Player Profile: Jennifer Lacy
| DREAM
PLAYER PROFILE: JENNIFER LACY |
Dream forward Jennifer Lacy already has one thing that most players in the league are still chasing� a WNBA championship ring. Lacy, a versatile 6-3 forward, was a member of last year�s Phoenix Mercury team that captured the 2007 WNBA Championship. Lacy is hoping to experience the same type of success with her new team, the Atlanta Dream. �It was amazing being on a championship team early in my career,� said Lacy. �I learned a lot and gained a lot of experience. It was indescribable going through winning the Western Conference and playing in the championship series and pulling out a win in Game 5 vs. Detroit. It was just really incredible.� Growing up, Lacy didn�t have to look far to find a role model for her athletic career. Lacy�s father, Lee Lacy, was a professional baseball player in the major leagues from 1972-1987. During his career, he appeared in four World Series (three with the Los Angeles Dodgers and one with the Pittsburgh Pirates). He also had a brief stint in Atlanta, where he played for the Braves during the 1976 season. Lacy played collegiately at Pepperdine University from 2001-2004, where she averaged 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Waves as a senior. The leading scorer in the West Coast Conference, Lacy�s play earned her first team All-WCC honors during her senior season. In 2006, Lacy became the first ever West Coast Conference player to make a WNBA team after signing with Phoenix as a free agent following an invitation to training camp. In her rookie season with the Mercury, Lacy appeared in 33 games, averaging 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds off the bench. Her field goal percentage (.477) led all qualifying rookies in 2006. In 2007, Lacy was a role player on a talented Mercury team that claimed the league championship by defeating the Detroit Shock. During the 2008 expansion draft, Coach Marynell Meadors acquired Lacy from the Mercury. A quick, athletic post, Lacy is equally at ease posting up or taking it to the basket off the dribble. She runs the floor well and is aggressive on both ends of the court. A natural leader, Lacy has already stepped up as one of the most vocal leaders on the Dream team. Her versatility, playoff experience and winning attitude will be important to a young Dream team early on in the season. �Coming to the Dream as an expansion team, I�m just trying to bring that experience and winning mentality,� said Lacy. �Every time we approach the basketball court, in the locker room, everything� we just have to think win.� Already a WNBA Champion in her third year in the league, Lacy hopes there are more championship rings to come. |