LSU's LaDazhia Williams selected in WNBA Draft
One of the key pieces to LSU’s National Championship was forward LaDazhia Williams.
Angel Reese might have stolen the headlines, but when the Tigers needed Williams the most, she answered time and again.
On Monday evening, the production paid off when Williams was selected in Round 2 by the Indiana Fever with the No. 17 overall pick of the 2023 WNBA Draft in New York.
Williams announced her intentions to turn pro after the Tigers cut down the nets following the school’s first basketball championship.
“Coach (Kim) Mulkey elevated my game to a special place,” Williams said. “We made history this year. I ended my career as a national champion.”
Williams caught fire for LSU in the NCAA Tournament
Williams averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist as a starter for the Tigers during the 2022-23 season.
When it came time for March Madness, her game went to another level.
Williams played in all 40 minutes of LSU’s Round of 32 win over Michigan, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
In the Sweet 16 against Utah, Williams played all 40 minutes and logged a season-high 24 points, adding six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in her best game to date.
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The Tigers knocked off the No. 2 seed in Utah, which opened the door for an Elite 8 matchup with No. 9 Miami. Williams ran into foul trouble, which limited her to 23 minutes and just 4 points and 3 rebounds.
Still, LSU advanced to the Final Four. And from there, Williams was spectacular.
She went 7-for-9 from the field in 36 minutes of action in a win over No. 1 seed Virginia Tech, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.
In the National Championship game win over Iowa, Williams worked through foul trouble to log 20 points, five rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes of action.
After a trio of college stops, Williams wins a title
Williams began her career at South Carolina, but after one season she made the move to Missouri.
The move kept Williams in the SEC, and she started 18 games for Missouri during the 2021-22 season and averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds a 1 block per game. She also turned in one of the most efficient seasons in Missouri history as her 58.2 field goal percentage ranked third all-time in program history.