If Brittany Spears had her way, there would be basketball practice every day.
That`s why Colorado coaches made their star player take a full week off after the Buffaloes` season-ending loss to Southern Cal two weeks ago. They know that starting Monday Spears might not get another break for a few years.
With the WNBA draft looming, Spears` prospects for getting picked are looking good. Make it with a team, and hoops could become a year-round affair if Spears were to then go to Europe to play in between WNBA seasons as many professional players do.
“It feels weird not to go to practice and stuff,” Spears said of life since her CU career ended in an interview with the Camera this week.
The 6-foot-1 small forward got back into working out on the court this week to start preparing for WNBA tryouts, which begin May 15.
The three-round draft begins at 1 p.m. Monday. There are 12 teams in the league, meaning only 36 players get selected.
Both Spears and Linda Lappe have heard enough from league insiders that they are confident Spears will hear her name called.
Draftsite.com`s mock draft currently has the San Antonio Silver Stars taking Spears in the third round with the 30th overall pick, one spot ahead of former Legacy High and Baylor standout guard Melissa Jones. But Lappe said she`s gotten indications that Spears could even go as early as the late first round.
“I think it`s fairly certain that she`ll get drafted at least by the second round,” Lappe said. “Everybody knows about her. Everybody`s seen her numerous times. I know there are teams out there right now that think she has a realistic shot to make the team.”
While Spears might not have gotten much national notoriety the past four years because CU struggled for much of her time on campus, the Buffs` all-time leading scorer`s ability to put the ball in the hoop didn`t get past WNBA scouts.
Playing in the Big 12 Conference, arguably the nation`s toughest, meantSpears was playing in front of those important eyes for most of her career.
Spears finished with 2,185 career points, and was at her best down the stretch this season as she led the Buffs to the WNIT quarterfinals.
“I really wasn`t paying attention,” Spears said of her draft prospects. “I was just trying to focus on the season.”
Spears` quick release and ability to shoot from the outside, Lappe said, could be her most valuable asset to a pro squad. Spears knows, though, that she`ll need to continue to work on things like her ball handling, footwork and defense.
If Spears is drafted, she`ll have just enough time to finish the spring semester before heading to tryouts. She`ll have a few credit hours left to finish for her degree, something she and Lappe have made a priority to work in around her future endeavors on the court.
Spears said she plans to hire an agent right after the draft next week, something that will come into play right now mostly as it relates to landing with a team in Europe. WNBA players are slated to make between $36,000 and $104,000 in the upcoming season, with rookies slotted in at the lower end of that range depending upon their draft position.
Three previous Buffs have been drafted by the WNBA. Isabelle Fijalkowski was taken in the 1997 elite draft in the league`s first season, while Raegan Scott was selected in the league`s amateur draft that same season. Mandy Nightingale was selected in 2002 but did not play in the league.
No Buff has played in the WNBA since Tera Bjorklund signed on with the Charlotte Sting following her senior year in 2004.
Lappe said the idea of Spears getting drafted is a nice lift for everyone involved with the program, from teammates to the coaching staff.
“It`s something we can really sell in recruiting,” Lappe said. “We`re trying to recruit players … that are good enough to have a chance to play in the WNBA. And they have to know that playing in Colorado will help them get there and they can reach all of their goals and dreams by coming here. They don`t have to go to other schools to do that.”
Of course, Lappe and everyone else know that, most importantly, getting drafted would be a fitting reward for Spears, who leaves CU as one of the school`s all-time greats.
“It`s really exciting,” Spears said. “I always wanted to play in the WNBA. I always thought it was realistic in the back of my head.”
