Detroit Shock Sign Three To Contract Extensions
September 14, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Detroit Shock News Release
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Detroit Shock General Manager Cheryl Reeve announced today that the club signed Deanna Nolan, Katie Smith, and Plenette Pierson to contract extensions. Per team policy, financial terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Nolan, a three-time WNBA champion with the Shock, appeared in 33 games (all starts) this season and averaged 16.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.7 minutes per game. She scored in double-figures in 29 of 33 games this season, and was named WNBA Player of the Week three consecutive times to end the season. Nolan tallied career highs in defensive rebounds (11) and total rebounds (14) vs. New York on (8/4). The Flint native was named 2006 WNBA Finals MVP and has WNBA career averages of 13.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals in 260 games.
Smith, the 2008 WNBA Finals MVP, has appeared in 27 games (all starts) this season for the Shock, averaging 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 34.7 minutes per game. She shot a career-high 91.8% (56-61) from the free-throw line and a career-high-tying 43% (57-132) from beyond the arc. Smith recorded her 300th steal at Indiana (6/21), becoming the first player in WNBA history to record 5,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 900 assists, and 300 steals. The Ohio State product and member of two Shock WNBA Championship teams has WNBA career averages of 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.9 steals.
Pierson, who was named 2007 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year and a member of two Shock WNBA Championship teams has been sidelined since the Shock's first game of the 2009 season. She was injured while battling for a rebound vs. Los Angeles on June 6 and had season-ending shoulder surgery on June 24 to repair shoulder instability following her injury.
Pierson appeared in 28 games last season and averaged career highs in points (11.9 ppg), assists (1.9 apg) and blocks (1.2 bpg) in 23.2 minutes per game. She led the Shock in scoring on five occasions, rebounds five times and assists four times. Pierson had seven multiple block games, finishing with a career-high 34 blocks. During the 2008 WNBA Playoffs, Pierson averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in six games. She missed three games with a dislocated shoulder/torn labrum after getting injured in Game 2 of the first round. In 196 WNBA games Pierson has career averages of 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.6 blocks.
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