'Something in the air in Dayton:' WNBA Draft shines light on 3 local stars

Yahoo

15-04-2025

Apr. 15—Three basketball players who honed their skills at Greater Western Ohio Conference high schools were among the 38 players selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday night.
Maddy Westbeld of Fairmont was the first to hear her name when the Chicago Sky picked her with the 16th overall pick (fourth in the second round).
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A 6-foot-3 forward, she'll join Chicago after five standout years at Notre Dame, where she ranks seventh in school history with 940 rebounds, fourth with 138 starts and scored 1,710 points.
Four picks later, the Indiana Fever drafted Wayne High School grad Bree Hall with the No. 8 pick in the second round (20th overall).
Hall, a 6-foot guard, went to four Final Fours with South Carolina, where she won two national championships and started every game the past two seasons.
Rounding out the trio, the Seattle Storm picked Springboro grad Jordan Hobbs with the No. 9 pick in the third round (34th overall).
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Hobbs, a 6-3 guard, was a two-year starter at Michigan, where she averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season.
For the Westbelds, the fun was doubled as Maddy's older sister, Kathryn, flew home from Hungary to join her celebration in Kettering, but that's not all.
The elder Westbeld, who also starred at Fairmont then scored 1,076 points at Notre Dame from 2015-18, is getting her second shot at the WNBA this spring, too, with the Phoenix Mercury.
"I'll say this forever that she's a champion in everything she does," Maddy said. "To be able to possibly do that on the biggest stage, there's no words to describe the opportunity."
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This will be the elder Westbeld's second shot at the WNBA. She went to training camp with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2018 then went to play professionally overseas after not making the team.
That started a journey that has included stops in Puerto Rico, Australia, France, Spain, Italy and Hungary — "I feel like I'm missing one," she said — and presented a unique opportunity.
"I absolutely love it," Kathryn said. "I think you really have to love the game to be successful overseas just because you're so far from home. It is a grind, but you're just trying to have to embrace the culture wherever you're at, and that's what I've done."
Her sister won't have nearly as far to go to continue her pursuit of her WNBA dreams. She will only need to make the short trip from South Bend to Chicago, where she is looking forward to getting to compete with Sky forward Angel Reese in practice.
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"The motor that she has, the activity level she brings every day, her competitiveness — I'm just excited to be able to compete with the best, to really prove who I am and the fact that I deserve to be in the league," Maddy said.
Of course, to say the night was satisfying for the Westbeld parents, Jim and Susan, would be an understatement.
"I know how hard both of them have worked over the years," Jim said. "They're relentless, and never did I ever tell them, 'Hey, you need to go get shots up,' or, 'Hey, you need to put the time in in the gym.' They just do it."
"My gosh, it feels wonderful," Susan added. "I'm just so proud of (Maddy), and I'm so proud of our family. She's worked so hard. Her dad has taught her all about basketball, and I've just kind of been the mom who helped raise her on all the other stuff."
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The family sat patiently for more than 90 minutes after the WNBA broadcast began, but the back room at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Kettering erupted in cheers when the announcement was made.
After handing out many hugs and taking a few photos, Maddy was preparing to do an interview with local television stations when news of Hall's selection flashed across the TVs in the room.
That made her pause to give another cheer and express congratulations.
"I don't think it's just Fairmont. I think it's this area in general," Maddy said, naming Centerville grad Cotie McMahon, Fairmont alum Makira Webster and Wayne grad Nyla Hampton along with Hall. "So many girls, so many women now who have really set the standard in my generation. (Kathryn) set the standard before me, but right now just seeing the impact that we created and what we've been able to do.
"I was texting Bree last night and just thanking her for the sacrifice that she's put in because it's true, like, there's something in the air in Dayton. There's something in the air in Ohio that I'm just lucky to be a part of."