Press release...
Unique Thompson became the ninth WNBA Draft pick in Auburn history Thursday night when she was selected by the Indiana Fever with the 19th overall selection.
“I’m excited, I’m happy,” Thompson said of her selection by the Fever. “The nerves aren’t there anymore. I’m just ready to go. I’m ready to get to work. (Representing Auburn in the WNBA) means so much to me. Auburn is where I started to build my legacy, this is where my hard work began, so it means everything to me.”
Thompson is the first Auburn player to be selected by Indiana and the first Tiger drafted since DeWanna Bonner and Whitney Boddie were selected in 2009.
“I wasn’t even paying attention at first,” Thompson said of when her name was announced on the ESPN broadcast. “And then I heard everybody start screaming, and I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I kind of expected it (being selected by Indiana), I had a long conversation with them on Zoom the other day and I just got off the phone with Teaira (McCowan), Victoria (Vivians) and a few of my other new teammates. I’m looking forward to getting there and getting started.”
Thompson led the Tigers in 2020-21 with 17.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, averaging a double-double for the third straight season. Her 12.8 rebounds per game led the SEC, and her 5.4 offensive rebounds per game led the nation. She was one of two players nationwide to have two games this season with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. For her efforts this season, she was named to the All-SEC Second Team and a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American.
Thompson finished her career Auburn’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,156, and she is Auburn’s 12th-leading scorer with 1,540 points. She is also Auburn’s all-time leader in double-doubles with 58, including 16 during the 2020-21 season. She averaged 14.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game over her four-year career.
Along with Bonner and Boddie from 2009, other WNBA Draft selections from Auburn include Ruthie Bolton, Chantel Tremitiere, Tara Williams, Carolyn Jones, Monique Morehouse and Marita Payne.
Indiana drafted two other SEC players in Aaliyah Wilson (Texas A&M) and Maya Caldwell (Georgia). The Fever have three other former SEC standouts on their roster in Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan and Victoria Vivians, along with South Carolina’s Tiffany Mitchell. The Fever went 6-16 overall last season in their first year under head coach Marianne Stanley and finished 11th in the WNBA standings.
Auburn Women's Basketball WNBA Draft History
1997
Ruthie Bolton – Sacramento Monarchs – assigned by league
Chantel Tremitiere - Sacramento Monarchs - 3rd Round, 2nd Pick (18th overall)
Tara Williams – Phoenix Mercury – developmental player
1999
Carolyn Jones - New York Liberty - 4th Round, 2nd Pick (42nd overall)
2000
Monique Morehouse - Cleveland Rockers - 3rd Round, 1st Pick (33rd overall)
2006
Marita Payne - Connecticut Sun - 3rd Round, 14th Pick (42nd overall)
2009
DeWanna Bonner - Phoenix Mercury - 1st Round, 5th Pick (5th overall)
Whitney Boddie - Sacramento Monarchs - 2nd Round, 7th Pick (20th overall)
2021
Unique Thompson – Indiana Fever – 2nd round, 7th pick (19th overall)
Unique Thompson became the ninth WNBA Draft pick in Auburn history Thursday night when she was selected by the Indiana Fever with the 19th overall selection.
“I’m excited, I’m happy,” Thompson said of her selection by the Fever. “The nerves aren’t there anymore. I’m just ready to go. I’m ready to get to work. (Representing Auburn in the WNBA) means so much to me. Auburn is where I started to build my legacy, this is where my hard work began, so it means everything to me.”
Thompson is the first Auburn player to be selected by Indiana and the first Tiger drafted since DeWanna Bonner and Whitney Boddie were selected in 2009.
“I wasn’t even paying attention at first,” Thompson said of when her name was announced on the ESPN broadcast. “And then I heard everybody start screaming, and I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I kind of expected it (being selected by Indiana), I had a long conversation with them on Zoom the other day and I just got off the phone with Teaira (McCowan), Victoria (Vivians) and a few of my other new teammates. I’m looking forward to getting there and getting started.”
Thompson led the Tigers in 2020-21 with 17.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, averaging a double-double for the third straight season. Her 12.8 rebounds per game led the SEC, and her 5.4 offensive rebounds per game led the nation. She was one of two players nationwide to have two games this season with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. For her efforts this season, she was named to the All-SEC Second Team and a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American.
Thompson finished her career Auburn’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,156, and she is Auburn’s 12th-leading scorer with 1,540 points. She is also Auburn’s all-time leader in double-doubles with 58, including 16 during the 2020-21 season. She averaged 14.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game over her four-year career.
Along with Bonner and Boddie from 2009, other WNBA Draft selections from Auburn include Ruthie Bolton, Chantel Tremitiere, Tara Williams, Carolyn Jones, Monique Morehouse and Marita Payne.
Indiana drafted two other SEC players in Aaliyah Wilson (Texas A&M) and Maya Caldwell (Georgia). The Fever have three other former SEC standouts on their roster in Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan and Victoria Vivians, along with South Carolina’s Tiffany Mitchell. The Fever went 6-16 overall last season in their first year under head coach Marianne Stanley and finished 11th in the WNBA standings.
Auburn Women's Basketball WNBA Draft History
1997
Ruthie Bolton – Sacramento Monarchs – assigned by league
Chantel Tremitiere - Sacramento Monarchs - 3rd Round, 2nd Pick (18th overall)
Tara Williams – Phoenix Mercury – developmental player
1999
Carolyn Jones - New York Liberty - 4th Round, 2nd Pick (42nd overall)
2000
Monique Morehouse - Cleveland Rockers - 3rd Round, 1st Pick (33rd overall)
2006
Marita Payne - Connecticut Sun - 3rd Round, 14th Pick (42nd overall)
2009
DeWanna Bonner - Phoenix Mercury - 1st Round, 5th Pick (5th overall)
Whitney Boddie - Sacramento Monarchs - 2nd Round, 7th Pick (20th overall)
2021
Unique Thompson – Indiana Fever – 2nd round, 7th pick (19th overall)
