Collier Makes History As Top Pick Dash Hit the Road Center First UT Men’S Or Women’S Player Seeking Selected No
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C6 | Friday, April 16,2021 | HoustonChronicle.com |Houston Chronicle HH PRO BASKETBALL | ETC. WNBA DRAFT WOMEN’S SOCCER Collier makes history as top pick Dash hit the road Center first UT men’s or women’s player seeking selected No. 1 overall By Nick Moyle offense STAFF WRITER By Corey Roepken AUSTIN — About 12 hours before CORRESPONDENT WNBA commissioner Cathy Engel- bert announced Charli Collier as After a preseason that lasted the top pick in the league’s 2021 vir- more than two months, the tual draft, Ponda Collier tweeted Dash are ecstatic to finally get out a vintage photo of her daughter back into a rhythm of playing nestled up against a basketball in competitive games every week. their car’s backseat, a toddler Now that they have one game adrift in starry hoops dreams. under their belts, they can con- That heavy-eyed little hoophead centrate on getting better. This Ponda posted a picture of is now week that means registering the first No. 1 overall pro draft pick their first on-target shot and, from either the Texas women’s or ideally, their first goal or two. men’s basketball programs. And On the heels of a scoreless that’s only the icing slathered atop draw in last week’s season open- asurreal Thursday night 21 years in er, Houston travels to Tacoma, the making for Collier, the 6-5 cen- Wash., for its second game of the ter and new face of the Dallas NWSL Challenge Cup and will Wings following three superb and face OL Reign FC at 9 p.m. Fri- at times awe-inspiring seasons as a day. Longhorn. The Dash (0-0-1, 1 point) will “It’s still surreal, you know, I still be boosted by a defense that can’t put into words this feeling,” Elsa /Getty Images stood up to the few challenges Collier said Thursday night. “I was Texas center Charli Collier, who starred at Barbers Hill, was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas the Chicago Red Stars created in 2years old in that picture laying on Wings. Collier helped the Longhorns make the Elite Eight for only the third time since 1990. the opener. That was significant the basketball, and I’ve loved bas- to Houston coach James Clark- ketball ever since. I feel like this appearance since 1990. She also All that production and promise 2021 selections son, but it didn’t take him long right here, it’s just a testament to all tied for second with19 double-dou- explains why the All-American, All- First round to point out the attack needs to of my hard work and all that I’ve bles and ranked sixth in made free Big 12 and Lisa Leslie Award finalist 1. Dallas (from New York), Charli Collier, F/C, Texas improve quickly. 2. Dallas, Awak Kuier, C, Virtus Eirene RG (Italy) worked for. It’s just amazing as a throws (153) among Division I play- became the WNBA’s 26th No. 1 3. Atlanta, Aari McDonald, G, Arizona Of the nine teams that played basketball player to see what ers while flashing range with 15 overall pick Thursday night. Collier 4. Indiana, Kysre Gondrezick, G, West Virginia last week, the Dash were the on- 5. Dallas (from Washington), Chelsea Dungee, G, Arkansas you’ve been working for for so long made 3-pointers. is also just the third underclassmen 6. New York (from Connecticut), Michaela Onyenwere, F, UCLA ly team not to hit any shots on 7. Los Angeles (from Dallas), Jasmine Walker, F, Alabama to come true.” “Charli is such a tremendous selected first. 8. Chicago (from Phoenix), Shyla Heal, G, Townsville Fire (Australia) target. They also were limited to Though Dallas owned the first player and a difference-maker,” “I feel like you can definitely see 9. Minnesota, Rennia Davis, G/F, Tennessee three shots overall. 10. Los Angeles, Stephanie Watts, G, Southern Cal two slots in this year’s draft, there Schaefer said last month. “She me as a stretch 5, somebody that 11. Seattle, Aaliyah Wilson, G, Texas A&M (traded to Indiana) Houston’s best opportunities, was little internal debate over commands everybody’s double; could put the ball on the floor, 12. Las Vegas, Iliana Rupert, C, Tango Bourges Basket (France) including when Veronica Latsko Second round which player merited that honor. A she gets no single looks. And that’s somebody that can shoot the mid- 13. Dallas (from New York), Dana Evans, G, Louisville had a goal negated by an offside homegrown star from Mont Bel- been my biggest complaint all year. range, be in the post,” Collier said. 14. Las Vegas (from Indiana), Destiny Slocum, G, Arkansas call, came on the counterattack. 