Congratulations to Natisha Hiedemann!

[brewcity77]

She was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the 17th pick in the second round of the WNBA Draft!

[Warrior1969]

Traded to Connecticut

[Marquette Fan]

Good luck to her.  She becomes the third MU player ever drafted in the WNBA.  Here's hoping she can become the first MU player to make a WNBA team.

I'm a little bummed that Allazia Blockton didn't get drafted but knew there was a chance she wouldn't get picked.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Awesome news! Congrats to Natisha

[Macallan 18]

Congrats to Natisha.

Could someone explain how the draft contracts work for the WNBA. Is it like the NBA draft with the 1st round contracts guaranteed and subsequent rounds not?

If she doesn't make the team, are there opportunities overseas for women's basketball?

[SaveOD238]

If she doesn't make the team, are there opportunities overseas for women's basketball?

Overseas opportunities might be BETTER than the WNBA for some women's hoopers.  I remember Diana Taurasi getting paid by her Russian (winter) team to skip the (summer) WNBA season a few years back.

Taurasi is the women's hoops GOAT though, so maybe her opportunities are a little different from what lower level players get.

[warriorchick]

Overseas opportunities might be BETTER than the WNBA for some women's hoopers.  I remember Diana Taurasi getting paid by her Russian (winter) team to skip the (summer) WNBA season a few years back.

Taurasi is the women's hoops GOAT though, so maybe her opportunities are a little different from what lower level players get.

Is she the one who was featured on Bryant Gumbel's HBO show a few months back?  Yep, she is making major coin over there - several multiples of her WNBA salary.

[Marquette Fan]

Congrats to Natisha.

Could someone explain how the draft contracts work for the WNBA. Is it like the NBA draft with the 1st round contracts guaranteed and subsequent rounds not?

If she doesn't make the team, are there opportunities overseas for women's basketball?

I found this article from last year that talks about salary ranges from the Collective Bargaining Agreement:
http://www.joedorishsports.com/2018/01/see-wnba-salaries-for-2018-season.html

There are lots of opportunities overseas for Women's Basketball both for players who don't make the WNBA and those who are in the WNBA who play overseas to make more money.  There's a lot more money to be made overseas.

I'm guessing Allazia Blockton will get a training camp invite from a team also despite not being drafted.  And she should be able to play overseas if she wants to pursue that.

New MU Coach Megan Duffy played 3 years in the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty and also played overseas with teams in Romania, Slovakia, Italy and Wales.  I'm guessing she was playing overseas along with the WNBA at least part of that time as she graduated in 2006 and her assistant coaching career started in 2009 at St. John's. 

[Marquette Fan]

Congrats to Allazia Blockton who signed a contract with the Chicago Sky today.

Natisha Hiedeman signed a contract with the Connecticut Sun on April 12th.

https://www.wnba.com/transactions/

[Marquette Fan]

Allazia Blockton did get released by the Chicago Sky earlier this week.

Natisha Hiedeman is still on the Connecticut Sun roster with one more cut to go by Thursday and the regular season starts this weekend.  Fan speculation has it going either way with her.  It sounds like it's between her and one other player for who the final cut will be.  I remain hopeful that Hiedeman makes the final roster.  It would be great to see her be the first Marquette player in the WNBA.

[MUHoopsFan2]

Congrats to Allazia Blockton who signed a contract with the Chicago Sky today.

Natisha Hiedeman signed a contract with the Connecticut Sun on April 12th.

https://www.wnba.com/transactions/

I wish Milwaukee still had a WNBA team like they had the Milwaukee Does....

I would sign up Blockton as my first pick overall...if I was GM or Coach.

[Marquette Fan]

Hiedeman was the last cut today by the Connecticut Sun

[Billy Hoyle]

Hiedeman was the last cut today by the Connecticut Sun

with their injuries, she could get a strong look from the Seattle Storm.

[Marquette Fan]

with their injuries, she could get a strong look from the Seattle Storm.

I saw some speculation that LA might consider her.  It would be nice to get a shot with another WNBA team.  I knew it would be tough for to make a WNBA team but it seemed like she had a good shot at making the Sun roster.  How tough for her to be the last cut right before the season starts.  She's in good company with a lot of other players who haven't been able to make a WNBA roster.  Wisconsin native Megan Gustafson who picked up quite a few national player of the year honors her senior year at Iowa just got cut yesterday by Dallas.

If nothing else, I would think both Hiedeman and Blockton would play overseas and can try making a WNBA team as a free agent another year also.

[Billy Hoyle]

I saw some speculation that LA might consider her.  It would be nice to get a shot with another WNBA team.  I knew it would be tough for to make a WNBA team but it seemed like she had a good shot at making the Sun roster.  How tough for her to be the last cut right before the season starts.  She's in good company with a lot of other players who haven't been able to make a WNBA roster.  Wisconsin native Megan Gustafson who picked up quite a few national player of the year honors her senior year at Iowa just got cut yesterday by Dallas.

If nothing else, I would think both Hiedeman and Blockton would play overseas and can try making a WNBA team as a free agent another year also.

they'll make more money playing overseas than they would in the WNBA.

[Marquette Fan]

they'll make more money playing overseas than they would in the WNBA.

Yes but it's not always about the money.  I imagine Hiedeman would have wanted the chance to play in front of family and friends.  And playing in the WNBA and overseas aren't mutually exclusive of course - many players do both. 

[Marquette Fan]

It looks like Hiedeman will be playing overseas:

https://twitter.com/LuleaBasket/status/1133996574621741061

I think that's for a team in Sweden

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Wow.  Look where it is on a map.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wow.  Look where it is on a map.

Damn, going home to Green Bay will be like a tropical vacation for her.

[Marquette Fan]

The Atlanta Dream signed Natisha Hiedeman today:

https://dream.wnba.com/news/atlanta-dream-sign-natisha-hiedeman/

The Dream are coached by former Marquette player Nicki (Taggart) Collen

Hiedeman is filling a roster spot for a player who is playing for Belarus in the FIBA Women's Eurobasket in Serbia.  So it may be temporary for us but it's nice to see her get picked up by a WNBA team.

[Marquette Fan]

Journal-Sentinel article about Hiedeman signing with the Atlanta Dream:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2019/06/19/former-marquette-star-hiedeman-gets-chance-wnba-atlanta-dream/1505384001/

[GooooMarquette]

Wow.  Look where it is on a map.

Huh. Kinda wedged between Yttrebergnaset, Ornasgriftegarten and Svortostaden. 

[We R Final Four]

AKA. the tri-cities.

[mug644]

I see she didn't get in the game on Friday, but hopefully today.

https://www.wnba.com/game/20190621/ATLCON/

[Marquette Fan]

I see she didn't get in the game on Friday, but hopefully today.

https://www.wnba.com/game/20190621/ATLCON/

She didn't play today either.  I'm not sure she'll get a shot to play at all but it would be cool if she got in a game.  She was signed to replace a player going overseas for a tournament so I'm guessing she'll be released when that player is able to play again.  I did notice her on the bench at the start of Friday's game...