Vol. V ol. 95, IIssue ssue 2 25 5 | Ap A April p ril 20 - April il 26, 2017
‘MONEY MOT’ MAKES MOVE TO WNBA By Isaiah Kim-Martinez Sports Editor
On April 13, Adrienne Motley was selected as the 32nd pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever. She was nervous during the draft, but now the anxiety is gone. She is ready to enter training camp and take the league by storm. University of Miami graduating senior Adrienne Motley was nervous watching the 2017 WNBA draft. She admits it. But after being selected as the 32nd pick in the draft by the Indiana Fever, the anxiety is gone, and Motley is ready to go. “I was nervous during the draft because I can’t control that, but I can control what I do on the court,” Motley said. “I have been playing basketball too long to be nervous about anything [on the floor].” The 5-foot-9 guard from Newport News, Virginia, is set to travel to Indiana April 20. She will work out and have physicals done over the weekend, start a week-long training camp April 23 and then wait to see if she makes the team.
“It’s the game I love, it’s just a bigger stage and I can get paid for it,” Motley said, smiling. “Just another game, just another practice. I just have to raise my game.” Motley watched the draft in the player lounge of the Watsco Center with her father, Adrian, best friend and trainer. After the announcement was made, she shared an emotional moment with her dad. Her dream had come true. “I hugged my dad, it was real intimate,” she said. “We have been through a lot, and I thanked him for everything he has done because I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him and my mother.” Motley said she made sure her dad was there with her to watch the selection process because he has always had a way of keeping her calm. As the night went on, she repeatedly hit her head on him as she waited for her name to be called. He kept telling her, “You’re good, just calm down.” He stayed strong for his only child.
Motley’s father got her started ather ggo ot h he er st tartteed in basketball when she was years hen sh he w as 5 y earrss old. He was a referee, would feree,, and nd sshe hee w oulld d follow him around Since und th thee ggym. ym. S i ce in then, he has made has de sure re sshe he h as ccononstantly had peoplee arou around her hee und dh er tthat hatt h trusted and that she he wass aalways lw way ays in in tthe he he best position to succeed. ceed. He has been one of h her er ttoughest ou ugh ghest critics but also her biggest fan. iggestt fa an. “I know that it meantt a lo lot for him ot fo or h im to see my name up there there, share e, sso o to o sh hare that moment was speci special,” Motley iall,”” M otl t ey said. Motley said that, imm immediately media diate ately afaf ter the selection, her former Hurricanes rmerr H urrriccan nes teammates congratulated her through ed h er th hro ough h an influx of text messages. es. “They were going crazy on Whatrazy yo n Wh W hat-sApp, just telling me how proud they wp ro oud th hey ey were of me and that we wer were going re ggo oin ng to o celebrate,” Motley said. “Itt m meant eaant a llot. ott. That was honestly the only rely tthing hin hi ng I re ng eplied to right away.” Continued on page 13. Photo by Josh White