Brittany Spears, Colorado’s all-time leading scorer, had her basketball career extended Monday when the Phoenix Mercury picked her in the WNBA draft.
Phoenix drafted Spears in the second round as the 19th overall selection.
“I’m really excited, looking forward to the opportunity,” Spears said. “I just know they’re up-tempo and they run a lot. And they have Diana Taurasi.”
Connecticut star Maya Moore was the No. 1 pick overall, going to the Minnesota Lynx.
Spears became the fourth CU player to be selected in the WNBA draft, following Isabelle Fijalkowski (1997 first round, Cleveland Rockers); Raegan Scott (1997 third round, Utah Starzz); and Mandy Nightingale (2002 third round, Portland Fire).
Spears, a 6-foot-1 guard and forward from Pasadena, Calif., set the Buffaloes’ career scoring record with 2,185 points. She was a starter in each of her 127 games at CU, also a school record.
“This is a dream come true, since the WNBA started,” Spears said. “(I hoped) if I worked hard enough, I would get there. I still have a lot of work to do. I still have to go in there and perform.”
Phoenix, coached by former Nuggets guard Corey Gaines, was only 15-19 in the WNBA last season but advanced to the Western Conference finals in the playoffs.
“She’s going to continue to work,” CU coach Linda Lappe said of Spears. “If she shows what she can do, and what we know she can do, she’ll have a great shot.”
Australian star Elizabeth Cambage was drafted second overall Monday by the Tulsa Shock. Gonzaga’s Courtney Vandersloot, the only player in women’s college history with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 assists in a career, was drafted third by the Chicago Sky.
Xavier’s Amber Harris (Minnesota) was the fourth pick, and Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks) went fifth.
