Detroit Shock Acquires LaToya Thomas, 18th Pick From Atlanta As Part Of Expansion Draft Day Trade
February 6, 2008 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Detroit Shock News Release
Auburn Hills, MI - Detroit Shock Head Coach and General Manager Bill Laimbeer announced today that the team has acquired five-year WNBA veteran and former number one overall draft pick LaToya Thomas, along with the 18th overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, from the Atlanta Dream in exchange for guard Ivory Latta. Atlanta acquired the 6-2 Thomas earlier in the day from the Los Angeles Sparks in the Expansion Draft before trading her to Detroit. Atlanta also selected Shock center Katie Feenstra as part of today's Expansion Draft.
Thomas brings career averages of 10.3 points and 3.9 rebounds to the Motor City along with career shooting percentages of 46.2 percent from the field, 37.3 from beyond the arc and 82.1 percent from the free throw line. The acquisition of Thomas gives the Shock three of the top four picks from the 2003 WNBA Draft - Thomas (1st), Cheryl Ford (3rd) and Plenette Pierson (4th).
"We're excited to have LaToya as a member of the Shock," said Laimbeer. "She adds depth to our frontcourt, and her good perimeter shot will help spread the defense for our inside game. In order to get a quality player like Thomas, we had to part with another quality player in Ivory Latta. We felt Ivory's development would be constrained here, and we never want to do that to a player. We enjoyed having her as part of our ball-club last season, and we wish her well."
The Shock, and the 12 other non-expansion teams were each allowed to protect six players in the Expansion Draft, with the Atlanta Dream able to select one player from each team's list of unprotected players.
"Putting together a protected list when you've had the kind of success and the roster depth that we've had here in Detroit is always a difficult process," explained Shock Assistant Coach and Director of Player Personnel Cheryl Reeve. "You know that you're going to lose a player who can contribute, and we certainly did in Feenstra. But much in the way that Latta should be able to expand her game given the opportunities of playing in Atlanta, so will Feenstra."
In her lone season in Detroit, Feenstra averaged 5.2 points and grabbed 4.9 rebounds. She spent her first two seasons in the WNBA with the San Antonio Silver Stars. Latta was the Shock's first-round draft pick (No. 11 Overall) in the 2007 WNBA Draft and averaged 3.0 points while connecting on 44.9 percent of her three-pointers as a rookie.
Experience the two-time WNBA Champion Detroit Shock by calling 248.377.0100 or by logging on to www.DetroitShock.com. The Shock's home opener vs. the Houston Comets is scheduled for Saturday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m.
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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from February 6, 2008
- Dream Take Sun's Erika de Souza In Expansion Draft - Connecticut Sun
- Storm Acquire No. 4 Draft Pick In Trade With Atlanta - Seattle Storm
- Minnesota Lynx Lose Forward Kristen Mann to Atlanta Dream in 2008 Expansion Draft - Minnesota Lynx
- Fever's Strother Selected in WNBA Expansion Draft - Indiana Fever
- Detroit Shock Acquires LaToya Thomas, 18th Pick From Atlanta As Part Of Expansion Draft Day Trade - Detroit Shock
- Monarchs Guard Kristin Haynie Selected By Atlanta Dream In 2008 Expansion Draft - Sacramento Monarchs
- Atlanta Dream Builds Inaugural Roster With 13 Picks In 2008 Expansion Draft - WNBA
- Ann Wauters Taken In Expansion Draft By Atlanta Dream - New York Liberty
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