Former UAPB Head Coach Dawn Thornton expresses her thoughts on Zaay Green being chosen in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Unfiltered Redraft:
Hey there! Let's dive into the heartwarming story of Zaay Green, a WNBA draftpick who's had a roller coaster ride to get where she is today.
You bet, Dawn Thornton, former coach of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, couldn't help but shed a few tears upon hearing Green's name being called at the 2025 WNBA Draft, picked by the Washington Mystics. After all, it wasn't just about basketball, it was about grit, resilience, and pure heart.
Thornton posted an emotional Instagram message, accompanied by pics and vids of Green's UAPB days:
"I cracked, big time. Not just because you made it, but because I've seen the battles you've fought, the demons you've faced, the days you wanted to quit but didn't. I've watched you lead despite the unseen struggles, and dammit, I'm dang proud. Coaching ya'll has been a career highlight.
This ain't about basketball, it's about willpower, faith, and never giving up. You chose this small-town HBCU, you believed in me, and I gave ya'll your swagger back. You earned this the hard way, and I'm proud as hell.
To the Washington Mystics, prepare yourselves for one tenacious player.
Now, Green didn't have a straight shot to fruition. After stints at Tennessee and Texas A&M, she found her way to Thornton and the Lady Golden Lions. Green lit up the SWAC, becoming one of the top players, racking up First Team All-SWAC honors and the Newcomer of the Year award in her first season at UAPB, despite a 2022 season-long injury setback.
But when she returned for her last season at UAPB, Green was more determined than ever, leading the Golden Lions in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, with numbers even better than her freshman year, propelling UAPB to a fourth-place regular season finish in the conference.
However, after the 2023-2024 season ended, Green announced her decision to transfer, writing a heartfelt letter about her gratitude to UAPB and Coach Thornton. She cited certain circumstances during the season that stopped her from following Thornton to Alabama A&M. But rest assured, her love for her HBCU remains unshaken.
Fast forward to today, Green has entered the graduate transfer portal at the University of Alabama, where she displayed remarkable improvement in her skills, becoming Alabama's second-leading scorer with an average of 15.7 points per game. Her draft stock got a much-needed boost, and she was eventually picked by the Washington Mystics as the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Despite two ACL tears and a career full of transitions, Zaay Green has proven that sheer determination and never-say-die attitude can take you places. Now, she's ready to conquer the WNBA[1][3][4][5]!
As for other basketball news, Norfolk State's Diamond Johnson got a WNBA training camp invite, Taraji P. Henson will serve as Spelman College's commencement speaker, Shannon Sharpe was accused of choking a female coworker at Fox, and Sharpe stepped aside from his ESPN duties amid these accusations[2].
Enrichment Data:
Zaay Green's college career has been full of shifts, as she's attended multiple institutions, including Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (UAPB), and the University of Alabama.Throughout her career, Green has earned significant recognitions, such as being a two-time All-SWAC selection (2023-24) and earlier, the SEC All-Freshman team during her time at Tennessee.After leaving UAPB, Green entered the transfer portal and landed at the University of Alabama for her graduate-transfer year, where she showed remarkable improvement in her skills.In the 2025 WNBA draft, Green was chosen as the 32nd overall pick by the Washington Mystics, marking her departure from college basketball and stepping into a professional career.
[1] https://www.sportscasting.com/university-of-arkansas-pine-bluff-lnb-alum-zaay-green-selected-in-the-2025-wnba-draft/[2] https://www.sportscasting.com/shannon-sharpe-accused-of-choking-female-coworker-at-fox/[3] https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/36066248/exclusive-former-uab-ladies-golden-lions-player-amaya-khalil-will-transfer-marquette[4] https://uapbathletics.com/news/2023/3/21/amaya-khalil-transfers-to-marquette-after-two-years-at-arkansas-pine-bluff[5] https://sports.yahoo.com/former-uapb-womens-basketball-player-114352189.html[6] https://www.uapbathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/index
- Despite suffering injuries and navigating multiple colleges, including Tennessee, Texas A&M, UAPB, and the University of Alabama, Zaay Green received the SWAC Newcomer of the Year award and became a First Team All-SWAC honoree during her time at UAPB.
- In her final season at UAPB, Zaay Green demonstrated her determination by leading the Golden Lions in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, despite a season-long injury setback the previous year.
- After expressing gratitude to UAPB and Coach Thornton in a heartfelt letter, Green entered the graduate transfer portal at the University of Alabama, where she improved her skills significantly and became Alabama's second-leading scorer.
- In the 2025 WNBA Draft, Zaay Green was picked as the 32nd overall pick by the Washington Mystics, marking her transition from college basketball to a professional career in sports.
- Although faced with a series of challenges and obstacles, Zaay Green's perseverance and never-say-die attitude propelled her towards achieving her dream of playing in the WNBA.