15. Atlanta, Raquel Carrera, C, Valencia Basket Club (Spain) vieu who evolved into the nexus of That kid’s doing it with double and “You know, just a versatile basket- 16. Chicago (from Dallas), Natasha Mack, F, Oklahoma State “Our general build-up in pos- 17. New York (from Washington), Didi Richards, G, Baylor first-year Texas coach Vic Schaef- triple teams. Her numbers are bet- ball player.” 18. Seattle (from Connecticut), Kiana Williams, G, Stanford session needs to be better,” er’s attack, Collier was the clear- ter than everybody’s just about. Collier will now play her home 19. Indiana (from Chicago), Unique Thompson, F, Auburn Clarkson said. “By being a little 20. Connecticut (from Phoenix), DiJonai Carrington, G, Baylor cut choice even over the likes of 6-5 “I think she’s worked really games at College Park Center in Ar- 21. Connecticut (from Minnesota), Micaela Kelly, G, Central Michigan more controlled in possession, 22. Los Angeles, Arella Guirantes, G, Rutgers Finnish pro Awak Kuier, Arizona’s hard. I don’t think anybody can ev- lington, about 200 miles north of 23. Seattle, N’Dea Jones, F, Texas A&M that will get us higher up the diminutive assassin Aari McDonald er question how hard the kid the Erwin Center and 290 miles 24. Indiana (from Las Vegas), Trinity Baptiste, F, Arizona field and we’ll spend more time and Rutgers’ stat-stuffer Arella Gui- works. She’s done it again, night in outside of high school alma mater Third round in the attacking third. When 25. New York, Valerie Higgins, G, Pacific rantes. and night out against you really Barbers Hill. 26. Indiana, Chelsey Perry, F, UT Martin we’re in there it’s about having 27. Atlanta, Lindsey Pulliam, G, Northwestern Collier averaged a respectable good players and really good She’ll be tasked with dragging 28. Los Angeles (from Dallas), Ivana Raca, F, Wake Forest more patience and not forcing 13.1 points on 43.2 percent shoot- coaching.” Dallas out from the Western Con- 29. New York (from Washington), Marine Fauthoux, G, Lyon Asvel Fe- it, not playing too quickly. If it’s minin (France) ing,10.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as Collier’s game represents the ference cellar after two straight 30. Connecticut, Aleah Goodman, G, Oregon State not on, maintain possession and 31. Indiana (from Chicago), Florencia Chagas, G, USE Scotti Rosa Em- asophomore, teasing superstar ongoing blending of old and new last-place finishes, performances poli (Italy) shift the field, really look to cre- potential on a veteran-heavy ros- schools. that spurred the franchise to fire 32. Phoenix, Ciera Johnson, C, Texas A&M ate.” 33. Indiana (from Minnesota), Maya Caldwell, G, Georgia ter. But there was an exodus of The long-range jumper still coach Brian Agler and hire Las Ve- 34. Los Angeles, Aina Ayuso, G, Spain Friday’s game against OL 35. Seattle, Natalie Kucowski, F, Lafayette both coaches and players after the needs some fine-tuning, but Col- gas assistant Vickie Johnson. The 36. Las Vegas, Kionna Jeter, G, Towson Reign will be the last the club has 2019-20 season, ex-coach Karen lier looks comfortable around the franchise last won a playoff series to play without six regular start- Aston’s last, creating a power vacu- arc and has the tools to develop a in 2009, when it still resided in De- ers until the Olympics this sum- um the junior center yearned to devastating face-up game. She’s al- troit, and hasn’t finished above will end anytime soon. mer. Those players — Rachel Da- fill. so a paint-clearing nightmare on .500 since 2015, its last campaign “I’m confident and know my ly, Kristie Mewis, Jane Camp- Last season, Collier posted huge the glass, especially on offense (4.4 in Tulsa. work is paying off,” Collier said. “I bell, Nichelle Prince, Allysha numbers despite heavy defensive rebounds per game last season). Dallas believes Collier can help was a little girl wanting this all my Chapman and Sophie Schmidt — pressure. And trying to go one-on-one in the end that stretch of futility once she life, so this is amazing. I’m missed the opener because they Collier averaged 19.0 points on post with the sinewy center usually trades in burnt orange for lime blessed.” were on international duty. 51.1 percent shooting, 11.3 re- ends in disaster for whatever luck- green and blue. And after what she They’ll miss this week’s bounds, and 1.2 blocks to help lead less defender draws that assign- achieved last season, there’s little [email protected] game, too, though Clarkson said Texas to only its third Elite Eight ment. reason to doubt this WNBA dream twitter.com/NRMoyle some of them expressed interest in flying straight into Seattle to join the team.