KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The WNBA will tip off its 22nd season on Friday, and as the 2018 campaign gets under way there will be six former Lady Vols on league rosters.
Diamond DeShields became UT’s 17th first-round pick when she was taken third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2018 WNBA Draft. The Sky is coached by Amber Stocks, who served as a graduate assistant and director of basketball operations at Tennessee from 2000-02.
Jaime Nared, a 6-2 forward, was selected 13th overall by the Las Vegas Aces, joining fellow Lady Vol alum Isabelle Harrison. Harrison remains on the roster but is taking a personal leave of absence due to medical reasons, per an April 28 report from the franchise. The Aces were previously the San Antonio Stars.
Candace Parker is Tennessee’s most seasoned WNBA veteran, as she enters her 11th season with the Los Angeles Sparks. Parker, a four-time WNBA All-Star forward and 2016 WNBA Finals MVP, will look to lead the Sparks to their third consecutive WNBA Finals appearance.
I voting by the league’s general managers, Parker was second in balloting for best forward in the WNBA. She also finished second in highest basketball IQ.
Entering her seventh season in the league, Shekinna Stricklen is UT’s second-most experienced player in the WNBA. Originally drafted second overall by the Seattle Storm, Stricklen begins her fourth year with the Connecticut Sun. She saw action in 34 games last season, averaging 20.3 mpg and 7.7 ppg.
Glory Johnson is in her sixth season with the Dallas Wings. Johnson, a two-time Western Conference All-Star, appeared in 33 games for Dallas last season, averaging 13.7 ppg and 8.5 rpg.
Johnson will be the first LVFL in action this season, as the Dallas Wings face the Phoenix Mercury on the road in the WNBA season opener on Friday, May 18, at 10 p.m. ET (NBA TV).
WNBA GMs voted Glory Johnson (in a tie with Rebekkah Brunson and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt) as the toughest player in the WNBA. She also tied for second as most athletic player in the league.
DeShields, a Lady Vol from 2014-17, will look to make her rookie debut on Saturday as Chicago plays at Indiana at 1 p.m. (NBA TV).
In games involving Tennessee graduates on Sunday, Nared and Stricklen will be in action as the Connecticut Sun hosts the Las Vegas Aces at 1 p.m. ET. Johnson and the Wings will host the Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m. ET (FSSW-Dal+), and Parker will take to the court when Los Angeles travels to Minnesota at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN 2).
The Lady Vols had a trio of players drafted in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Mercedes Russell was taken 22nd overall by the New York Liberty but did not make the team’s final cut. The 6-6 center is now eligible to be picked up off waivers by other teams. Cierra Burdick and Bashaara Graves are two other LVFLs who could wind up on league rosters this season after spending training camps with Las Vegas and Indiana, respectively. Both have professional playing experience under their belts.
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