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Atlanta takes USF's Inga Orekhova in WNBA draft

 
Published April 15, 2014

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — USF guard Inga Orekhova became the program's highest WNBA draft pick Monday night, going to the Atlanta Dream in the second round (18th overall).

The 6-2 guard scored 1,072 points (12.3 a game) in her USF career and was the Bulls second-leading scorer (11.6) last season. Orekhova is the Bulls' third WNBA draft selection joining Andrea Smith (35th, 2013) and Jessica Dickson (21st, 2007).

"I still can't believe I got drafted," Orekhova said. "I felt a weight came off my shoulders, because it's been in the back of my mind this season. I'm still not on the team, but this takes a lot of pressure off."

Orekhova will be the fourth USF player to join a WNBA team. Wanda Guyton, a standout with the Bulls in the 1980s, played as an undrafted free agent.

Moments after taking Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike with the top pick in the draft, the Connecticut Sun traded 2012 MVP Tina Charles to the New York Liberty. The Sun acquired the Liberty's fourth pick this year which turned out to be Alyssa Thomas as well as Kelsey Bone and New York's first-round pick next year.

The Indiana Fever selected Florida State center Natasha Howard with the fifth pick.

FIU guard Jerica Coley, a former St. Petersburg Catholic standout, was not drafted.

Ogwumike joined her sister Nneka, drafted by Los Angeles in 2012, as the only siblings to be chosen first in the WNBA. Peyton and Eli Manning are the only other siblings to be taken No. 1 in the history of the four major American pro sports according to STATS.

This was the first time fans were allowed to attend the draft since it was in Tampa in 2008.