Apr 6, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Alyssa Thomas (25) shoots against Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Ariel Braker (44) during the first half in the semifinals of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Womens Division I Championship tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Thomas, the Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball team’s senior forward, was taken fourth overall in the WNBA draft on Monday night by the New York Liberty.
Thomas, who guided the Terps to the NCAA Final Four this year, becomes the sixth player from Maryland in the WNBA now. She joins Crystal Langhorne, Marissa Coleman, Kristi Tolliver, Laura Harper, and Lynetta Kizer who currently reside in the league. Thomas leaves Maryland as the career leader in total points and rebounds.
Prior to being drafted, Thomas’ Final Four run cemented her Maryland legacy (not that it needed any help). She guided Maryland as the ACC’s Player of the Year and became a three-time All-American during her time in College Park. Thomas is the second Maryland player drafted in as many years (after Crystal Langhorne was a lottery pick last year), and the fourth over a five year span. Maryland had a heralded 2009 class that included Marissa Coleman being taken with the second pick in the draft and Kristi Tolliver with the third right after. The Lady Terps finished 109-28 over Thomas’ four-year career.
Interestingly enough, on the same night Thomas was drafted, Langhorne was traded away from the local Washington Mystics to the Seattle Storm in exchange for a player and draft rights.
Regardless, the achievement is a great one for Thomas, who definitely earned it and will continue to represent Maryland well at the next level. Once a Terp, always a Terp!