The Minnesota Lynx drafted former Kentwood High star Lindsey Moore with the 12th overall pick Monday in the WNBA Draft.
Moore, who played college basketball at Nebraska, is the second first-round pick from Kentwood. Chicago drafted Courtney Vandersloot with the third overall pick in 2011.
Moore, a 5-foot-9 point guard from Covington, joined 11 other top collegians at Monday night’s draft live at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn.
“I’m really excited to get the chance to play in the WNBA and for the Minnesota Lynx,” Moore said, according to the Nebraska women’s basketball website. “I was really nervous and when they said my name I couldn’t really believe it at first. I’m just going to try to make the most of the opportunity I’ve been given, and do anything I can to help the Lynx.”
At Kentwood, Moore led the Conquerors to the 2009 Class 4A state as a senior with a 28-1 record. She was chosen as the 2008-09 state Player of the Year by Gatorade. She averaged 15.7 points and 7.5 assists her senior season.
Moore led Nebraska to the 2012 NCAA Sweet 16, closing her career as the Huskers’ all-time assist leader. During her four-year career, she started 132 games and won 94, which is more games than any other player in Nebraska history. She became the only Husker starter to play in a pair of NCAA Sweet 16s.
As a senior in 2012-13, Moore led Nebraska to a 25-9 overall record that included a 12-4 Big Ten mark. She averaged 15.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 steals, while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from three-point range and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line. She ranked among the top 10 players in the Big Ten in six statistical categories, including No. 1 in assist-to-turnover ratio.
WNBA training camps officially begin on May 5. The Lynx open their preseason schedule against the Washington Mystics on May 18 in Bismarck, N.D. They follow with their final preseason tuneup against Kelsey Griffin and the Connecticut Sun in Minneapolis on May 21.
Minnesota’s regular-season opener is June 1 against the Sun at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. The Lynx are coming off a 2012 season when they lost to the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Finals.
Moore will return to her hometown when the Lynx play the Seattle Storm on Sept. 7 at KeyArena. The Lynx also play Sept. 10 at the Storm. She will match up with Vandersloot on Aug. 11 in Chicago and Sept. 14 in Minnesota.
Moore said on the Lynx website that she’s idolized Minnesota point guard Lindsay Whalen and tries to style her game after Whalen.
“I honestly see my role as being a backup for Lindsay Whalen,” Moore said. “I can learn so much from her. It’s truly going to be an honor playing with her. The biggest compliment you can receive as a point guard is you make the people around you better and she does that day in and day out.”
Minnesota wanted a backup to Whalen.
“Our biggest need going in were a backup point guard, so we were very happy that (Lindsey) Moore was there,” said Lynx executive vice president Roger Griffith. “We had her as the No. 2 point guard behind Skylar Diggins.”
Moore shot 38 percent on 3-pointers, which is something the Lynx were looking for in a guard.
“I think the three is a strong part in my game,” Moore said. “I’m comfortable shooting them.”
The Lynx feature a star-studded roster that includes returning Olympians Whalen and Maya Moore. Other returning starters include Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson. Minnesota is coached by Cheryl Reeve.
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