TORONTO, Ont. (April 10, 2019) – Bridget Carleton, a native of Chatham, Ont., was selected by the Connecticut Sun with the 21st pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft on Wednesday night.
Carleton is the 17th Canadian player to be selected in the WNBA Draft. Canadians have now been picked in each of the past four drafts, matching the longest such streak when four players were selected between 2000-03.
On Friday at the WBCA Coaches’ All-America/Naismith Starting 5 Presentation at the Women’s Final Four, Carleton became the first Canadian winner of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and was named to the Naismith Starting 5.
Carleton is coming off a historic season in which she earned Big 12 Player of the Year honours, becoming the first Cyclone in program history to accomplish the feat. Carleton established school records this season for points scored (760), scoring average (21.7 PPG), field-goals made (254) and field-goals attempted (543). Carleton also ranked second in free-throws made (180) and attempted (209), third in steals (79), fourth in rebounds (302) and tied for ninth in blocks (43).
In addition to being named the Big 12 Player of the Year, Carleton was selected as a Second-Team All-American by the Associated Press and a Third-Team All-American by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, becoming just the second Iowa State player to earn USBWA All-America honors.
Since making her debut at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women, Carleton has been a staple for Team Canada, appearing in 69 games with the national team over the course of the past six years.
After captaining Team Canada at the FIBA U19 Women's World Championship 2015, Carleton made her Senior Women’s National Team debut the following summer, appearing in two exhibition games in Spain.
Carleton was also a member of Canada’s gold medal winning team at the FIBA Women's Americup 2017 and last summer represented the red and white at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 in Tenerife, Spain.
Click here for additional information on Bridget Carleton’s collegiate and national team career.
CANADIANS SELECTED IN WNBA DRAFT
2019: Bridget Carleton (2nd round, 21st pick) – Connecticut Sun
2018: Kia Nurse (1st round, 10th pick) – New York Liberty
2017: Saicha Grant-Allen (3rd round, 35th pick) by Los Angeles Sparks
2016: Adut Bulgak (1st round, 12th pick) – New York Liberty
Jamie Weisner (Scott) (2nd round, 17th pick) – Connecticut Sun (from LA)
Ruth Hamblin (2nd round, 18th pick) – Dallas Wings
Nirra Fields (3rd round, 32nd pick) – Phoenix Mercury
2014: Natalie Achonwa (1st round, 9th pick) – Indiana Fever (from Phoenix Mercury)
Michelle Plouffe (2nd round, 19th pick) – Seattle Storm
2013: Kayla Alexander (1st round, 8th pick) – San Antonio Silver Stars
2007: Amanda Brown (3rd round, 38th pick) – Los Angeles Sparks
2006: Shona Thorburn (1st round, 7th pick) – Minnesota Lynx (from Detroit Shock)
Kim Smith (1st round, 13th pick) – Sacramento Monarchs
2003: Jordan Adams (2nd round, 18th pick) – Minnesota Lynx
2002: Stacy Dales (1stround, 3rd pick) – Washington Mystics
2001: Tammy Sutton-Brown (2nd round, 18th pick) – Charlotte Sting
2000: Cal Bouchard (4th round, 60th pick) – Detroit Shock