George Washington University Athletics
Jessica Adair Taken by Phoenix Mercury in 2009 WNBA Draft
4/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 9, 2009
SECAUCUS, NJ - George Washington senior Jessica Adair was selected by the Phoenix Mercury in the third round of the 2009 WNBA Draft held in Secaucus, NJ, Thursday.
Adair, who was taken 34th overall by the Mercury, is the fifth player in GW women's basketball history chosen in the WNBA Draft. Tajama (Abraham) Ngongba '97 was taken by the Sacramento Monatchs in the inaugural WNBA Draft in 1997, Cathy Joens '04 and Ugo Oha '04 were selected by the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun, respectively, in 2004 and Kimberly Beck '08 went to the Seattle Storm with the 36th overall pick last year.
The 6-foot-4 Adair led GW in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg), steals (1.1 spg) and field goal percentage (.584) to help the team reach the postseason for the 10th straight year with a bid to the 2009 Postseason WNIT. She also helped the Colonials to back-to-back NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances in 2007 and 2008 and a 95-34 overall record in four seasons.
Adair earned First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors for the third consecutive season in 2008-09, becoming the 10th player in league history to earn the award at least three times. She ranks 11th on GW's career scoring list with 1,475 points, seventh in career rebounds (770) and fifth in career blocks (161), joining Abraham, Oha and Kas Allen '88 as the only Colonials to have at least 1,400 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks in their careers.
Phoenix, which also chose Auburn's DeWanna Bonner with the fifth overall selection and Florida's Sha Brooks with the 31st pick, won the 2007 WNBA Championship, but faded to a 16-18 mark last year and missed the postseason. The Mercury host Sacramento in their preseason opener May 27, before tipping off the season against San Antonio at US Airway Center June 6. Phoenix will visit Washington, DC, to face the Washington Mystics Thursday, June 25.
