Triple Threat

"Imagine a franchise composed of a three-player core of scoring point guard Damian Lillard, combo guard Jerry West, and dominant power forward Draymond Green. The three seem wildly different in terms of personality and style, yet as it turns out ..."

Alexandre Bucquet (Stanford Daily) tells the stories of the Cardinal's most recent alumnae: Triple Threat

Bird begins her pro career and plans for the future

Jacob Rayburn (Stanford Sports Report) has written a nice long report about Bird (she's still "Bird" as far as I know):
Erica McCall set to start her pro career at Indiana

Good and not-so-good news of Chiney

The good news: Chiney has signed a multi-year contract extension with the Connecticut Sun.

The not-so-good: Chiney has been suspended and will not play this season.

It's all explained in the Mohegan Bulletin: Sun offer Chiney Ogwumike contract extension, suspend her for season

Karlie signs contract with LA Sparks

Karlie has signed a training camp contract with the Los Angeles Sparks, as reported by Stanford Athletics: Sparks sign Samuelson

She joins several other Stanford alumnae: Nneka Ogwumike (who is a five-year veteran with the Sparks), Mikaela Ruef (who signed with the Sparks in March), and Bobbie Kelsey (who was hired as assistant coach in April).

Karlie faces some tough competition for her position — the Swish Sisters from Oregon State. The Sparks picked Sydney Wiese in the draft, and Jamie Weisner signed with them in February (she was waived by the Washington Mystics after several games last season).

Vanessa named as USA Basketball U16 coach

USA Basketball announced today:

Carla Berube, Steve Gomez And Vanessa Nygaard Named As Coaches For 2017 USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team

The announcement includes Vanessa's impressive qualification for the position:

Having recently completed her fifth season at the helm of Windward [High School in Los Angeles], Nygaard owns a 130-25 record (.839 winning percentage) as the program’s head coach. She took the reins in 2012-13, after serving as an associate head coach there for three seasons (2008-09 to 2011-12).

Nneka's team wins FIBA EuroLeague Women championship

Dynamo Kursk made FIBA history three seasons ago — in its first-ever appearance in EuroLeague Women, it advanced to the Final Four where it won the bronze medal.

Dynamo Kursk made FIBA history again this season with a truly magnificent run to glory as it capped a perfect 18-0 season with a victory in the championship game today.

Kursk defeated Turkish team Fenerbahce 77-68 to take the gold. There were three familiar game heroes for Kursk:

• Nneka Ogwumike had the only double-double of the day (19 points and 10 rebounds) plus three assists, two steals and a block. She played the full 40 minutes, the only player on either team to do so.
• Angel McCoughtry was the top scorer of the day with 20 points and was named MVP.
• Epiphanny Prince added 18 points, seven assists and four steals.

Here is the game story from FIBA: Dynamo Kursk crowned EuroLeague Women champions for the first time and the complete game report, which includes statistics and a gallery of photos.

You can see the complete live game at livebasketball.tv. (They charge $9.99 for a month subscription. The video quality was good, and the English-speaking commentator was excellent.)

Fever are ecstatic to get Bird

So say Indiana Fever head coach Pokey Chapman and president Kelly Krauskopf in:

Fever Secure a Steal in Stanford’s Erica McCall

(Is she still "Bird"? I hope so.)

Bird drafted by the Indiana Fever

Congratulations to Bird!

She was selected by the Indiana Fever with the 17th pick of the 2017 WNBA Draft (the fifth pick of the second round). It was the Fever's first pick of the draft.

Bird will find at least two familiar faces in the Fever locker room: Jeanette Pohlen Mavunga (Stanford '11) and Candice Dupree (her sister-in-law, spouse of Bird's sister DeWanna Bonner).

Three other Pac-12 alumnae were drafted: Kelsey Plum, #1 to San Antonio Stars; Sydney Wiese #11 to Los Angeles Sparks; and Chantal Osahor #21 to Chicago Sky.

Here is more about Bird and the draft:

Ridgeview grad McCall taken in WNBA Draft, from Bakersfield.com

Cardinal Fever, from Stanford Athletics

The complete draft board

Bird's dream is about to come true

McCall ready for her big moment at WNBA Draft from Bakersfield.com

Remember to share Bird's big moment: the draft show is on ESPN2 at 4:00 this afternoon.

Bekka and Erica

Stanford Superstar and future WBNA Draft Pick, Erica McCall’s Story of Friendship, Loyalty, and Remembrance from the Kern High School District

Arizona welcomes Nicole home

After three years as an assistant to Kelly Graves, Nicole Powell ('04) is "beyond excited" to return home to the Arizona West Valley for her first head-coaching job at Grand Canyon University.

Grand Canyon University is a private Christian university in Phoenix. The 'Lopes (Antelopes) compete in the Western Athletic Conference.

Read more about Nicole's appointment in Ex-Mountain Pointe standout Nicole Powell named GCU women's basketball coach from the Arizona Rebublic and in GCU Athletics' Twitter page.

Nicole has joined a very enthusiastic basketball community. GCU's student section, the GCU Havocs, prides itself as the rowdiest in the country.

Bird is on her way to the WNBA

The WNBA has released a list of 10 prospects that will be on hand for the 2017 Draft next Thursday in New York City. Bird is one of the ten.

Attending #WDraft17 in NYC next Thursday... led @StanfordWBB to 2 nat'l semifinals & is the sister of All-Star @DEEBONNER24...@_mediumE! pic.twitter.com/edcGnQXfbK

— WNBA (@WNBA) April 6, 2017

Here is the Stanford Athletics announcement: McCall to attend WNBA draft

Nneka is player of the month again

Nneka has been named the eurobasket.com MVP of the month for the second time this season:

Nneka Ogwumike (189-F/C-90, college: Stanford) of Dynamo Kursk (Russia) was selected as the MVP of March by eurobasket.com. Ogwumike led her team to perfect 5-0 record that past month (4-0 in Euroleague and 1-0 in Russian PBL). She averaged 15.0ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.0apg. In her best game she scored 27 points in a win against Bourges.

Dynamo Kursk cruised into the EuroLeague Women Final Four with a perfect record to their name after sweeping Bourges Basket in the Quarter-Finals, thanks mainly to outstanding performances by Angel McCoughtry and Nneka. In addition to her 27 points in that game, Nneka tallied six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

Dynamo Kursk will play USK Prague in the Euroleague Women semi-finals on April 14. The championship game is on April 16.

Dynamo Kursk tops the Russian PBL League with an almost perfect record (19-1). Nneka contributed six points, twelve rebounds and three steals to their semi-final victory over Dynamo Moscow in the PBL Playoffs.

Dynamo Kursk will play UMMC (the PBL co-champion, also with a 19-1 record) in the second round of the semi-finals on April 9.

Bobbie Kelsey joins the Sparks

Bobbie Kelsey ('96) and former assistant to Tara has a great new job: Bobbie Kelsey Hired as Los Angeles Sparks Assistant Coach