If things go according to plan for Kelly Graves and the Oregon Ducks, the team will win a national championship in New Orleans in two months, then will see three of its star players leave the collegiate ranks for the WNBA.
One of those players – Satou Sabally – made it official on Thursday with her announcement that she will forgo her senior season in Eugene and declare for the WNBA draft.
Sabally is averaging 16 points and seven rebounds per game.
https://t.co/MNQ5VZ7EM1 pic.twitter.com/II9emqWR67
— Satou Sabally (@BallySatou) February 20, 2020
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
.@BallySatou announces she will pursue “her childhood dream to play professional basketball” following the conclusion of her junior season.
We’re so proud of you, Satou! #GoDucks https://t.co/AC0TR3Bl5w
— Oregon Women’s Basketball (@OregonWBB) February 20, 2020
Satou Sabally sat down with ESPN’s Holly Rowe to discuss her decision to leave Oregon after this season and declare for the WNBA draft.https://t.co/UfrAjULSDc
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) February 20, 2020
DraftSite.com has Sabally going No. 2 to the Dallas Wings, right behind her Ducks teammate Sabrina Ionescu being chosen first overall by the New York Liberty. It also has the Wings selecting Ruthy Hebard fifth overall. Dallas acquired the fifth overall pick in the deal that sent Skylar Diggins-Smith to the Phoenix Mercury.
Sabally, in an interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe said that one aspect that went into making the decision to go pro was the opportunity to provide financial assistance to her family.
My family’s not that financially rich or in the middle-class.
–Satou Sabally (via interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe)
Having the chance to see my family more when I’m pro because I’ll be able to afford flying them out, and that’s just a really big factor for me…
–Satou Sabally (via interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe)
Sabally also said she wanted to be remembered as having contributed to something special in Oregon.
I hope they remember me as, like, a part of something great.
–Satou Sabally (via interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe)
I really hope that they also don’t only see me as the basketball player, but I hope that they see how involved I was outside of basketball.
–Satou Sabally (via interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe)
There is still one item Oregon would like to cross off on its wish list – a national championship. With March Madness around the corner, Charlie Crème’s latest Bracketology on ESPN.com has Oregon as one of the four No. 1 seeds with Baylor, Maryland and overall No. 1 South Carolina.
