USC Women's Basketball

Alaina Coates taken second in WNBA Draft

South Carolina's Alaina Coates (41) blocks a shot by Vanderbilt's Christa Reed (33)
South Carolina's Alaina Coates (41) blocks a shot by Vanderbilt's Christa Reed (33) tglantz@thestate.com

South Carolina women’s basketball center Alaina Coates was taken second in the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She became the highest pick in Gamecocks history.

The 6-foot-4 Dutch Fork High School product got an honorable mention All-American nod from the Associated Press as a senior. That’s despite an ankle injury that cost her almost all of the Gamecocks’ SEC tournament and national championship run.

She earned All-SEC honors all four years of her career. As a senior, she averaged 12.9 points and 10.7 rebounds a game. For her career, she averaged 12.1 points and 9.25 rebounds, playing on four teams that earned No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds and advanced to at least the Sweet 16.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Alaina Coates taken second in WNBA Draft."

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