July 28, 2024
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Katie Douglas and the 2001 WNBA Draft
By The Next
'She has every secondary skill you could ask for'
On the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, host Hunter Cruse is joined by Em Adler and Lincoln Shafer to revisit Katie Douglas‘s journey in the 2001 WNBA draft. The episode, part of the WNBA Retrospect series, takes listeners back in time to 2001, when Purdue phenom Katie Douglas somehow fell to No. 10 in the draft. The three discuss Douglas’s career, revisit her pre-draft film, and more.
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
The Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
The three begin the episode by discussing what they know and remember about Douglas. “Katie Douglas did a lot of different things for Purdue,” Adler says. “Her senior year, I struggled to see her doing any of those things in a way that wasn’t, like, obviously stand-out.” Shafer agrees. “She has every secondary skill you could ask for,” he says, echoing Adler’s observations.
Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine
Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Later on, Cruse, Adler, and Shafer discuss how a player as dynamic as Douglas went tenth overall in the draft. The trio point out phenomena such as Douglas’s reluctance as a shooter, but also her scoring versatility, and her drive to get downhill. So, why did she fall to No. 10? “She’s not a lead creator,” Shafer offers. But Adler and Cruse take it a step further, and Adler offers reasons why her skill set wasn’t as valued in the draft as it could have been.
Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?
Subscribe now to our sister publication The IX and receive our independent women’s sports newsletter six days a week. Learn more about your favorite athletes and teams around the world competing in soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers.
Readers of The Next now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.
To wrap things up, the trio discuss Douglas’s WNBA career. “It took her a while to get everything out of her skill set,” Cruse reflects. “She struggled early on.” But then, her career took off and she began gaining recognition, earning awards, and leaving an impact. “So,” Adler says, “player development works.”
Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more!
Correction: In an earlier edition, this article stated that Katie Douglas was drafted in 2002. She was drafted in 2001.
Get 24/7 soccer coverage with The Equalizer
The Next is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The Next receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.
