Foto met Tony Parker.
Terugkeer van Ann naar de WNBA.
'Vandaag is de draft in de WNBA en wordt vrijgegeven dat ik Atlanta Dream (de club die de rechten had op Wauters, red.) ruil voor San Antonio', zegt een tevreden Ann Wauters.De vrouwenploeg speelt in dezelfde zaal (A&T-center) als de mannelijke collega's.
Ann, die voor de zomer nog de play-offs afwerkt bij CSKA Moskou, speelde eerder in de WNBA al voor Cleveland (2000-2003) en New York Liberty (2005). De WNBA start op 17mei.
Ann zal deze zomer niet voor de nationale ploeg uitkomen.
Q&A With Ann Wauters
How do you feel about returning to the WNBA after a two-season hiatus?To be honest I’m really anxious to come back to the league. I’ve played now for a couple of years in Russia and some of the best players in the world are also in Russia, but still the WNBA is the best league. Every team is great so every night when you play it’s a challenge. It’s a great league and I’m proud to be part of it.
How about reuniting with Becky and VJ from your Liberty days?That’s gonna be great… Becky, of course, is my teammate now so it’s like we’re going to play all year round together. She’s a great player, a great teammate, so I think it will be easier to go to a new team and a new city with her. Same with VJ, in New York she was really important. She’s a big leader. To have her on the team, such a hard worker, that’s really a great thing for San Antonio. Having her as a teammate, I’m sure it’s going to make my transition easier.
What made you decide to return to the WNBA? And how much did Becky talk you into it?To be honest it’s for different reasons. First of all, after New York, I kind of felt playing year round is really hard on your body. I got some small injuries and I kind of felt like it was too much and that’s why I took a little break because I needed it physically and also mentally. Another reason was my Belgian national team asked me to participate with them to qualify for the Olympics, which unfortunately we didn’t qualify. That gives me the summer again. I’m really anxious to come back and play in the best league. Of course, Becky is on my team, and she was talking to me about it, but she also kind of left me alone with my decision.
What are you hoping to bring to the court in San Antonio?I’ve played already with Coach Hughes, but now it’s been a while. Still I haven’t really talked to him yet about what he expects from me. So I think we’ll have a discussion about that. I just hope to bring my best game to San Antonio. I’m sure I could help them in the post with my abilities.
What are you most looking forward to about joining the Silver Stars?To be part of a new team with some players that I already know… Becky already talked to me about it and said that they have a great team spirit, that everybody gets along. That’s really important to me and just being part of a team and competing every night against tough teams.
Of course, VJ and Becky are familiar faces, but are you excited to play with some new people as well?I actually met Sophia shortly when we played in Turkey. They came together with VJ to watch our game. I’m really looking forward to playing with her as well as Erin Buescher. Becky told me some good things about her, so I’m really looking forward to playing with her.
Anything else you want to tell our fans?I’m just very, very excited to come to San Antonio. The season’s not that far away. It’s going to be soon. I’m really looking forward to it.
San Antonio:wnba site:
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Silver Stars acquired center Ann Wauters, along with Texas A&M guard Morenike Atunrase and a 2009 second round pick from the Atlanta Dream immediately following the 2008 WNBA Draft today in exchange for forward Camille Little, guard Chioma Nnamaka and the Silver Stars 2009 first round draft pick, according to General Manager and Head Coach Dan Hughes.
"We are so glad that Ann Wauters is back in the WNBA and playing in San Antonio," said Hughes. "The former all-star will be a real treat for WNBA fans across the country to see. Ann is a world-class post player that also will be a great fit for our existing team."
"Alex Anderson is another outstanding athlete that brings a strong skill package to her interior play. We are sorry to lose Camille but as in any trade to get value you have to give value. We so appreciated Camille contributions to San Antonio and wish her well in Atlanta."
Atlanta acquired the rights to Wauters from the New York Liberty in the 2008 WNBA Expansion Draft. She was originally drafted first overall in the 2000 WNBA Draft by the Cleveland Rockers. In five WNBA seasons with Cleveland and New York, she averaged 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, finishing 2005 with a career best 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. After playing year-round overseas and in the WNBA those five seasons, Ann decided to sit out the 2006 and 2007 WNBA seasons to giver her body a chance to rest and to try to help her Belgian National Team qualify for the 2008 Olympics.
Wauters currently is playing with Silver Stars guard Becky Hammon for CSKA Moscow in the EuroLeague, where she is averaging 17.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, ranking first in the league in field goal percentage (at 64.4 percent and first in double-doubles with seven. Considered one of the biggest basketball figures in Europe, Wauters has won four national titles (2001-04), three French Cups (2001, 2003, 2004), two French Federation tournament titles (2002-03) and two EuroLeague Women crowns (2002, 2004). In her first EuroLeague Women campaign in 2001, she finished as the top scorer with 20.9 points per game. She has twice been named the Best Foreign Player of the French League and finished fourth in the FIBA Europe Player of the Year award voting in 2005 and second in 2006.
The Silver Stars open the 2008 season at Sacramento May 17 before returning home to face the 2007 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury at the AT&T Center May 20. For more information on Silver Stars single-game tickets, planned theme nights or one of the affordable full and partial season ticket plans, visit www.sasilverstars.com or call (210) 444.5090.
