LITTLE ROCK — Few people know how former UALR forward Chastity Reed reacted to the Tulsa Shock selecting her 25th overall in the WNBA Draft.
Heck, even second-year Tulsa Coach Nolan Richardson faced the quandary of notifying the Trojans’ standout Monday afternoon.
“We didn’t have a number on Chastity,” said Richardson, who is also Tulsa’s general manager. “She doesn’t have a cell or anything.”
Richardson chose the Trojans’ all-time leading scorer with the first pick of the third round - the last of four selections by the Shock in the draft - as the team revamps its roster after a 6-28 season.
Reed, who led UALR with 19.6 points and 6.2 rebounds this past season, was in her hometown of New Orleans and unavailable for immediate comment.
But it was the athletic ability Reed showed as a 6-1 forward in Coach Joe Foley’s motion offense that appealed to Richardson, who scouted Reed at least twice at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock this past season.
Richardson saw a player that could easily adapt to the guard position, which allowed her to work off an array of screens along the baseline and around the side of the key.
Plus, Foley said Reed’s mentality should mesh with Richardson’s.
“I’ve always liked Nolan and how much he expects hard work,” Foley said. “I’ve always thought that would be a good fit for Chas. He knows how get the best out of her, and she’ll know what to expect.”
And Richardson, who coached the Arkansas men’s basketball team for 17 seasons, doesn’t envision a dramatic role change for a player he projects as a small forward.
“It’s a matter of how you’re going to us her,” Richardson said. “What’s more important is the way we play, and she can fit in as more of a swing player because she can shoot the basketball.”
Reed, who averaged 17.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in her career at UALR, led the Trojans to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances and their first Sun Belt Tournament championship.
She said in an article posted on UALR’s website Monday thather professional destination was of little concern.
“If I do get drafted, I do not care which team it is,” said Reed, who is the first Trojan to be selected in the WNBA Draft.
“I will work hard wherever I go.”
Reed will be one of at least four rookies trying to make the team.
The Shock, with the second selection in the draft, picked 6-8 forward Elizabeth Cambage, a 19-year-old Australian who averaged 22.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in leading the Bulleen Boomers to a championship in the Women’s National Basketball League.
Tulsa added 6-4 Stanford forward Kayla Pederson to its thin front-court rotation with the seventh selection of the first round. Peterson averaged 12.9 points and 8.0 rebounds.
Foley said he didn’t think Reed would have any trouble adapting to Richardson’s style, which is similar to the one he employed at Arkansas.
“He expects players to play great defense, and that’s what Chas will be able to do for him,” Foley said.
“She’s got the athleticism to run and trap if that’s what he wants.”
Richardson’s first team struggled throughout the 34-game season, losing 13 in a row at one point.
“She’s going to be something a little different than she was in college,” Richardson said of Reed. “But I think she’s good enough to meet the challenge and make the ballclub.”
Foley said Reed still has to pick an agent, who will help her land “everything she’s supposed to get” when inking a deal in the WNBA and a European league, Foley said.
As a rule, most women players head abroad to parlay their skills into lucrative contracts after the WNBA’s four-month season wraps up in September.
Former UALR guard Kim Sitzmann recently finished her first season playing for Utretch based Amazone in the Netherlands.
WNBA draft At Bristol, Conn.
Monday FIRST ROUND 1. Minnesota, Maya Moore, F, Connecticut.
2. Tulsa, Elizabeth Cambage, C, Australia.
3. Chicago, Courtney Vandersloote, G, Gonzaga.
4. Minnesota (from Connecticut), Amber Harris, F, Xavier.
5. Los Angeles, Jantel Lavender, C, Ohio State.
6. San Antonio, Danielle Robinson, G, Oklahoma. 7. Tulsa (from Phoenix), Kayla Pedersen, F, Stanford.
8. Atlanta, Ta’Shia Phillips, C, Xavier.
9. Indiana, Jeanette Pohlen, G, Stanford.
10. New York, Alex Montgomery, G-F, Georgia Tech.
11. Washington, Victoria Dunlap, F, Kentucky.
12. Seattle, Jasmine Thomas, G, Duke.
SECOND ROUND 13. x-Minnesota (from Tulsa), Jessica Breland, F, North Carolina.
14. Minnesota, Felicia Chester, F, DePaul.
15. Chicago, Carolyn Swords, C, Boston College.
16. y-Connecticut, Sydney Colson, G, Texas A&M.
17. Chicago (from Los Angeles), Angie Bjorkland, G-F, Tennessee.
18. Atlanta (from San Antonio), Rachel Jarry, F,Australia.
19. Phoenix, Brittany Spears, F, Colorado.
20. San Antonio (from Atlanta), Danielle Adams, F-C, Texas A&M.
21. Tulsa (from Indiana), Italee Lucas, G, North Carolina.
22. x-New York, Angel Robinson, G, Marquette.
23. Washington, Karima Christmas, G-F, Duke.
24. Seattle, Ify Ibekwe, F, Arizona.
THIRD ROUND 25. Tulsa, Chastity Reed, F, UALR 26. Minnesota, Kachine Alexander, G, Iowa.
27. Chicago, Amy Jaeschke, C, Northwestern.
28. Connecticut, Adrienne Johnson, F, Louisiana Tech.
29. Los Angeles, Elina Babkina, Latvia.
30. San Antonio, Porsha Phillips, F, Georgia.
31. z-Phoenix, Tahnee Robinson, G, Nevada.
32. Atlanta, Kelsey Bolte, G, Iowa State.
33. Indiana, Jori Davis, G, Indiana.
34. New York, Mekia Valentine, F-C, UC Santa Barbara.
35. Washington, Sarah Krnjic, C, Serbia.
36. Seattle, Krystal Thomas, C, Duke.
x-Traded to New York for Angel Robinson and a 2012 second-round pick.
y-Traded to New York for F Kalana Greene.
z-Traded to Connecticut for a 2012 third-round pick.
Sports, Pages 15 on 04/12/2011