BATON ROUGE – After concluding one of the most brilliant careers in LSU women’s basketball history last month, All-America forward LaSondra Barrett is one of 15 players who have been invited to attend the 2012 WNBA Draft, which gets underway at 1 p.m. CT Monday on ESPN2.
The WNBA Draft will be held at ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Conn. ESPN2 will provide coverage and analysis of the first round beginning at 1 p.m. CT; in addition, ESPN3.com will simulcast the entire Draft. The second and third rounds will be televised on ESPNU and NBA TV.
Barrett has been projected as a first round pick by several WNBA Draft websites. She is the first Lady Tiger invited to attend the draft since Allison Hightower in 2010, and she seeks to become the seventh LSU player taken in the first round since the league’s inception in 1999.
“Coach Nikki (Caldwell) called me and told me I had been one of only 15 players invited to the draft,” said Barrett. “Initially, my heart dropped and I was just excited. It was a very emotional moment for my family and Coach Caldwell was excited too. She prepared me well. It’s always been my dream job to play in the WNBA since I was a kid.”
Barrett’s versatility is a popular commodity for WNBA teams. In Caldwell’s first season, Barrett’s role expanded as she developed her leadership and shooting skills and an ability to play one through five positions on the floor. After LSU lost senior point guard Destini Hughes to a season-ending knee injury at Tennessee on Jan. 19, it was Barrett who carried the team on her back and assumed the point guard position on several occasions.
“She’s one of the few players in the country that you could say has played one through five (positions),” said Caldwell. “She’s our rock, our All-American – rebounding, defending, scoring and distributing the basketball. Most importantly, she’s our leader.”
Barrett said she learned a lot about herself as she grew as a player and leader during LSU’s run to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game and NCAA Tournament second round.
“I have grown a lot mentally,” said Barrett. “My freshman year I probably just played the game and never realized there is another side to it. I know how to take care of my body, how to eat right and how to prepare for games by studying my opponents. I am a better student of the game.”
Caldwell served as a key influence and Barrett said she has built a relationship with her that will last a lifetime.
“She’s meant a lot to me and expanded my game,” said Barrett. “Coming in, she challenged me and was straight forward. At first, I didn’t understand but she pushed me to be the best I could be and I appreciate that so much. She talked about sacrificing for the greater good of the team. Off the court, we (team) connect with her in so many different ways.”
Barrett impacted the record books at LSU in several different categories. She became the 10th player in school history to collect over 800 rebounds in a career, and she finished 11th in LSU career scoring annals with 1,553 points. In her 126 career games played, she scored in double-figures in 90 of those and produced 20 double-doubles, the most since Sylvia Fowles.
No player in school history made more free throws than Barrett as she shattered Fowles’ record with 497 makes. For the season, she made (177) and attempted (236) more free throws than any player in the SEC. The 177 makes went down as third in LSU single-season history and the most by an LSU player since 1979-80 season
“To even be mentioned in a category with Sylvia Fowles is just amazing and an honor to me,” she said. “She’s one of the greatest players and I have a lot of respect for her. One day, I can tell my kids and grandkids that I broke the free throw record.”
Off the court, Barrett owned the team’s highest grade point average, was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and was recognized for her efforts in the community as a member of the SEC Community Service Team. As she prepares for her professional career, she will forever be an LSU graduate having earned her undergraduate degree in Dec. 2011.
Barrett said her four years at LSU have created relationships that will last a lifetime.
“Just being around the team atmosphere here at LSU, that’s something you don’t get anywhere else. I have built relationships that will last forever. There’s no better school than LSU because of our great fans and our family environment. I will always come back.”