Former HBCU star selected in WNBA Draft
Former Arkansas Pine-Bluff guard Zaay Green was selected in the third round of the WNBA Draft on Monday night by the Washington Mystics. One of the best HBCU players in the country during her time at UAPB, Green finished her college career this season at the University of Alabama.
Zaay Green made a name for herself as a dynamic and versatile guard throughout her college basketball career. A five-star recruit out of Texas, Green began her journey at the University of Tennessee, where she made an immediate impact as a freshman during the 2018–19 season. She averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, showcasing her all-around game and potential as a future star. Unfortunately, a knee injury sidelined her for the entire 2019–20 season.
After recovering, Green transferred to Texas A&M but saw limited action. Seeking a fresh start, she moved to UAPB, where she revived her career. At UAPB, Green became the centerpiece of the team's offense, consistently leading in scoring, rebounding, and playmaking. Her leadership and talent earned her All-SWAC honors and national attention for her performances.
Green transferred to Alabama last season, where she averaged 15.7 points per game, one less than her 16.7 ppg at UAPB during the 2023-24 season. She's projected to be a point guard in the WNBA.
The Washington Mystics' 2024 season was marked by challenges and transitions. They began with a 12-game losing streak but rallied to finish 14–26, narrowly missing the playoffs . Key players like Ariel Atkins and Stefanie Dolson provided leadership, while rookie Aaliyah Edwards showed promise .
Former Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson was projected to be a late-round pick in some mock drafts. The MEAC Player of the Year wasn't selected in the draft. Johnson dominated HBCU basketball for the last two seasons and stands as the only active Division I player with at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 390 assists, and 300 steals.
The post Former HBCU star selected in WNBA Draft appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Draymond Green sends Pacers stern Thunder warning before NBA Finals
The post Draymond Green sends Pacers stern Thunder warning before NBA Finals appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the Indiana Pacers looking to win the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, it will not be an easy challenge as they're facing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. While there could be some X-factors for the Pacers that can hurt the Thunder, there's one aspect that they need to be warned about coming from Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. Advertisement Speaking about the championship series on his self-titled podcast, he would answer the question of who has the best defense between the two teams. Green would say with no hesitation that it's Oklahoma City and how they have an immense amount of options to defend star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. 'The best defense in the finals, I think, is no question, the Oklahoma City Thunder,' Green said. 'They're very well coached, which makes the team defense great, but they have multiple incredible individual defenders, like, when you think about Tyrese Halliburton, he could face Lu Dort, he could face Alex Caruso, he could face Cason Wallace, he could face J-Dub, that's a lot of guys to be able to throw out one guy. They have that.' Draymond Green points out an area where Pacers can get the upper hand Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images As some may argue, they trust the Pacers guard in Haliuburton over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, there's no denying that the Thunder are the favorites to win it all. However, there is an aspect where Indiana can hurt Oklahoma City, as pointed out by Green, which is attacking their transition defense. Advertisement 'And they load up boxes and elbows, they swarm to the ball,' Green said. 'Where Indiana could cause some trouble is if the offense isn't clicking, because I don't think OKC was a super complicated offense. So if the offense isn't clicking, and Indiana's getting off to the races, I don't know that OKC's transition defense is that great, and that's where Indiana could cause them some issues. But who has the best defense? They have the best defense by a long shot in this NBA Finals.' With the Pacers being a fast-paced team, that will likely be a plan of attack going into the series, as Game 1 between the Pacers and the Thunder will take place on Thursday night. Related: Pacers' Myles Turner gives Pascal Siakam his flowers before NBA Finals Related: Why Pacers' Aaron Nesmith is ready for SGA after Jalen Brunson battle
Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Associated Press
Connecticut Sun are struggling at start of rebuild with losses in six of first seven games
