04/05/2006

Shimek awaits draft call

Ex-Glen Lake star expected to be top-15 pick today

BY JEFF PEEK

jpeek@record-eagle.com

Knight-Ridder
Ex-Glen Lake star Liz Shimek is expected to be a top-15 pick in the first round of today's WNBA draft.

TRAVERSE CITY ­— The day has finally arrived for Liz Shimek.

Dreams of a professional basketball career should become reality today for the former Glen Lake star, who is expected to be among the top picks in the WNBA draft at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

The 6-foot-1 Michigan State forward, who was voted high school's Miss Basketball in 2001, is projected as a late first round or early second round selection. The draft begins at 1 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.

Shimek, who turns 22 on May 25, has spent most of this week in Boston, first competing in the WBCA All-Star Challenge, then in the WNBA's pre-draft camp at Emmuanuel College.

Shimek could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but she told the Lansing State Journal last month — while MSU was still alive in the NCAA tournament — that she didn't want to talk about the WNBA until the Spartans' season was over.

"That's the future. You can't control the future..." Shimek told the Journal. "You have to stay in the moment. You can't think about the future."

Shimek can now, however. Especially after a strong performace in the pre-draft camp.

She had 9 points and 6 rebounds in 20 minutes of action on Monday night to help Team White to a 59-54 win over Team Black, which included MSU teammate Lindsay Bowen. Shimek's 3-pointer gave White its first lead after trailing 32-26 at halftime.

Among those impressed by Shimek is Hall of Famer Ann Meyers, who is now an analyst for WNBA.com.

"Liz Shimek has played in a lot of big games with Michigan State, can shoot the outside shot — very important for forwards to be able to take defenders outside — and has great hands," Meyer said.

Bowen also put in her two cents worth.

"(Liz) is just a tough girl," Bowen said. "She'll go hard all the time and will definitely make some coach happy. We were AAU teammates, college roommates, college teammates... we've been through it all."

In a pre-draft story on the WNBA Stuff Web site, Shimek was projected as the 11th pick of the first round, going to the Seattle Storm.

Former Detroit Shock head coach Nancy Lieberman has Shimek going to the Houston Comets with the first pick of the second round at No. 15.

"The Comets have a solid team, but they could use some help at the power forward position," she wrote on WNBA.com. "They don't have a first-round pick so they would do well to get a player like Liz Shimek at 15.

"Shimek has size, good counter moves and can make the face-up jumper. Plus, she could develop next to a player like (Houston all-star) Tina Thompson."