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1978 WBL draft

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1978 WBL draft
General information
SportBasketball
Date(s)July 18, 1978
LocationEssex House (New York City, New York)
Overview
80 total selections in 5 rounds
LeagueWBL
First selectionAnn Meyers (Houston)
Rita Easterling (Chicago)
1979 →

The 1978 WBL draft was the 1st annual draft of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL).[1] The draft was held on July 18, 1978, at the Essex House in New York City, New York,[2] before the 1978–79 season.

The draft consisted of a five-round college phase of 1978 seniors and a five-round draft of free agents.[2][3]

Draft selections and draftee career notes

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Several players decided against signing with the WBL to keep their Olympics eligibility ahead of the 1980 Olympics. Ann Meyers from UCLA was selected first overall by the Houston Angels[4] but decided against signing with the Angels to keep her amateur status. However, in the fall of 1979, Meyers signed a no-cut $50,000 training camp contract with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. After being cut by the Pacers before the start of the regular season, she finally joined the WBL and signed with the New Jersey Gems. Carol Blazejowski also decided to keep her amateur status and did not join the league until the 1980–81 season, following the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics.[5][6]

Few of the selections where of the promotional aspect and never played a game in the WBL. The New York Stars selects CBS-Sports host Phyllis George with their last pick of the free agent draft. The Iowa Cornets selected 6'11" Gwen Bachman Hayes and the Chicago Hustle selected Sandy Allen, the world's tallest woman at 7'7".[7]

The lone pick from outside the United States was Uljana Semjonova of the Soviet Union.[8]

Key

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Pos. G F C
Position Guard Forward Center
^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
+ Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
x Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-WBL Team
# Denotes player who has never appeared in an WBL regular season or playoff game

College draft

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Chicago Hustle

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Janie Fincher  United States UNLV
2 JoAnn Burrell[9]  United States Boise State
3 Judy Toiberg  United States Trinity-Illinois
5 Jane Trippet  United States Cal State-Sacramento

Houston Angels

[edit]
Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Ann Meyers G  United States UCLA
2 Belinda Candler  United States UNLV
3 Marie Kocurek C  United States Wayland Baptist
4 Patty Bubrig  United States Nicholls State
5 Pat Johnson  United States Stephen F. Austin

Iowa Cornets

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Charlotte Lewis C  United States Illinois State[10]
2 Doris Draving C  United States East Stroudsburg
3 Monica Havelita  United States Cal State-Long Beach
4 Debra Thomas  United States Miami Dade-South
5 Theresa Thompson  United States Prairie View A&M

Milwaukee Does

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Sarah Williams C  United States Southeastern[11]
2 Heidi Nestor  United States UCLA
3 Linda Gehrke  United States Colorado
4 Debbie Brock PG  United States Delta State
5 Cindy Lundberg  United States Eastern Kentucky

Minnesota Fillies

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Ramona von Boeckman[12] G  United States Delta State
2 Jackie Langley  United States Tampa
3 Peggy Jackson[13]  United States Concordia College
4 Melody Neumeister  United States Milligan
5 Deb Provost  United States Eastern Montana

New Jersey Gems

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Carol Blazejowski F  United States Mountclair State
2 Denise Burdick  United States Immmaculata
3 Tara Heiss PG  United States Maryland
4 Maggie Nelson  United States Stanford
5 Wanda Szeremeta[14]  United States Montclair State

New York Stars

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Althea Gwyn C  United States Queens College
2 Marnie Dacko C  United States Southern Connecticut
3 Dawn Forster  United States Cortland State
4 Susan Bretthauer  United States St. Johns, New York
5 Lynda Lyman  United States Cortland State

Dayton Rockettes

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 June Brewer  United States Ohio State
2 Tina Price[15] G/F  United States University of Georgia
3 Donna Forester  United States Clemson
4 Vivian Greene  United States Norfolk State
5 Felicia Payne  United States Dubuaue

Free agent draft

[edit]

Chicago Hustle

[edit]
Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Rita Easterling G  United States Mississippi
2 Janice Fuller  United States UNLV
3 Liz Hannah[16]  United States Middle Tennessee
4 Sandy Allen C  United States N/A
5 Alice Townsend  United States Mississippi College

Houston Angels

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Lusia Harris C  United States Delta State
2 Doris Felderhoff C  United States Stephen F. Austin
3 Gail Dobson  United States Tennessee
4 Jessie Kenlaw  United States Savannah State
5 Doris Horace  United States Prairie View A&M

