University of North Carolina Athletics
Detroit Picks Bell In WNBA Draft
April 16, 2005 | Women's Basketball
April 16, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina senior Nikita Bell was selected by the Detroit Shock in the second round of the 2005 WNBA Draft Saturday afternoon. A 6-0 forward/guard from Columbus, Ga., Bell was the 20th pick overall.
"Detroit is a good fit for Nikita," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "They play a Carolina style of basketball, and that's exactly where she wanted to go. She had a really good senior year, especially the last 10 or 12 weeks, and put herself in a position to get this opportunity."
Bell averaged 10.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.1 steals as a senior and was voted the 2005 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. She was named to the All-ACC Tournament team as the Tar Heels (30-4) claimed the conference championship and to the Tempe All-Region team as UNC advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. She finished her career ranked fourth in school history and 10th in ACC history in steals and was named honorable mention All-America by the Associated Press.
The Shock, coached by former Detroit Piston Bill Laimbeer, won the WNBA title in 2003 and reached the first round of the playoffs in 2004. In addition to Bell, Detroit drafted Georgia's Kara Braxton with the seventh pick, Oklahoma's Dionnah Jackson with the 13th pick and Southwest Missouri State's Jenni Lingor with the 33rd pick.
Bell watched the draft in Chapel Hill. "I was just smiling and relieved," she said of finding out she'd been selected. "Now I've just got to go up there and establish a spot."
The ninth Tar Heel player taken in the WNBA draft since 1998, Bell was one of two ACC players selected this year. Florida State's Roneeka Hodges went to Houston with the 15th pick overall.
