Sheri Sam, the Indiana Fever's forward and 8-year WNBA veteran who played in Besiktas, Turkey, last season and made the Turkish league finals is Ashdod's new foreigner and will join the team after the break.
Sheri Sam (6'0, 33), who is ranked 14th on the WNBA's all time scorers list and has recorded over 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 700 assists in her career, has signed with Maccabi Ashdod. Sam will replace Dionnah Jackson, who moved to Bnei Yehuda. Ashdod is currently 5th in the standings with a 5-5 record.
Sam spent the past summer with Indiana and in 33 games (4 starts), averaged 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game. It was the weakest season of her 8-year career. Her career averages stand at 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 296 games.
Sam started her pro career in the ABL, where she played three seasons. She's been through five different WNBA teams and won the WNBA championship in 2004 with the Seattle Storm. She's a very experienced player with leadership ability, who can play both inside and out. During her career Sam has only missed two games, neither of them because of an injury.
Sam joined the WNBA in 1999, started all 32 games for the Orlando Miracle and averaged 11.4 points per game. Orlando decided to release Sam the following season in one of the weirdest moves in league history, claiming she did not fit the style of play. The newly founded Miami Sol jumped at the opportunity, signed Sam and she finished the 2000 season as Miami's leading scorer with 12.8 points per game. In 2001 she led the Sol in scoring again with 13.9, and her best season was in 2002 when she made the All-Star team, and averaged 14.5 points per game.
The following winter the Sol ceased operations, and Sam was the 2nd pick in the dispersal draft by Minnesota. She averaged 11.0 points a game, and on the day of the 2004 draft Minnesota traded Sam to Seattle. Sam started 32 out of 34 games with the Storm, averaged 9.1 points in 29.9 minutes per game and Seattle went on to win the championship. Unlike her seasons in Miami as the top scorer, with the Lynx and Storm Sam became more of a role player who complements the big stars.
Following the 2004 season, Sam signed as a free agent with Charlotte and spent two seasons there (playing with Ashdod's Ayana Walker). She averaged 10.9 points over 68 games as a starter, until the club folded in 2006. Sam was the 9th pick in the dispersal draft by Indiana, and made the eastern conference finals.
This will be Sam's first season in Israel, she got to visit the country last season when Ramla hosted Besiktas. Sam has also previously played in the Czech Republic, Russia and Korea.
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Sam Vs. Ramla, last season |