|
|
Cooper to join Figgs in
L.A.
By Anne McLaren
Assistant
Sports Editor
Camille Cooper got her wish.
Before the draft, the center said she hoped to
end up on the West Coast. And by being a first-round selection (No.
16 overall) of the Los Angeles Sparks, Cooper will be reunited with
former high school and college teammate Ukari Figgs.
"I'm very excited to be playing with her," said
Cooper in a post-game interview. "She's one of my closest friends off
the court. We're from the same hometown (Georgetown, Ky.). She's a tremendous
athlete with the style she plays."
Figgs, a 5-foot-8 point guard, started every game
for Los Angeles last season, averaging 6.7 points and 4.0 assists per
game.
The Sparks had the best regular season record last
year (28-4). However, they lost to the Houston Comets, the four-time
champions, in the divisional playoffs.
Los Angeles is led by center Lisa Leslie, one of
the top women's players in the world.
"I think I will learn a lot of things from her,
on and off the court," said Cooper, who averaged 14.2 points and 6.5
rebounds per game this season. "She's a classy individual and one of
the best athletes. Her game is all-around; she can step out on the perimeter
and definitely go inside, so it's something I look forward to learning
from."
Cooper said it will be nice to play with Leslie
after facing Leslie as part of the Olympic team.
"I know there's a lot of things I need to work
on as far as playing at this level and I'm learning from the best behind
Lisa Leslie," said Cooper. "So, I'm extremely happy about their decision
to pick me."
Sparks General Manager Penny Toler said in a press
release that she didn't expect Cooper to fall to the end of the first
round.
"Once it got down to that, for us, I think we all
had a big smile on our face," said Toler. "To acquire a player like
Camille Cooper in a draft that we thought was extremely deep in the
first round, we're extremely happy. We think she adds more athleticism,
more defense — and you can't beat her being 6-4, either."
Cooper and Katie Douglas, a first-round selection
by the Orlando Miracle, will both earn a rookie base salary of $41,250
for the 32-game season. Picks one through four earn a base salary of
$55,000 and five through eight earn $48,400. Second round picks earn
$33,000 while third-round picks earn $29,700.
Other Los Angeles picks included Xavier's Nicole
Levandusky (5-9 guard), the 32nd overall pick; Notre Dame's Kelly Siemon,
(6-2 forward), the 48th overall pick; and Syracuse's Beth Record (6-0
guard/forward), the 64th overall pick.
Cooper said, "I'm very excited. Getting the opportunity
to play is a dream come true."
|
San
Diego Chargers draft Brees at No. 32
Peck,
Douglas to reunite
Cooper
to join Figgs in L.A.
Four
players join Brees as draftees
Reserves
make most of chances
Baseball
team wins three of four at Illinois
Team
breaks six-game losing streak
Team
finishes season with
two home wins
Tennis
team wins one, loses one to Michigan
Track
teams spend time in California
Wetzel
leaves Purdue to get closer to home
SPORTS DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111
ext. 251
Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki
Assistant sports
editor:
Anne
McLaren
To
send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org
|
