“I didn’t really know where I was going to go or if I was going to go, but it was definitely exciting when I found out,” a smiling Beck said. “I definitely got a lot of phone calls.”
The newest feather in Beck’s cap comes three days after she earned her second All-America honorable mention nod of the season and on the same day GW was ranked at No. 14 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll.
Beck doesn’t yet have a contract with the squad and will attend Seattle’s training camp, which starts April 21. The league’s preseason begins April 27.
The Storm took DePaul University’s Allie Quigley in the second round with their only other pick. Seattle has seven guards on its 19-player roster listed on the team’s official Web site, not including Beck and Quigley. Beck knows she has work to do at training camp, but also said Seattle is a good fit for her.
“Not only are there draft picks (at camp), but there are free agents there and people they invite to camp,” Beck said. “You really don’t know the situation but I feel like it’s a good situation because (Seattle doesn’t) have a backup point guard. I’m really excited about the opportunity.”
One of Seattle’s premier players is Sue Bird, a former University of Connecticut point guard and No. 1 overall pick in 2002. GW head coach Joe McKeown has compared her to Bird in the past, and Beck was excited at the prospect of playing with top-level talent.
“It’s a great veteran squad they have there,” Beck said. “The coaches have worked very hard to get those players. I’m gonna go out there and try my best, and I’m sure they’ll help me in the transition, but it’s an honor to play on a team with those guys.”
GW senior Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who attended the pre-draft combine in Florida with Beck last weekend was not selected on Wednesday. Lawrence averaged 12.8 points per game this season and hit the game-winning shot in the Colonials’ thrilling victory over the University of California.
Even though she was not drafted, Lawrence said she still hoped to play basketball in the future.
“Basketball has always been a passion of mine and I love the game. I’d like to continue playing,” she said. “I don’t know at what point, but I have a lot of options at this point and I don’t know exactly where I’m gonna go with it. Eventually though, I’d like to play at the professional level.”
