The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING the disappointment of being waived by the Minnesota Lynx just over two months ago, Waltiea Rolle stayed the course and now has another opportunity to become the first Bahamian to play in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

The Seattle Storm announced yesterday that they signed Rolle to a seven-day contract.

Storm head coach and general manager Brian Agler detailed the impact Rolle will have on the organisation.

“Waltiea is an athletic post player who had a very good career at North Carolina,” he said. “She will have an opportunity to show what she can provide us in both a practice and game environment.”

The Storm are currently No.5 in the Western Conference with a 9-15 record.

Led by 12-year veteran and seven time WNBA All-Star Sue Bird, who returned this season after she sat out the 2013 campaign recovering from knee surgery, the Storm roster also includes front court players Crystal Langhorne (11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game) and team leading scorer Camille Little (12.9 points per game).

What the Storm lack is size with just one player on the roster above 6’2”, 6’5” in rookie Angel Robinson who has appeared in just 16 games with one start this season.

The 23-year-old 6’ 6” centre will be the tallest player for the Storm as her signing brings the roster to 12.

“I am truly grateful and blessed to have another opportunity,” Rolle posted on Facebook. “Everyone was placed on this earth with a purpose and I know for sure this is mine.”

It was just over 24 hours before the WNBA season was set to tip off their title defence when the Lynx waived Rolle.

The move was made to trim the team’s roster to 12 players in preparation for opening night.

Rolle, a third-round pick (36th overall) by the Lynx in the 2013 WNBA Draft, appeared in all three preseason games with the Lynx this season, averaging 7.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

For the Lynx, she came off the bench and in 23.30 minutes, led in scoring with 17 points and five rebounds in their 82-66 triumph over the Australian national team on May 5 in Minneapolis. On May 9 in their 72-64 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Orlando, Rolle came up with just two points and two rebounds in 11.19 minutes. And in her final game on May 11 in Orlando again, she produced two points and six rebounds.

The first Bahamian drafted in WNBA history, she spent a season in Europe before making the transition to the WNBA this season. She had a remarkable season with only 21 games played in Bulgaria’s NBL League, yet still claimed the season’s most valuable player award, as well as the Bulgarian Cup.

Her season averages included 22.9 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.1 block shots, 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals.

Prior to being drafted by the Lynx in the 2013 draft, Rolle averaged 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in her senior year with North Carolina, ranking second in the ACC in blocks per game.

She was voted to the ACC All-Defensive team by coaches twice during her collegiate career.

Rolle finished her four-year career at North Carolina as the eighth-leading shot blocker in ACC history (262).

As a senior, she ranked third in the ACC in offensive rebounds, while ranking second on the Tar Heels in points and third in rebounds.

Following her brief tenure with the Lynx, Rolle spoke to The Tribune about her training camp and preseason experience and how it helped her moving.

As she departed, Rolle said the coaching staff advised her to be more patient in the post and quicker on the defensive end.

“I felt I did a pretty good job. As far as the exhibition season goes, I was the leading scorer in the first game and I think I played better than the girl whom they chose over me, especially since she wasn’t even there for one of the three games. I went out there and did everything that they asked me to do, so it really hurt me when they told me after the final practice that I was not on the team,” she said.

The Storm begins a three-game homestand at Key Arena 7pm tonight when they host the Phoenix Mercury. They follow with matchups against the New York Liberty 7pm July 24 and the Los Angeles Sparks, 1pm on July 26.