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 Thursday, August 17
Lennox dominates Rookie voting
 
 Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS -- Guard Betty Lennox wasn't modest about her intentions when the Minnesota Lynx selected her with the sixth pick of the WNBA draft.

Betty Lennox
Betty Lennox (left) averaged 16.9 points per game for Minnesota this season.
But she was bashful on Friday, when she overwhelmingly fulfilled her draft-day pledge to win the 2000 WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

"I'm a little nervous," Lennox said. "I'm just extremely excited."

Lennox received 59 of a possible 62 votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. She was given a Tiffany-designed trophy and $5,000.

Lynx teammate Marla Brumfield, Detroit's Edwina Brown and Phoenix's Adrain Williams received one vote each.

Lennox, who was selected sixth in last summer's draft, averaged 16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals. The 5-foot-8 guard from Louisiana Tech started 31 of 32 games for Minnesota, which finished sixth in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs.

Even though five players where drafted ahead of her, Lennox promised she'd be the best rookie.

"Actually, when I set the goal, I thought it was somewhat out of reach," Lennox acknowledged. "But as the season progressed, I felt that it was very possible."

Coach Brian Agler said the Lynx got a steal because other teams focused on post players, especially with Lennox skipping a pre-draft combine in Chicago.

"Maybe that's where we got lucky," Agler said. "When all those coaches and GMs are there watching players play for three straight days together, my feeling is that she probably would have stood out."

Washington's Chamique Holdsclaw won the award last year, and Charlotte's Tracy Reid did in 1998.

WNBA player personnel director Renee Brown said the award serves as a crystal ball of sorts.

"With players like Betty Lennox, the WNBA's future looks real good and very bright," she said as she presented the trophy to Lennox.
 


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