Skip to main contentShoni Schimmel, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla and the highest-ever Native American draft pick by the W.N.B.A., has attracted a fan base through flashy play and by embracing her heritage that she calls "rez ball," The New York Times says in a profile of Schimmel published today.
"Just have that killer instinct and go out there and just play whatever you're feeling," Schimmel told the Times. "Hey, you're open? Pull up. Throw a behind-the-back pass? Why not?"
Schimmel was raised on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon, but the family moved when Schimmel was a teen. She played basketball first for Hermiston High School then for Franklin High School in Portland. She went on to play for the Cardinals at the University of Louisville.
The WNBA's Atlanta Dream picked up Schimmel in the first round last night.
The Times reports:
WWeek 2015