Dunlap becomes first UK player ever taken in WNBA first round

Victoria Dunlap took deep breath after deep breath.

Under the small table at the ESPN studio, she popped her knuckles a few times and nervously twisted a ring on her finger.

"My leg was kind of shaking," the former Kentucky star said.

Dunlap watched as players at nearby tables walked to the stage after their names were called during the first round of the WNBA Draft on Tuesday.

"Once the first three or four go, you get nervous because you don't know where you're going to end up or which team you're going to go to," Dunlap said.

But she didn't have to wait too painfully long at her table sitting with her mom Robin Dunlap and UK Coach Matthew Mitchell.

With the 11th pick of the first round, the Washington Mystics selected Dunlap and made her the highest WNBA Draft pick in school history.

"I'm just so proud to represent Lexington, Kentucky and everyone there," Dunlap said in a phone call after the draft.

She said the entire experience has been surreal.

"When your name is called, it's like 'What? Really? Me?' " Dunlap said. "I'm just taking all of this in right now. It's all unbelievable."

The ESPN commentators seemed to think Dunlap is a good fit for the Mystics, who went 22-12 last season and finished first in the Eastern Conference before falling in the conference semifinals.

Dunlap said she wasn't expecting the Mystics to take her.

"I didn't expect it at all," she said. "I was really surprised and I'm real excited."

Some returning stars for the Mystics should include Alana Beard (Duke), Marissa Coleman (Maryland) and Crystal Langhorne (Maryland) as well as former SEC foes Nicky Anosike (Tennessee) and Ashley Houts (Georgia).

"She's a player that has a ginormous heart and she plays far bigger than she may measure on the yard stick," analyst Carolyn Peck said after Dunlap was selected. "This is a player from the SEC, going against much taller players, but still has no fear to go after rebounds."

Rebecca Lobo agreed. "She can rebound the basketball, she can score the basketball ... she just has a way of getting her shots off inside."

Dunlap is the highest WNBA pick in UK history by a long way; the previous high was third rounder Shantia Owens in the 2000 draft.

Dunlap, a 6-foot-1 forward and two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, has left her mark in the UK record book, including finishing her career as the school's second-leading scorer with 1,846 points.

She also is the first player in school history with more than 300 steals, 100 assists and 100 blocks and just the second behind all-time great Valerie Still with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

This season, the Nashville native was the only player in the SEC to rank in the top five in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and steals.

Mitchell said Tuesday was "an incredible day.

"We are just so proud for Victoria," the UK coach said in a release. "She's worked extremely hard, and to be a first-round draft choice is a testament to how hard she's worked and improved during her time at Kentucky. We are proud of her. It's also a special day for our program. To have the first, first-round draft pick in school history is special."

Dunlap will join John Wall, the No. 1 draft pick last season, in Washington, D.C.

On Twitter, he seemed pleased to have a friend coming his way.

"Yessir welcome my buddy @vickydeez34 to Washington," he tweeted. "We got a good one!"

While no contract has been signed yet, most WNBA rookie deals are for three years, with players making about $36,000 in the first season plus a daily allowance.

Many of the top players in the WNBA supplement their salaries by playing overseas.

For instance, former Louisville star Angel McCoughtry played for MKB Euroleasing in Hungary. Candace Parker, a former standout at Tennessee, has played in Russia during the off-season.

Dunlap will be the third professional athlete in her immediate family, joining her father, King, who played three seasons in the NFL and her older brother, King, an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles.

When asked about her family tree of pros, Dunlap laughed.

"I will be the best of them," she said.

This story was originally published April 12, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Dunlap becomes first UK player ever taken in WNBA first round."