Tina Charles returned to the Connecticut Sun knowing the franchise was rebuilding. The WNBA's all-time leading rebounder didn't care because it was a chance to come full circle with the team that drafted her No. 1 in 2010. So far on the court it's been a rough start to the season for the Sun, who have lost six of their first seven games, including suffering the worst defeat in franchise history in their last outing — a 48-point loss to New York. 'I thought worse off this would happen,' Charles said. 'You have whole new players, a new coach, a new system. I knew there was going to be growing pains as a team and as coaches, but I think we've been able to have good conversations in the sense of what needs to be our approach.' It's not a real surprise that the Sun are struggling. Connecticut lost all five starters from last season's team that made it to at least the playoff semifinals for the sixth consecutive season. No team in WNBA history has had as much changeover from one year to the next as the Sun have had. Charles and Marina Mabrey are two of the veteran players on the squad that's still searching for its identity. 'This is a new cycle for us and we are not a finished product so we had to understand sometimes we have some bad days,' first-year Connecticut coach Rachid Meziane said after the loss to New York. 'Try to fix and reduce our mistakes.' Connecticut has lost its six games by an average of 21.7 points — the worst in the league. Even with the struggles, Charles is hoping to be a mentor for some of the younger players such as Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aneesah Morrow. Morrow was the No. 7 pick in the draft this season. 'I get to do what I love. I get to do it back with the organization that believed in me first,' Charles said. 'Get to impact them. Just to see the growth within my players, not just as basketball players, but as a woman off the court. That's really what the goal is. I'm just more so happy that I'm able to impact these guys, especially Olivia and just what her future is going to look like.' Off the court the team's future is unclear. The Mohegan Tribe, which owns the franchise, is exploring a potential sale of the team. It hired an investment bank to explore the possibility, which may lead to a relocation of the franchise. If the Sun do end up moving, one potential destination could be Boston. The Sun played a regular-season game there last year that sold out. The team will face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in Boston in July. The group in Boston that includes former NBA player Michael Carter-Williams, which is interested in getting a franchise in Massachusetts' capital, declined to comment to The Associated Press at this time when asked if it was interested in buying the Sun. ___ AP WNBA:
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Would Jalen Green flourish in a No. 2 role for Houston? One West scout thinks he could
The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed to the 2025 NBA Finals, and they wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season with the NBA's best record. To say the least, the Western Conference champions are doing a lot of things right. And while Houston (52-30) finished at No. 2 in the West, that was a whopping 16 games back of the Thunder (68-14). Advertisement So, the Rockets still have a ways to go to reach the true top tier of NBA title contention. Yet, there are some similarities between the young roster in Houston and that of the Thunder. Via Michael Shapiro of A lackluster playoff series and inconsistent performances over four seasons have left many questioning Jalen Green's future in Houston (he's trade eligible in July after signing a three-year, $106 million contract extension last summer). Some prefer a more patient approach, hoping Ime Udoka's program can bring out the best in a talented former No. 2 pick. 'He can't guard like [Oklahoma City Thunder forward] Jalen Williams, but they're not that different as shooters and slashers. They [can play a] similar role,' a Western Conference scout told Chron. 'With [Green], he can't disappear like he did in so many playoff games. It's not really a skills thing.' The Rockets had a top-five defense all season, so they should be fine on that end of the court, regardless. The questions are on offense, where Green was the leading scorer for a Houston team that struggled in halfcourt situations for most of the year. Relative to the Oklahoma City model, the Green-Williams analogy falls apart here, as the teams are currently constructed. Williams is the clear No. 2 option for the Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA's leading scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP). That hierarchy can lead to Williams, a 2025 All-Star, being able to selectively choose his spots — and often from advantaged situations due to the attention drawn by Gilgeous-Alexander. That typically leads to greater efficiency. Advertisement In theory, it's plausible that Green could perform comparably in a similar role. But the question becomes who the top-scoring option in Houston would otherwise be. After all, there's nothing close to an 'SGA' on the current roster. Perhaps there's another leap to be had from Amen Thompson or All-Star center Alperen Sengun. Maybe second-year guard Reed Sheppard emerges onto the scene. Or maybe, as Shapiro speculates, an offseason trade for a superstar (Giannis Antetokounmpo, anyone?) pushes everyone down a peg in the hierarchy. Should any of those things happen, it's possible that Green could be viewed in a different light, if he's asked to take on a different role in the 2025-26 season. But as things stand today, that's a significant if. Advertisement More: Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to 'level up' the offense This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: West scout sees similarities in Jalen Green, Jalen Williams
