Storm Trades for Dunlap, Re-Signs Smith

Storm Trades for Victoria Dunlap, Re-Signs Katie Smith

Smith

Dunlap

Feb. 14, 2012

SEATTLE - The Seattle Storm has acquired forward

Victoria Dunlap from the Washington Mystics in exchange for center Ashley Robinson, Storm Head Coach and General Manager

Brian Agler announced today. Agler also announced the Storm has re-signed guard

Katie Smith as a free agent.

Dunlap, 22, was selected by the Mystics with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 WNBA Draft. She averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 26 games as a rookie, but increased those averages to 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in three starts. Dunlap posted career highs of 19 points and eight boards against the Storm on July 3. She led the WNBA by averaging 3.3 steals per 40 minutes.

At Kentucky, Dunlap was named SEC Player of the Year as a senior after averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and became the first Wildcat ever named to an Associated Press All-America Team.

"We had Victoria on our close radar last year going into the draft," said Agler. "We like her versatility offensively. Athletically, she's as good as there is in the league. We had the opportunity to bring her on our team and we took advantage of it.

"Katie gives us great depth at the guard positions, she can play some three and she's proven to be one of the ultimate winners in the WNBA. I think that as we keep moving forward, we don't want to lose our identity as being a defensive-minded, physically and mentally tough team. She definitely brings all those attributes."

Smith, the all-time leading scorer in women's professional basketball history, returns for her second season with the Storm and 13th in the WNBA. Currently, she stands at No. 3 on the career scoring chart with 6,015 points, behind Tina Thompson (6,751) and Lisa Leslie (6,263). That puts Smith second on the active chart, just behind Thompson (a free agent) and ahead of Storm teammate Lauren Jackson, who finished the 2011 season with 5,915.

A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Smith was recognized last season as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All-Time.

Seattle previously re-signed veteran starters Sue Bird and Tanisha Wright to multi-year contracts and added former All-Star center Ann Wauters as a free agent.

The Storm opens the 2012 season by hosting the Los Angeles Sparks on May 18 at KeyArena.

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