Der erste WNBA Draft fand am 28. April 1997 in den NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, Vereinigte Staaten statt. Die Auswahlreihenfolge wurde bei einer Lotterie festgelegt.
Im Gegensatz zu den späteren Drafts in der Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) wurde dieser in drei Drafts unterteilt. Am 22. Jänner 1997 fand eine Initial Player Allocation statt, wo jeweils zwei Spielerinnen zu den einzelnen Teams per Zufall zugeteilt wurden. Danach fand am 27. Februar 1997 der Elite Draft statt, wo die acht Mannschaften aus einem Talent Pool in zwei Runden jeweils eine Spielerin auswählen konnten. Bei diesem Draft handelte es sich zu diesem Zeitpunkt ausschließlich um Spielerinnen, die in internationalen Profi-Ligen tätig waren. Als letztes fand schließlich am 28. April 1997 der WNBA Draft statt.
Initial Player Allocation Abkürzungen: G = Guard, F = Forward, C = Center
Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team1 Vicky Bullett (C) Charlotte Sting University of Maryland, College Park2 Andrea Stinson (G) Charlotte Sting North Carolina State University3 Janice Lawrence Braxton (C) Cleveland Rockers Louisiana Tech University4 Michelle Edwards (G) Cleveland Rockers University of Iowa5 Sheryl Swoopes (F) Houston Comets Texas Tech University6 Cynthia Cooper (G) Houston Comets University of Southern California7 Lisa Leslie (C) Los Angeles Sparks University of Southern California8 Penny Toler (G) Los Angeles Sparks California State University, Long Beach9 Rebecca Lobo (C/F) New York Liberty University of Connecticut10 Teresa Weatherspoon (G) New York Liberty Louisiana Tech University11 Michele Timms (G) Phoenix Mercury 12 Jennifer Gillom (C) Phoenix Mercury University of Mississippi13 Ruthie Bolton-Holifield (G) Sacramento Monarchs Auburn University14 Bridgette Gordon (F) Sacramento Monarchs University of Tennessee15 Elena Baranova (C/F) Utah Starzz 16 Lady Hardmon (G) Utah Starzz University of Georgia
Elite Draft Abkürzungen: G = Guard, F = Forward, C = Center
Runde 1 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team1 Dena Head (G) Utah Starzz University of Tennessee2 Isabelle Fijalkowski (C/F) Cleveland Rockers University of Colorado at Boulder3 Rhonda Mapp (C/F) Charlotte Sting North Carolina State University4 Kym Hampton (C/F) New York Liberty Arizona State University5 Wanda Guyton (F) Houston Comets University of South Florida6 Judy Mosley-McAfee (F) Sacramento Monarchs University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa7 Bridget Pettis (F) Phoenix Mercury University of Florida8 Daedra Charles (C) Los Angeles Sparks University of Tennessee
Runde 2 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team9 Wendy Palmer (F) Utah Starzz University of Virginia10 Lynette Woodard (G) Cleveland Rockers University of Kansas11 Michi Atkins (F) Charlotte Sting Texas Tech University12 Vickie Johnson (F) New York Liberty Louisiana State University13 Janeth Arcain (F) Houston Comets 14 Mikiko Hagiwara (G) Sacramento Monarchs 15 Nancy Lieberman-Cline (G) Phoenix Mercury Old Dominion University16 Zheng Haixia (C) Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Draft Abkürzungen: G = Guard, F = Forward, C = Center
Runde 1 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team1 Tina Thompson (F) Houston Comets University of Southern California2 Pamela McGee (C) Sacramento Monarchs University of Southern California3 Jamila Wideman (G) Los Angeles Sparks Stanford University4 Eva Nemcova (G) Cleveland Rockers 5 Tammi Reiss (G) Utah Starzz University of Virginia6 Sue Wicks (F) New York Liberty Rutgers University7 Tora Suber (G) Charlotte Sting University of Virginia8 Toni Foster (F/C) Phoenix Mercury University of Iowa
Runde 2 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team9 Tia Jackson (G/F) Phoenix Mercury University of Iowa10 Sharon Manning (C/F) Charlotte Sting North Carolina State University11 Sophia Witherspoon (G) New York Liberty University of Florida12 Jessie Hicks (F/C) Utah Starzz University of Maryland, College Park13 Merlakia Jones (G/F) Cleveland Rockers University of Florida14 Tamecka Dixon (G) Los Angeles Sparks University of Kansas15 Denique Graves (C) Sacramento Monarchs Howard University16 Tammy Jackson (F/C) Houston Comets University of Florida
Runde 3 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team17 Racquel Spurlock (C) Houston Comets Louisiana Tech University18 Chantel Tremitiere (G) Sacramento Monarchs Auburn University19 Katrina Colleton (G) Los Angeles Sparks University of Maryland, College Park20 Tina Nicholson (G) Cleveland Rockers Pennsylvania State University21 Raegan Scott (F/C) Utah Starzz University of Colorado at Boulder22 Trena Trice-Hill (F/C) New York Liberty North Carolina State University23 Debra Williams (G) Charlotte Sting Louisiana Tech University24 Umeki Webb (G/F) Phoenix Mercury North Carolina State University
Runde 4 Pick Spielerin Nationalität WNBA-Team College/Junior/Klub-Team25 Monique Ambers (F) Phoenix Mercury Arizona State University26 Andrea Congreaves (F/C) Charlotte Sting Mercer University27 Kisha Ford (G/F) New York Liberty Georgia Institute of Technology28 Kim Williams (G) Utah Starzz DePaul University29 Anita Maxwell (F) Cleveland Rockers New Mexico State University30 Travesa Gant (C) Los Angeles Sparks Lamar University31 Tajama Abraham (C) Sacramento Monarchs George Washington University32 Catarina Pollini (F) Houston Comets
Weblinks 1997 WNBA Draft
Kategorie:Basketball 1997 #1997 Kategorie:Sportveranstaltung in Secaucus