Monica Wright

Monica Wright
No. 22 – Minnesota Lynx
Position Guard
League WNBA
Personal information
Born July 15, 1988
San Antonio, Texas
Nationality American
Listed height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight 178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school Forest Park (Woodbridge, Virginia)
College Virginia (2006–2010)
WNBA draft 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Minnesota Lynx
Pro career 2010–present
Career history
2010–present Minnesota Lynx
2011–2012 Botaş SK
2012–2013 Dandenong Rangers
2013–present Bucheon KEB-Hanabank
Career highlights and awards
2x WNBA Champion (2011, 2013)
Stats at WNBA.com

Monica Ashante Wright (born July 15, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Bucheon KEB-Hanabank of the WKBL.[1] She was selected second overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2010 WNBA Entry Draft.[2][3]

Early life

Wright was born to Garry and Lynette Wright in San Antonio, Texas. She has an older brother named Gerard. Her family later moved to Woodbridge, Virginia. She attended Forest Park High School. At Forest Park, she averaged 22.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 4.0 steals per game. She was also the Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year and was ranked No. 2 guard and No. 11 player overall in the nation.

Wright was named a WBCA All-American.[4] She participated in the 2006 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored eleven points,[5] and earned MVP honors for the White team.[6]

College

Wright attended the University of Virginia. In her freshman year as a Cavalier she was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. In the 2007-08 season she was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team and also notched her 1000th point. She missed being named to the All-ACC first team by two points that season. As a junior, Wright was named to the All-ACC defensive team and was also rewarded with a spot on the All-ACC first team as the league's top scorer. As a senior Wright was named ACC Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and National Defensive Player of the Year.[7]

USA Basketball

Wright was selected as a member of the USA Women's U19 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia. The event was held in July and August 2007, when the USA team defeated Sweden to win the championship. Wright averaged 9.8 points per game and led the team in steals with 21.[8]

WNBA

Wright was selected in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx with the second overall pick.[9] She would go on to be named to the WNBA's all-rookie team.

In 2011 and 2012, Wright played off the bench, backing up at both guard and forward. She expanded her role in 2013, becoming the primary backup at shooting guard and point guard, averaging 9.0 points per game.

Wright has twice won WNBA titles, in 2011 and 2013.

Overseas

Wright played for Botaş SK in the TKBL in 2011, and joined the Dandenon Rangers of the WNBL in 2012. In 2013, she signed with Bucheon KEB-Hanabank of the WKBL.[10]

Awards and honors

Personal life

In July 2013, Wright became engaged to Oklahoma City Thunder NBA All-Star Kevin Durant.[12] The two had met during their senior year of high school, when both were All-American basketball players. They broke up a year after their engagement. She says Kevin Durant was cheating behind her back. Wright is a Christian.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Monica Wright Botaş'ta". Basketizm.
  2. ↑ "Monica Wright Biography". Virginia Sports. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  3. ↑ "Lynx draft Wright with 2nd overall pick". USA Today. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "Past WBCA HS Coaches' All-America Teams". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved 1 Jul 2014.
  5. ↑ "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved 29 Jun 2014.
  6. ↑ "WBCA High School All-America Game Team MVP's". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved 29 Jun 2014.
  7. ↑ Wright Named ACC Player of the Year
  8. ↑ "SEVENTH FIBA WOMEN'S U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP -- 2007". USA Basketball. Retrieved 13 Oct 2013.
  9. ↑ http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-monica-wright-drafted-second-in-wnba,0,4310894.story
  10. ↑ Lynx’s winter jobs
  11. ↑ "WBCA NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved 1 Jul 2014.
  12. ↑ "She has recently married Durant over this summer 2014.". NBA News Source. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Wright On Time".

External links