Former Gator Star DeLisha Milton one of 30 Nominees for WNBA All-Decade Team
Tuesday, May 2, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Former University of Florida women's basketball standout DeLisha Milton-Jones was named one of 30 nominees for the 10 coveted spots on the WNBA All-Decade Team, the league announced.
Voting for the WNBA All-Decade Team began on Friday, April 28, and will be conducted among fans, select national and WNBA-market media, and current WNBA players and coaches. Gator fans are encouraged to vote for DeLisha Milton-Jones by logging onto www.WNBA.com. The All-Decade Team will be announced in June and honored at the 2006 WNBA All-Star Game set to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 12.
The list of players – selected by a panel of national media, coaches, former players and WNBA personnel – includes seven of the league's original players and represents the very best in women's professional basketball.
After six seasons (1999-2002) with the Los Angeles Sparks during which time she averaged 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, Milton-Jones was acquired by the Mystics in March 2005 as part of one of the biggest trades in WNBA history.
Originally selected by Los Angeles in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1999 WNBA draft, Milton-Jones immediately became a key offensive and defensive force throughout the league. In her first season, she helped lead her team to the franchise's first-ever playoff berth and a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Shortly thereafter, Milton-Jones would help lead the Sparks to consecutive WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002.
While at the University of Florida, Milton-Jones participated in four NCAA tournaments. In 1997, she was named to the Associated Press and Kodak All-America Teams while also being selected as the Southeastern Conference Player or the Year and the recipient of the Wade Trophy, presented by the WBCA to the nation's top female basketball player.
The league's official Web site will feature a special section dedicated to the All-Decade Team, complete with player histories, statistics and video highlights of each nominee. The new WNBA.com History section, in which the voting will take place, may also serve as a resource for fans and media alike, providing career statistical leaders, award winners, season recaps and more. Fans will be able to vote for their All-Decade Team players once per day (daily).
“We view the celebration of our 10th anniversary as a way to mark the accomplishments of our past and embrace our vision for the future,” said WNBA President Donna Orender. “The selection of the WNBA All-Decade Team will enable our fans and the league to honor the players who have contributed so much to the growth of the WNBA and of women's basketball.”
Members of the All-Decade team will be selected on the basis of their overall contribution to the WNBA, with consideration given to on-court performance and ability, leadership, sportsmanship and community service, as well as contribution to team success and the growth of women's basketball.
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