As the names appeared on the 2003 WNBA draft board, former UCLA
guard Michelle Greco watched anxiously to see where she would be
headed to complete her dream to play in the WNBA.
The only problem was that her dream had to wait one more year
than planned.
On Tuesday, a year after the 2003 draft, Greco finally earned a
spot on a WNBA roster with the Seattle Storm.
Storm coach Anne Donovan made the announcement Monday after the
final cuts were made.
“I am so excited,” Greco said. “It’s an
unbelievable feeling to finally make the WNBA.”
Greco’s road to the Storm was not your typical route for a
WNBA rookie.
Coming out of UCLA in 2003, Greco was not selected in the WNBA
draft and later was cut as a free agent by the now defunct
Cleveland Rockers.
“It was not my ideal situation,” Greco said,
referring to her tryout with the Rockers. “But I’m glad
I went through it, because it prepared me for this year’s
tryouts with the Storm.”
Greco is expected to play shooting guard for the Storm, coming
off the bench and providing defensive relief for starter Betty
Lennox.
“Her energy and defensive presence is a big spark for
us,” Donovan said. “Michelle is not going to make a lot
of mistakes, and I feel confident with her playing limited
minutes.”
Despite her limited role, Greco’s opportunity with the
Storm is much more appealing than her experiences last year playing
professional basketball in Greece and Israel, unfamiliar places
thousands of miles away from home.
“Being back on the West Coast will be great,” Greco
said. “I enjoyed my experiences abroad, but the WNBA has the
best female players in the world.”
For the final spot on the Storm roster, Greco beat out former
Oregon guard Shaquala Williams and posts Andrea Gardner-Combs and
Maren Walseth.
Greco’s spot on the team was a bit of a surprise because
she came into the tryout as an unsigned rookie. But at the
rookie’s minimum of $30,600, Greco may be seen as a bargain
considering her vast basketball accomplishments at UCLA.