Local stars await WNBA draft day

Kim Smith and Shona Thorburn found another path to Boston.

The University of Utah stars, whose bid to participate in the NCAA tournament's Final Four ended with an overtime loss to eventual winner Maryland in the Elite Eight, wound up making the journey for a different reason.

They're among 42 college seniors who took part in the WNBA's Pre-Draft Camp on Monday. Both Smith and Thorburn have also been invited to attend today's draft in person.

Utah coach Elaine Elliott is hopeful that both players will be selected in the three-round event (11 a.m., ESPN2). Being invited to attend the proceedings, she added, is a great honor and an indication that an opportunity exists.

"We've very proud and happy for both of them," Elliott said. "You just need to feel good about the fact that they've put themselves in great position with great play. I want them to enjoy that and be proud of that."

Smith, a four-time Mountain West Conference player of the year, finished her collegiate career as Utah's all-time scoring leader. Thorburn, who shared the MWC's top honor with Smith in 2005, is the Utes' all-time assists leader.

The Canadian duo led Utah to 101 victories over the past four seasons. Moving on without them won't be easy. Elliott, however, said it's the reality of collegiate athletics.

"Players will come, make their mark and they'll be gone," Elliott said. "It's the hardest part, but it's also the most rewarding.

"It's OK that college basketball is a finite period of time. They've got a lot of years to live and life ahead of them," she continued. "This is just one of those early experiences and I think kids should be ready to move to the next one. I don't want kids that aren't ready to leave. I want them to be ready to leave."

Thorburn and Smith were joined in Boston earlier this week by BYU star Ambrosia Anderson, the only invitees from the Mountain West.

Anderson has since returned home, opting instead to spend draft day in Provo.

However, she returns after having improved her standing among WNBA scouts and coaches, with WNBA.com's Nancy Lieberman and John Schuhmann both saying Anderson had upped her stock in Monday's pre-draft camp.

"She was really filling it up in the afternoon session," wrote Schuhmann.

And Anderson came back feeling good about her audition. Her highlight?

"To play with all those girls from top 10 programs and hang with them — really hang with them," she said Tuesday. "It's good to know a girl from Provo like me can play with them and hold my own."

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WNBA draft

Today, 11 a.m.

TV: ESPN2

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com

Contributing: Scott Taylor