Amy Atwell continues to make history as she became only the second-ever University of Hawaiʻi women’s basketball player to be selected in the WNBA draft on Monday as the Los Angeles Sparks picked her in the third round with the 27th overall selection.
Atwell is one of the most prolific shooters in UH women’s basketball history, holding the record for most career three-pointers (205) and single-season three-pointers (76). In early March, Atwell was named the Big West Conference player of the year, becoming the first-ever Rainbow Wahine to claim the honor in the conference after averaging 17.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
In her sixth year with the program, fifth as an active player, Atwell capitalized on her opportunity of being granted an extra season by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The South Perth, Australia native dropped 534 points over 30 games, including 13 games of 20 points or more and two 30 point contests.
Atwell joins all-time great Judy Mosley as the only Rainbow Wahine to have their name called out on draft day. Mosley was part of the first-ever WNBA draft in 1997 when she was picked seventh overall by the Sacramento Monarchs.
Los Angeles finished the 2021 season with a 12-20 record, placing 10th overall in the league standings. The Sparks are one of the three original organizations for when the league was founded in 1996–97 and is currently coached by former Los Angeles Laker Derek Fisher. UH head coach Laura Beeman spent time as an assistant coach with the Sparks in 2008 and 2009.