Iowa Cornets

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Gwen Bachman Haynes C  United States Oauchita Baptist
2 Anita Green  United States Charleston, S.C. College
3 Paula Dean  United States Berry College
4 Kathy Hawkins  United States Nebraska
5 Uljana Semjonova C  Soviet Union TTT Riga

Milwaukee Does

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Patricia Roberts  United States Tennessee
2 Sheila Sullivan  United States Mississippi University
3 Pam Cook  United States S.E. Louisiana State
4 Kathy DeBoer[17]  United States Michigan State
5 Cindy Henderson  United States S.W. Missouri State

Minnesota Fillies

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Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Deborah Sherer  United States Urbana
2 Pam Prowning  United States Kentucky
3 Jane Westendorf  United States Millikin
4 Joan Slagel  United States Western Washington
5 Patti Decker  United States St. Cloud State

New Jersey Gems

[edit]
Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Jean Giarussio  United States New Hampshire
2 Elizabeth Harty  United States C.W. Post
3 Tina Marie Krah  United States Immaculata
4 Suzanne Wera[18]  United States Olivet-Michigan
5 Donna Kirby  United States Drexel

New York Stars

[edit]
Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Harriet Novarr[19] F  United States Queens College
2 Joanie Smith[20]  United States Arizona State (traded)
3 Pat Samuel  United States CCNY
4 Debbie Mason  United States Queens College
5 Phyllis George  United States Denton-Texas

Dayton Rockettes

[edit]
Round Player Pos. Nationality School/club team
1 Sheila Patterson  United States University of the District of Columbia
2 Denise Craig  United States Shaw
3 Linda Stoich  United States Michigan State
4 Angela Scott  United States Maryland
5 Sue Reyna  United States Virginia

References

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  1. ^ Kiri Oler (2 September 2023). "The story of the first Women's Professional Basketball League draft". The Next. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Women's loop will hold draft". Mansfield News Journal. Associated Press. 8 July 1978. p. 10. Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ^ "Women's basketball draft list released". Sun Herald. Associated Press. 19 July 1978. p. D2. Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  4. ^ "UCLA woman first draft pick". Rapid City Journal. Associated Press. 21 July 1978. p. 7. Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ Phil Pepe (24 January 1980). "Carol, the Blaze, big loser in games boycott". New York Daily News. p. 23C. Retrieved 19 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ "The Blaze signs with Gems". The Pantagraph. Associated Press. 29 October 1980. p. B1. Retrieved 19 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ^ Greg Schmalz (19 July 1978). "Can WBL lure Blaze?". The Herald-News. p. D1. Retrieved 20 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ Mark Neuzil (19 July 1979). "Will Phyllis have to go 1-on-1 against Ulina?". The Gazette. p. 4B. Retrieved 20 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  9. ^ "Women's pro league left her cold". Arizona Daily Star. Associated Press. 12 December 1978. p. C3. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  10. ^ "Draft surprises Charlotte Lewis". The Pantagraph. 22 July 1978. p. 13. Retrieved 19 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  11. ^ "Forrest, Williams are drafted by WBL". The Era-Leader. 26 July 1978. p. 17. Retrieved 19 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  12. ^ Stew Thornley; Marc Hugunin (2006). Minnesota Hoops. Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0873515740.
  13. ^ Richard Mudry (19 July 1978). "Spartans' Langley excited about pro pick". The Tampa Times. p. 3C. Retrieved 20 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  14. ^ "Szeremeta signs to play for Gems". The Herald-News. 14 November 1978. p. C3. Retrieved 2 November 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  15. ^ Tucker Mitchell (19 July 1978). "Pros draft Tina Price". The Macon Telegraph. p. 1C. Retrieved 2 November 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  16. ^ "Women's pro league drafts 2 local stars". The Tennessean. 19 July 1978. p. 28. Retrieved 2 November 2023 – via Newspaper.com.Open access icon
  17. ^ Mick McCabe (22 July 1978). "DeBoer can pick her court - law or basketball". Detroit Free Press. p. 2C. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  18. ^ Mark Katz (19 October 1978). "Rockettes make first player deal". Dayton Daily News. p. 31. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  19. ^ Terry Price (21 January 1979). "Harriet Novarr shoots for bit time basketball". Hartford Courant. p. 8C. Retrieved 2 November 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  20. ^ Warren Collier (28 August 1978). "Fifth quarter". Muncie Evening Press. p. 13. Retrieved 22 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
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