April 19, 2002
NEW YORK, NY -- Duquesne University's and the Atlantic 10's all-time leading scorer, Korie Hlede, was picked up by the New York Liberty in a pre-WNBA draft day trade with the Utah Starzz. The Liberty forfeited the rights to their first round pick to secure the services of the four-year pro.
Hlede, who was the first Duquesne basketball player, men's or women's, to have their basketball number retired, spent the last two plus seasons at Utah after starting her career with the Detroit Shock. She was selected in the first round of the 1998 draft by the Shock as the fourth overall pick.
The native of Croatia has averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game over her WNBA career. Hlede, who saw her playing time drop in her second full year at Utah, averaged 5.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game off the bench for the Salt Lake City squad.
Hlede was acquired by Utah along with Cindy Brown in a trade with the Detroit Shock on July 29, 1999 in a trade for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson. She spent this past offseason playing overseas in Spain.
Carol Blazejowski, Liberty Senior Vice President and General Manager said, "This is one of the players who has impressed me since the inception of the league, and I am thrilled that we have been able to acquire her. She is a versatile player who makes an impact at multiple positions and is a dangerous three-point shooter."
e this is a win-win situation for ourselves and New York. They receive a veteran player and we feel like we will get a good player with the 14th pick... New York is a place Korie calls home and this gives her an opportunity to fulfill a dream of playing at home." (Hlede owns a condominum in New York.)
"All year long, we heard offers for Korie, but none were worthy of the kind of player she is," Harvey told Salt Lake Tribune reporter Lya Wodraska. "This was the first offer that we felt like was a good situation for both of us." The Starzz selected LaNeishea Caufield a 5-9 guard from Oklahoma with the drft pick acquired in the trade.
Hlede holds Duquesne school records for career points (2,631), scoring average (24.1 ppg), steals (334), assists (570), three-pointers made (162) and three-point percentage (.356). She was named the 1997-98 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year as a senior and was a three-time member of the Atlantic 10 First Team She led the conference in scoring in each of her four years of collegiate competition.
