Source: Radio New Zealand
Charlisse Leger-Walker during the UCLA Bruins NCAA victory. SARAH STIER
The first New Zealand woman to play in the WNBA, Megan Compain, still remembers meeting Charlisse Leger-Walker as a toddler.
Now, nearly three decades after breaking new ground herself, Compain has watched Leger-Walker make history, becoming the first Kiwi woman drafted into the league.
Leger-Walker was selected 18th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA Draft in New York on Tuesday, in a landmark moment for New Zealand basketball.
The 24-year-old guard is just the second New Zealand woman to reach the world’s premier basketball league, following Compain, who played for the Utah Starzz in 1997, but was not drafted.
Compain was team-mates with Charlisse’s mother Leanne Walker across two Olympic Games campaigns with the Tall Ferns.
Compain, who watched the draft on livestream while holidaying on the Gold Coast, said it was an “incredible moment for New Zealand basketball”.
“It’s such a proud moment, obviously first of all for her and her family, she’s got an incredible basketball lineage and I can’t even imagine how proud they are of her. But what this means to New Zealand basketball and the sporting community, it’s just an incredible moment and we’re all super proud,” Compain told RNZ.
“I’ve been messaging her throughout, I can only imagine how many messages she’s been getting, I’m sure she’s been inundated and she always manages a message back, which is special, I certainly feel like I’m on the fangirl bandwagon.
“She’s an incredible young athlete, an incredible person, comes from a great family and I couldn’t be more happy for them.”
Megan Compain made the news when she won a spot in the Utah Starzz. Courtesy of Megan Compain
Leger-Walker’s selection comes on the back of a remarkable college career in the United States, culminating in an NCAA championship with the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball last month – the first time a New Zealand woman has achieved the feat.
A record six players from one college, including five in the first round, were drafted from the championship winning UCLA side.
Compain believes Leger-Walker will thrive at Connecticut Sun.
“The UCLA roster was absolutely stacked and she is someone that makes everyone around her better. Charlisse is an extension of the coach on the court, that’s what I’ve heard a lot of people from the US say about her.
“She’ll do what is asked of her, the Connecticut Sun have a great college programme, a really strong basketball market in Connecticut, and I think she’ll do really well.”
The WNBA is about to celebrate its 30-year anniversary and Compain, who played in the inaugural season, said the league was vastly different to when she was playing.
Charlisse Leger-Walker (L) poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected in the WNBA draft. Getty Images / Angelina Katsanis
In the last few years the profile of the league has sky rocketed thanks to once in a generation athletes like Caitlin Clark, who have helped grow the visibility of the game.
“I think these athletes know what it takes to become a professional on and off the court and the scrutiny that comes with that. The spotlight is on them like never before and the rise of the WBNA has coincided with the rise of women’s sport, it was just a matter of time.
“The opportunity for fans to get to know and be exposed to players through different platforms without necessarily having to go to games is what’s different now verses back in my day.
“Where the league is now verses 30 years ago – it’s the best of the best competing every day. The athletes have got everything like strength and conditioning wrapped around them and that’s a big difference to what we had available so the quality of the athlete and the performance is a huge step up, which is attracting fans to the game.”
Megan Compain Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Leger-Walker, who debuted for the Tall Ferns at just 16, has 42 caps for New Zealand.
Compain said although the WNBA is built around international windows, it will be more difficult for Leger-Walker to juggle the Tall Ferns.
“The WNBA has stars from all international teams and they manage to go back and play for their nations but it becomes more of a challenge.
“She will also likely play somewhere else professionally in the off-season of the WNBA, which a lot of those professionals have to do. It’s not necessarily just the WNBA, it’s what does it look like to be a professional women’s basketball player, supplementing your income in other leagues, and then fitting in your international commitments around that.
“Charlisse has always had a huge desire to play for New Zealand, she’s always been there when she possibly can but we would fully support just like we do with [NBA veteran] Steven Adams, putting your career first and hopefully the black singlet can fit in around what’s best for Charlisse.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
