The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING her historic promotion to the Women’s National Basketball Association, Waltiea Rolle began offseason play, like many other WNBA players, on the European circuit.

Rolle will spend the fall with Nymburk of the Czech Republic’s ZBL League.

The team opened play Wednesday night on a winning note with an 81-72 win over Valosun Brno.

Rolle was the catalyst on both ends of the floor as she finished with a double double - 22 points and 11 rebounds - both team highs.

In a game high 38 minutes, she shot 10-19 from the field, 2-5 from the free throw line and also added three blocks.

Nymburk will face Kara Trutnov today as they look to move to 2-0.

Last season in Europe, Rolle 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.

Previously playing in the ZBL league, with DSK Karlin, Rolle was named “Player of the Week” three times.

In the WNBA season, her Seattle Storm fell short in their push toward the WNBA postseason, but before the regular season ended, Waltiea Rolle was able to make an impact with the franchise with increased opportunities on the floor.

Rolle tallied a WNBA career high in the Storm’s penultimate game of the season with a double double - 10 points and 10 rebounds - in a 77-65 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on August 15.

In six games with the Storm last season, Rolle averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Seattle finished the season at 12-22, no.5 in the Western Conference standings.

On August 11, the Storm signed Rolle for the remainder of the season after she completed three 10-day contracts with the club.

Rolle made Bahamian basketball history by becoming the first Bahamian to play in the WNBA when she appeared in the Storm’s 80-74 loss to the Tulsa Shock on July 29.

She signed her first seven-day contract with the Storm on July 21, dressing for all three of Seattle’s games spanning from July 22-26, but did not receive playing time during the three games in that timespan.

During the second contract, she received spot duty in three consecutive contests when she scored two points in each outing. She ended the season with five rebounds in a 78-65 loss to the Phoenix Mercury.

On Rolle’s tenure with the club at the time of her signing, Storm coach Brian Agler said: “We’re always looking to find young players and build for the future.”

After completing training camp and the preseason with the Minnesota Lynx, Rolle was waived in May just prior to the tip-off of the WNBA season.

The 6’6” centre was a third-round pick (36th overall) by the Lynx in the 2013 WNBA Draft and appeared in all three preseason games with the team 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 in Minneapolis on May 5.