On April 20, Anne Thorius became the third Michigan women”s basketball player to be drafted into the WNBA when she was selected by the Orlando Miracle in the fourth round of this year”s draft.
- Paul Wong
- Anne Thorius, pictured above in her sophomore year against Northwestern, was selected by the Orlando Miracle.<br><br>File Photo
“It is a dream come true,” Thorius said. “It is really exciting and really intimidating at the same time.”
Thorius was a co-captain this past season and helped guide the Wolverines to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Thorius became the first player, man or woman, to accumulate 1,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds in a career. She joins former Wolverines Pollyanna Johns and Stacey Thomas in the professional ranks.
The nerve-racking wait on draft day was worsened when Orlando coach and general manager Carolyn Peck called Michigan coach Sue Guevara in her office for her take on Thorius.
“They were curious as to whether I could run the team or if I could play the two,” Thorius said. “Coach G was very positive in selling me as a player.”
Thorius will be reunited with a former Big Ten foe. Purdue standout and conference Player of the Year Katie Douglas was selected by the Miracle in the first round.
“It will be fun to see her from the other side, to see what her personality is like,” Thorius said. “But it will be a little weird (to play with her).”
Thorius hopes that her selection will be good for Michigan players, as well as other Danish players.
“I”m getting e-mail from people at home and they are saying that this is great exposure for all of us,” Thorius said. “It is great for all the younger girls that dream (about playing professional basketball).”
Thorius” selection does not guarantee her a position on the roster and her fate will be decided in the next couple weeks at Orlando”s training camp, which begins May 2. Historically, about half of the players chosen in the third and fourth rounds of the draft make the team.
“They know what you have done in college,” Thorius said. “But now that you are here, they want to know how you will respond to your teammates.”
“It is going to be tough physically and mentally,” Thorius said. “The amount of talent out there is incredible.”