NBA Star Helped Amoore Make Even Bigger Impact at WNBA Draft

UK Athletics Photo

Kentucky point guard Georgia Amoore made a big impact at the WNBA Draft on Monday night.

The Australian native was the No. 6 overall pick as the Washington Mystics paired her with two other first-round selections, Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron and USC forward Kiki Iriafen.

Amoore was projected as a possible top 10 pick after leading UK in scoring, assists and 3-pointers but since she was only 5-foot-6 there were concerns about her size that Washington obviously did not share.

However, Amoore also had a “big” impact at the draft because she was wearing an outfit designed by NBA star Russell Westbrook of the Denver Nuggets. He was at the draft since has has time off before the playoffs start.

Westbrook is a respected and well-known designer and Monday night he got to showcase his work with Amoore’s outfit.

“I can’t even find the words, so if you can help me, because it’s phenomenal,” Amoore said after her selection when she was asked about Westbrook designing the outfit for her. “He’s done such a good job, and it didn’t feel like just to put his name on something. When we talked about the fit, it was very collaborative. He spent hours with me at the hotel today fitting it, trying it on.

“He’s been very active in the process, and I can’t thank him enough because even the little bits of advice he’s given me along the way, to have a contact like that now as someone I can try and lean on or lean into, it’s amazing, and I think it’s the start. You’re going to see this happen more often, and I think it’s just a blessing to be the first one to do it.”

Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks and his staff attended the draft along with Amoore’s family.

She shared these other thoughts after her selection:

Q. You’ve played with and against some of the best. Who’s a WNBA player you can’t wait to compete with or prove yourself against?

GEORGIA AMOORE: To compete with, I mean, look at the team I was just selected on, right? Especially having that tie with Jade Melbourne, Aaliyah Edwards, a core that I’ve had experience with, I’m super excited to get there and grow myself and my game and then go out and put my best foot forward.

Q. You talked a lot about your relationship with coach Brooks and how much he’s meant to you. What advice has he given you that you’re excited to use in your pro career?

GEORGIA AMOORE: Yeah, he’s always told me to stop and smell the roses, not to get too ahead of yourself or live too far in the past and just be super present with what’s happening, and it helped me tonight and it’s going to help me going forward.

Q. Georgia, your basketball IQ and passing ability is second to none. I wanted to know how much better do you feel like you can be on the next level, and what part of your game do you feel like will surprise a lot of people?

GEORGIA AMOORE: Yeah, iron sharpens iron. When you get thrown into a situation like that, you either adapt or drown, right, swim or drown. So, I’m excited to go in and be challenged and mentally grow my game. I know I have the mental capabilities and I know I have the confidence to do so. So I’m so excited to do that.

A part about me that might surprise people, I haven’t felt like I’ve shown the ability to be that pesky, annoying defender. I think just being a little bit conservative, knowing I had to be on the court during my times at Kentucky and Virginia Tech, I’m excited to kind of be able to go ahead and do that.

Q. Watching the three picks early on, you and Kiki and Sonia, what does it mean to have the three of you together coming into this and helping this franchise get back to where they want to be?

GEORGIA AMOORE: Yeah, it feels amazing. I’ve always said playing against Sonia for the past four years when she was at Notre Dame and I was at Tech that I wanted to play with her one day. Now, I didn’t think it would be in a situation like this. I’ve told her that. I’m pretty sure I’ve told her mom that. So I’m super excited to be with her and through this.

And Kiki, you guys just saw her. I love Kiki, her personality and her demeanor, but when she gets on court, it’s wraps, and I think I’ve had good experience with the both of them, playing against them, but even going to camps, I went to camps with Kiki. So I’m just super excited to be with both of them. They’re great people, great players, and I’m just thrilled to be a part of that.