Danielle McCray Selected By The Connecticut Sun With The Seventh Pick In The 2010 WNBA Draft
April 8, 2010
SECAUCUS, N.J. – Kansas guard-forward Danielle McCray became the fifth Jayhawk player to be selected in the WNBA Draft when she was taken by the Connecticut Sun with the seventh pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft Thursday afternoon.
“It feels great,” said McCray, who helped guide KU to three-straight postseason appearances. “I am so excited and blessed just to be here. Not many players can get hurt and still be in this position right now, so I am just really blessed and so excited to be a part of the Connecticut organization.”
The Sun also had the overall top pick in the draft and selected Connecticut center Tina Charles. The Sun compiled a 16-18 overall mark in 2009, finishing in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. McCray, who earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior, is expected to join the Sun following completion of rehab on her injured left knee.
Despite seeing her senior season end prematurely, the 5-foot-11 Olathe, Kan., native concluded her Kansas career as one of the all-time greats in the history of the program. McCray tallied 1,934 points in 116 career games. Her 1,934 points ranks fourth on the Kansas all-time scoring chart.
McCray’s name is all over the KU record books as she ranks in the top 10 in nine categories in addition to scoring. She ranks second in three-point field goals made (205) and three-point field goals attempted (544), third in three-point field goal percentage (37.7), fourth in field goals made (710), fourth in field goals attempted (1,654), fourth in free throw percentage (78.8), eighth in minutes played (3,446), ninth in fouls (326) and 10th in free throws made (309).
McCray was named the 2009 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year by the league coaches and earned Preseason First Team All-Big 12 honors. She was selected by ESPN.com as a Preseason Second Team All-American and picked up the same honor from Athlon Sports. ESPN.com also tabbed McCray as the one of the top five small forwards in the NCAA entering the 2009-10 season.
Additionally, McCray found her name on the preseason watch lists for the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award and the Wade Trophy.
McCray was one of 12 players selected to suit up for USA Basketball’s 2009 World University Games team and helped lead the Red, White & Blue to the gold medal in Belgrade, Serbia in July of 2009. McCray averaged 12.0 points per game, which ranked second on the team.
McCray earned All-Big 12 First Team honors and was an Honorable Mention All-America selection by both the Associated Press and State Farm following her junior season in which she helped lead the Jayhawks to a 22-14 overall mark and an appearance in the WNIT title game.
McCray was the first Jayhawk selected in the WNBA Draft since the Orlando Miracle tabbed Jaclyn Johnson with the 42nd pick in the 2001 draft. Other Jayhawk players drafted include Tamecka Dixon (Los Angeles Sparks, 14th, 1997), Lynn Pride (Portland Fire, seventh, 2000) and Charisse Sampson (Seattle Storm, 25th, 2000).
Lynette Woodard (Cleveland Rockers, Detroit Shock), Angela Aycock (Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx, Houston Comets) and Nakia Sanford (Washington Mystics) have suited up in the WNBA despite not being drafted. Sanford is currently still in the league playing for the Mystics.
