by Rick Bustos
Daily Lobo
UNM star center Jordan Adams was selected 18th by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2003 WNBA draft on Friday.
Adams is the first UNM women's basketball player from UNM to be drafted into the WNBA.
"When I first heard I was shocked," Adams said. "I found out via the Internet and my family. I was watching the coverage on WNBA.com while I was also typing my mother and sister on Instant Messenger. I was watching it with most of my teammates and it was exciting to be there together and have something to celebrate."
The WNBA was in jeopardy of foregoing its season until the players agreed to a new labor deal on Thursday, the night before the draft.
"I didn't really know the specifics about it, but I knew the players were trying to get done with negotiations," Adams said. "I'm not really too worried about it."
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The minimum pay for a rookie in the WNBA is $30,000 a season.
"I'd play for free," Adams said. "Anything I'd get will be good."
Adams, who was also a high school volleyball star, said one of the reasons she chose college basketball over volleyball was because of the greater professional opportunities.
Adams' new team will also have a new coach, former WNBA player and gold medal Olympian Suzie McConnell Serio. Adams will join two other draft picks, Teresa Edwards from Georgia University and Carla Bennett from Drake University, on the Lynx.
"I don't know much about Minnesota, but I'm excited to be going there and playing basketball," Adams said.
Adams was named to the First Team All-Mountain West Conference team her senior year and was Second Team All-MWC her junior and sophomore years. Adams was the conference Newcomer of the Year in 2000. She is UNM's all-time shot blocker for both the men's and women's basketball programs. Adams finished her senior season averaging 16.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 2.6 BPG.
She said that she was going to miss her coaches, teammates and all the great Lobo fans in Albuquerque.
"Thanks for all the support, I've had a blast in New Mexico," Adams said. "I'll never forget this place."
Jordan Adams Career Statistics
Field goal percentage - 47.2%
3-pt. field goal percentage - 31.9%
Free throw percentage - 72.8%
Scoring average - 14.1
Rebounding - 5.7
Adams finished her career with 344 blocks, making her UNM's all-time block leader.
