Basketball: Doron drafted by the Liberty

22-year-old becomes first Israeli woman to be selected in the WNBA draft with the 16th pick overall in the second round.

By ALLON SINAI
shay doron 298.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
shay doron 298.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
Shay Doron became the first Israeli woman to be selected in the WNBA draft when the New York Liberty chose the 22-year-old with the 16th pick overall in the second round on Wednesday night. Players who are picked in the second round of the WNBA draft are not guaranteed a contract, so Doron will join the Liberty's training camp at the end of the month with the aim of securing herself a spot on New York's roster. The Liberty, who celebrated their 10th anniversary season last year by finishing with the worst record in franchise history, traded their biggest star, Becky Hammon, during Wednesday's draft and coach Pat Coyle is set to continue the rebuilding process next season. Doron was born in Tel Aviv, but left the country three years later when her family moved to Long Island. After being away for eight years, the family returned to Israel and Doron joined Ramat Hasharon's basketball club. At just 151⁄2, she was promoted to the senior squad. Despite a seemingly secure future in Israeli basketball, Doron and her family chose to move to America in order to develop as a player and she enrolled at Christ the King High School in Queens, New York, as the only Jewish girl at the Catholic school. The decision paid off and Doron quickly excelled, playing in the High School All-Star game. Doron was recruited by the University of Maryland, where she starred right from the start, averaging 13.5 points per game in her first season. In her second season, Doron averaged 17.6 ppg. She was a crucial part of the Terrapins' march to the national championship in the 2005/06 season, both on and off the court. While averaging 13.4 ppg, 4.1 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game, Doron also helped guide her younger teammates. Doron's stats dropped off a little this past season (11.8 ppg), and the Terrapins were upset in the second round of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship, but she was still one of the top players available in Wednesday's draft.