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Georgia star to enter WNBA draft
Updated: Wednesday April 18, 2001 9:45 AM
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- The Georgia Lady Bulldogs, who must replace twins Kelly and Coco Miller, received another blow Tuesday when Deanna Nolan entered the WNBA draft rather than return to college for another season. Nolan was redshirted during the 1997-98 season after failing to meet academic requirements and played the last three years for the Lady Bulldogs. Under NCAA rules, she would have received another year of eligibility by graduating after the summer semester. But the 6-foot guard-forward, nicknamed "Tweety," decided to make herself available for Friday's WNBA draft. She will complete her degree after the WNBA season. "It's always been a dream of mine to play professionally," Nolan said. "It took me a long time to weigh all of my options and make a decision, but I believe it is better for me to go ahead and go." Nolan, a native of Flint, Mich., played in 86 games and started 65 for Georgia teams that compiled an 86-17 record, reaching the Final Four when she was a sophomore. "I support Tweety's decision," coach Andy Landers said. "What is important to me and to Tweety is that she will come back and graduate during the regular school year. ... She has assured me that is what she intends to do." As a sophomore, Nolan averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs' Final Four team. She blossomed into a major contributor the following season, averaging 12.1 points for a Georgia team which finished 32-4, won the SEC championship and advanced to the NCAA regional finals. Nolan averaged 13.4 points this past season but missed a month after fracturing a bone in her shooting hand in early January. She returned for the final eight games of the season and regained her form late in the year. Nolan scored a season-high 23 points against Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale and had 21 points a week later as the Lady Bulldogs beat the Commodores again to win the SEC tournament. But Georgia was upset by Missouri in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Georgia could have three high picks in the WNBA draft. Kelly and
Coco Miller are two of only four players to top the 2,000-point
scoring plateau in Lady Bulldog history.
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