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K.B Sharp signs with Indiana
Lior Klinger
,02/25/2006 |
Raanana Hertzeliya's point guard signed with the Indiana Fever and will join the team's training camp in late April, it was announced this evening by the Fever's official website. 'Safsal' asked Sharp about her great opportunity to return the WNBA and while she is excited, the Israeli league still matters the most right now.
"I'm excited, but I am not thinking about it just yet" said Sharp. "I am still focused on this season here, and I am not ready for the season to be over here" she emphasized. It has not been an easy week for Sharp following her team's loss to Hapoel Tel Aviv, but the news from Indiana are definitely something to smile about.
“We are very excited about K.B. She fills a need in our point guard rotation" said the Fever's general manager, Kelly Krauskopf. "She has some experience in the WNBA and professionally overseas, and I believe she has continued to improve her overall game. Her athleticism, size and speed will help us tremendously. She is young and has a lot of years ahead of her” added Krauskopf.
Looking at the Fever's roster, Sharp should have a pretty good chance to make the final roster. The team's starting point guard is Tully Bevilaqua, the Aussie PG who won the 2004 WNBA Championship with Seattle. Last season she averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 assists in 28.2 minutes per game. The Fever's only other natural point guard is Yolanda Paige, a 2005 draft pick who played in 13 games in her rookie year after leading the NCAA in assists per game (9.0) as a senior.
Sharp was released by the New York Liberty during the 2005 training camp, after spending two years with the team. Sharp was originally drafted by New York in the 2nd round of the 2003 draft after graduating from Cincinnati. Even though the Liberty was in desperate need to find a back up point guard for the aging Teresa Weatherspoon, it was difficult for Sharp to find her place on the team. She told us about the experience.
"Playing in the WNBA has been my dream since I was like in 2nd grade, before there even was a WNBA. I wrote a letter to the NBA asking them when they would have a women's league. When I got drafted I was so surprised and shocked, because I didn't actually think my dream would come true. I spent my first year in awe of just being there, instead of moving past that and doing my job. I was immature, I wasn't ready to be the point guard of a WNBA team but now I have grown up a lot, and I believe that I am more than ready" said Sharp.
Sharp, now 24, has spent time overseas playing in Russia during the 03/04 season where she went on to win the Europe Cup. She is now in her 2nd straight season in Israel, ranks 2nd in the league in assists per game (5.6) while leading her team in 2pt FG% with 55.3%, and averaging 11 ppg. "I am extremely excited about the chance to return to the WNBA, sitting out last year made me realize how much I love the game. It killed me not to be playing and having to watch the games on TV instead" said Sharp.
We can't talk about the Fever without mentioning their biggest star, one of the best, if not the best, players in the WNBA. Tamika Catchings is a three time WNBA All Star, four time All WNBA selection. She is an Olympic gold medalist in 2004 and the fastest player in WNBA history to reach all four milestones of 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists and 300 steals. She is the reigning WNBA's defensive player of the year.
Having been in WNBA training camps before, Sharp knows what it takes to be one of the 11 players who make the final active roster out of the 21 that try out. "I think most importantly it takes being yourself, doing what you can do, not trying to be someone you aren't, playing within yourself. You have to come out and establish yourself early on in camp, and maintain it throughout. The best advice I have gotten about it is to make them not be able to cut you," she continued. "You have to be able to stay cool and not worry about everyone else, be mentally tough. It definitely helps to have been there before, but you have to remember this is a different team. I am actually sort of like a rookie to Indiana, don't really know what to expect, but I'm not going to worry about that. I am just going to work as hard as I can and see what happens in the end" she concluded.
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