Ann Wauters

Ann Hilde Willy Wauters (born October 12, 1980 in Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium) is a Belgian professional basketball player who currently plays for Ros Casares Valencia in Euroleague Women. Wauters played in the WNBA from 2000 to 2009, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars. Her primary position is center.

Personal

Wauters began playing basketball at age 12. Her international professional basketball career began immediately after high school. She speaks Dutch, French and English. She wears jersey No. 12 because of her birthdate. In November 2010 her management announced that Wauters was 3 months pregnant with her first child. Her wife,^[1] Lot Wielfaert, is also pregnant and set to give birth a month before Wauters. It was immediately added that this would not mean the end of her career, as Lot will be the stay at home mother to their two children while Wauters returns to work as a professional basketball player, likely somewhere in Europe. The next year she will play in Ros Casares Valencia.

WNBA career

Wauters was drafted No. 1 overall in 2000 WNBA Draft by the Cleveland Rockers. She was the first Belgian-born player in the WNBA. When the team selected her, she was considered a project and raw talent. Having only played basketball for 7 years prior to the draft, Wauters quickly blended in with the big-name centers.

In 2004 she was moved to the New York Liberty. She played two seasons for the Liberty before leaving the WNBA in 2006. On February 6, 2008, Wauters was selected by the Atlanta Dream in the expansion draft.

On April 9, 2008, Wauters, along with Morenike Atunrase and a 2009 second round draft pick, was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars for Camille Little, Chioma Nnamaka, and the Silver Stars' first round pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft.^[2]

Wauters played for the Silver Stars in 2009, but decided not to join with the team in 2010; she also did not join the team in 2011 as she was pregnant.^[3]

International career

• Wauters was named MVP of the National Youth Championship (1995, 1997).
• Member of bronze medal-winning Belgium's Cadettes National Team (1995)
• Member of U.S. Valenciennes (USVO) beginning 1998, USVO co-champion (1999, 2000)
• European player of year (2001)
• Best foreign player in France (2001), Messina Final Four MVP (2002)
• European player of year (2002)
• European highest scoring player in Final Four, Bourges, co-champion (2003)
• Co-champion of Korean league summer league (2003)
• Best center of European championship in Greece (2003), member of MVP team at FIBA World Cup in Russia (2003).
• European player of year (2004)
• European player of year (2005)
• European player of year (2008)

Vital statistics

• Position: Center
• Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
• Team(s): San Antonio Silver Stars (WNBA)

References

External links

• WNBA Player Profile
• Wauters traded to Silver Stars