Basketball: Zellous ready to debut with WNBA’s Shock

When Shavonte Zellous was drafted as the No. 11 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, she became Pitt’s first women’s draft pick in history. Almost two months later, Zellous is settling in at her new home with defending WNBA champion Detroit Shock.

“It’s been great,” Zellous said. “I love it to death. Especially on my team with all the veterans, it’s just so different, but I really love it. My dream has really come true.”

Detroit will play its first regular season game on June 6 against the Los Angeles Sparks. It will be Zellous’ first professional game, but if her preseason performance is any indication, she’s ready for the big leagues.

In three preseason games, Zellous averaged 13 points, including an 18-point performance against the Chicago Sky. She led all scorers in that match-up.

Zellous said her biggest challenge thus far is competing against bigger guards and defenders. Although she was worried about adjusting to the WNBA and playing with and against veterans, Zellous said her biggest challenge is yet to come.

“I really haven’t faced [my biggest challenge] yet, because the games haven’t started,” Zellous said. “I’m talking about when it’s crunch time or it’s time to do certain things, when you need to know this play and stuff like that. I really haven’t faced that yet.”

But her past suggests she’ll be prepared for her next challenge.

During her years as a Pitt guard, Zellous said she focused on improving her game for the WNBA. Last season, Zellous averaged 22.4 points per game, which was sixth in the country and second in the Big East. She scored more points in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament than any other player.

She finished her career at Pitt with 2,251 points, including a record-setting 747 points in her senior season. Zellous became the only basketball player — men’s or women’s — in Pitt history to score more than 700 points in a single season. During her historical career at Pitt, Zellous sharpened her game for the next level.

“I focused on [improving my game] when I was at college and that included extending my range from the three point line,” Zellous said. “I still have a little more work to do as far as my ball handling skills.”

Zellous said that all the summers she spent working on her mid-range game and attacking the basket helped her reach the level she’s at now. Currently, she said she is focusing on extending her range to the 3-point line.

Along with her offensive skills, Zellous brings defensive prowess to the Detroit Shock. She totaled 35 steals and 20 blocks in 33 games last season.

Zellous joins a Detroit roster that is full of veteran players, with seven players with five or more years of experience in the league. Two players have spent a decade playing professional basketball.

“It is quite different from the college level because you’re playing against older women who have been in college, but been in a league for a couple years,” Zellous said.

But she said playing in the Big East conference made her a mature and knowledgeable player. Last season, two Big East teams played for the National Championship, while Pitt advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.

And as one of the league’s highly touted rookies this season, Zellous feels prepared to help out her team with the skills she has.

“I feel like I’m another guard that can score and have the same intensity that the guards in Detroit already have,” Zellous said. “I’m kind of well-equipped in a lot of things.”