Canadian near to pro dream
Aaliyah Edwards is set to achieve yet another dream.
The Kingston, Ont., native is a projected first-round pick for Monday’s WNBA draft after a successful four-year career with the UConn Huskies.
The six-foot-three forward was a two-time all-American with the storied NCAA program, finishing out her senior season with career highs of 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing pro and playing in the WNBA,” Edwards told reporters last week in a Zoom availability. “To have my name among those lists and those rankings of projected top five, it’s crazy. If you were to ask me when I was 10 years old, I’d be, like, ‘no way.’
“It’s also humbling at the same time, because even though my name’s out there, it’s more just a credit to all the hard work and the effort I put in behind the scenes and put into the game that I’m passionate about.
“So I’m just going to go into the draft just being blessed with whatever outcome it is, but truly grateful to be recognized like that.”
Edwards declared for the draft on March 21, referring to the recent NCAA women’s basketball tournament as her “last dance.” She helped lead UConn to a Final Four appearance before the Huskies dropped a close game to eventual runner-up Iowa.
The 21-year-old Edwards said she was ready to move on, passing up on one remaining year of college eligibility she had due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been a big dream for me, not only just how much I’ve achieved here at UConn, but also just making that step to go across the border,” she said. “It’s not an easy decision to make, to leave your family and to leave what you call home to come into a new environment and a new change.
“I was able to develop not only my skills on the basketball court, but also (interpersonal) skills. … I can say UConn really opened a lot of doors for me and it really helped me be pro ready and ready for the next chapter of my career.”
Edwards could make it two consecutive years a Canadian has her name called in the first round. Laeticia Amihere went eighth overall in last year’s draft.