The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thomas Selected By Sparks In WNBA Draft First Round
4/8/2010 | Women's Basketball
SECAUCUS, N.J. - Ole Miss senior guard Bianca Thomas was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in the first round of the WNBA Draft Thursday afternoon from the NBA Entertainment Studios.
Thomas is the fifth Rebel in school history to be drafted into the WNBA and the first since Ole Miss assistant coach Armintie Price was selected third by the Chicago Sky in 2007.
"It has always been a dream of mine to play in the WNBA and it's hard to put into words the excitement I am feeling right now," Thomas said. "I am so blessed and thankful for the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong goal."
An All-SEC first team selection, Thomas finished the season first in the SEC in scoring and currently ranks 10th in the nation with 20.9 points per game and became just the third player in school history to average over 20.0 points per game for an entire season. In addition, she became the first Rebel since Jennifer Gillom in 1986 to lead the conference in scoring. Ironically, Gillom is the head coach of the Sparks.
She also finished her career sixth all-time at Ole Miss in scoring with 1,511 career points and her 670 points this season is tied for fifth on the school's all-time list.
"Bianca Thomas is an athletic guard and is one of the top scorers in the SEC and has the ability to shoot from three-point range.," Carolyn Peck said.
Thomas turned in 19 games this season of at least 20 points, which included a career-high and Tad Smith Coliseum record 42 points earlier this year against LSU.
The Henderson, Tenn., native was also one of the long distance shooters in the nation and ended the year second in the SEC and ninth in the nation with 3.1 three-pointers per game. In fact, Thomas set the school record for the most three-pointers in a season with 100 and became just the seventh player in SEC history with 100 treys in a single season.
Thomas hit a school-record seven three-pointers twice during the season and finished her career at Ole Miss second on the all-time list with 226 career treys.
