Dvorak
Drury University women’s basketball standout Amber Dvorak has been invited to a preseason camp for the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock.
Dvorak learned Wednesday afternoon that she would get a tryout with the Shock after taking a phone call from her agent, Julianne Dinda of Global-1 Sports, a division of Alliance Sports Management.
“I almost screamed,” Dvorak said. “I was literally pacing my apartment. Just walking around calling people. I almost cried from happiness.”
According to Dinda, Dvorak will be one of about 20 players invited to the Shock’s preseason camp starting April 26 in Tulsa.
The team will pare its roster down to about 15 before the start of the season May 2.
Dinda said Dvorak also drew interest from the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream, and several European teams.
Even if she doesn’t make the Shock roster, there’s a good chance Dvorak will get an opportunity to play professionally overseas.
Dvorak said she graded out as “overseas capable” at a two-day professional prospects combine in Nashville, Tenn., during the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four and would “for sure” pursue an overseas opportunity.
The tallest women’s player in Drury history at 6-foot-7, Dvorak helped lead the Lady Panthers to a 27-4 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight this season. She led the team in scoring, field goal percentage and blocked shots and finished second in rebounding.
Dvorak averaged 16.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game while shooting 57 percent from the field. This past season was her only year at Drury, after she transferred as a graduate student from the University of Minnesota.
“Whether she’s in (WNBA) training camp for one day or makes the roster, just being invited makes her stock overseas skyrocket,” Dinda said in a news release from Drury. “She had a really good showing at our combine… our scouting department was excited about her.”
The Shock picked former Baylor star Odyssey Sims No. 2 overall and former Nebraska standout Jordan Hooper with the first pick of the second round in Monday’s WNBA Draft. Former Notre Dame star Skylar Diggins also plays for the team.
“It’s an insane feeling, but I’m not settling,” Dvorak said. “It’s such an accomplishment to get this far… A year ago I never thought I would be here. Everyone that got me here today, they all mean so much to me.
“I’m ready to go there and show them what I can do.”
Chris Basnett9:51 p.m. CDT April 16, 2014
| OBC | First | Last | Pos | Ht | W | College / Last Team | 2014-15 | Country | Agency |
| 3.0 | Amber | Dvorak | C | 6’7 | – | University of Minnesota | Tulsa Shock | WNBA | Global-1 |