Courtney Paris already had purchased a ticket to Northern California. On Thursday, she found out she has no reason to leave.
The Monarchs selected the decorated Oklahoma center with the seventh pick in the WNBA draft, sending Paris to the team she grew up watching.
"I'm done with school," Paris said. "Now, I have nothing to do but get ready to play. I'm heading to California to train. I really have to concentrate on my fitness. I know that's been a huge question with me. But I'm ready to prove people wrong."
Paris was expected to be a top-five pick, but she unexpectedly fell several spots, much to Monarchs general manager John Whisenant's delight.
Paris averaged 27.4 points, 18.9 rebounds, five blocks and 2.5 assists during her senior season. She shattered an NCAA record with 112 consecutive double doubles.
Paris, with twin sister Ashley Paris, attended Piedmont and Modesto Christian high schools before joining the Sooners. The daughters of former 49er Bubba Paris, they won consecutive state Division IV titles with Piedmont at Arco Arena in 2004 and 2005.
Courtney Paris was named California's girls basketball Player of the Year as a Piedmont senior.
"We are glad to have us a NorCal gal," Whisenant said. "She's the greatest rebounder in women's college basketball history. … We got ourselves something."
The Monarchs also selected point guard Whitney Boddie of Auburn with the 20th pick and shooting guard Morgan Warburton of Utah at No. 33.
Ashley Paris was selected 22nd by the Los Angeles Sparks.
"It's nerve-wracking, you don't know what will happen, but everything happens for a reason," Courtney Paris said in a telephone interview shortly after her selection. "I couldn't be more excited to go to the Monarchs. I never even thought of having that opportunity to get back (to Northern California). I think my dad is more excited. He leaned over (at the draft) and said he now has the opportunity to come to all the games."
But opportunity will be limited for this draft class, which enters the WNBA as rosters shrink from 13 players to 11 and training-camp rosters are down from 18 players to 15. Those cost-cutting moves come after the Houston Comets folded in December.
That means Paris, Boddie and Warburton will enter a very competitive race for those 11 final spots with the Monarchs. Boddie was named to the All-Southeastern Conference first team after averaging 11.2 points and a national-best 7.9 assists her senior season.
Warburton is a high-percentage shooter who was named the Mountain West Conference's Player of the Year.
"It's a big transition for every player," said Monarchs coach Jenny Boucek. "This year, in some ways it will be a bigger transition."
For Paris, that transition likely includes losing weight, which is something the 6-foot-4, reportedly 240-pound center has heard plenty of times. Now, she has a new team to stress it.
"She needs to lose weight," Whisenant said. "Had she been lighter, she probably would have been the No. 1 draft pick. Her sister lost a significant amount of weight (and) that made her more mobile. I think Courtney realizes that."
Paris says she does, and she's heading to Northern California to prove it.
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521.
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