CHICAGO — Most draft prospects aren’t too picky about their potential destination. But for Maryland senior Shyanne Sellers, it’s a slightly different story.
Chicago means something different to the Sellers family. And Shyanne’s father, Brad, can’t lie — it’s hard not to dream about the prospect of hearing his daughter’s name called to the city almost four decades after the Bulls selected him.
“Look, the trip back to Chicago hasn’t gotten past us,” Sellers told the Chicago Tribune with a grin. “It’s exciting to even think about.”
There’s a high likelihood Sellers won’t be available by the time the Sky are on the clock Monday night with the No. 10 pick in the WNBA draft. Although initial mock drafts often had Sellers being selected toward the end of the first round, her stock skyrocketed after stars such as Olivia Miles opted to return for a final year of eligibility.
Sellers, a 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 14.4 points and 4.1 assists and shot a career-high 40.8% from 3-point range as a senior. If she falls far enough — or if general manager Jeff Pagliocca is willing to make one more draft maneuver — Sellers fits the profile of the lengthy shooter the Sky have coveted in this draft.
Most mock drafts now place Sellers as the No. 4 or No. 5 pick, which would send her to the Washington Mystics or expansion Golden State Valkyries. Still, that hasn’t kept the Sellerses from making their pitch. They feel Chicago would be a perfect fit for Shyanne — her older sister Syarra is even studying law at DePaul, regularly teasing Shyanne about the prospect of living in the same city again.
And for the Sellers family, it’s hard not to hope for a return home.
“It really brings you full circle,” Brad Sellers said. “She knows what the city of Chicago means to our family and what it has done for us. To see her come back, it would be a joy for me.”
The Bulls drafted Sellers with the ninth pick in the 1986 NBA draft as they began building a roster around Michael Jordan. Sellers didn’t stay in Chicago long enough to reap the benefits of the ’90s Bulls. He was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics just three years later and remained in the NBA until 1993, when he continued his playing career overseas.
But even after playing for four other NBA teams, the Bulls always held the most meaning for Sellers. He praised the Reinsdorf family for offering support throughout his post-basketball career in media and politics. He now is the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
And decades later, Sellers said he keeps close ties with former Bulls teammates and colleagues.
“I love Chicago and I love the Bulls,” Sellers, 62, said. “Always have and always will. That’s family. I can pick up the phone and call anybody over there. They gave me a start in life that many don’t get a chance at. I’ve always been appreciative of that.”
Shyanne always followed in the footsteps of her older sisters Sydney, Syarra and Shayla. The family jokes that she learned to dribble the same week she learned to walk. So it wasn’t a surprise when her mother, Kym, told a little white lie to sign Shyanne up for a 5-year-old league at age 4.
And it also wasn’t a surprise when Sellers quickly began to impress on the court.
“I saw some things and I was like, ‘Maybe my eyes are fooling me.’ ” Sellers said. “I kept saying, ‘Did she just do what I think she did?’ She just has a knack for the game. She has loved it from the beginning.”
Even with a former pro in the family, Shyanne and her sisters always have credited their mother with sparking their love of basketball. Kym was the one sneaking them onto rec teams and encouraging them to join AAU programs.
Shyanne’s mother couldn’t get on the court with her daughters. Although she played in high school, Kym has used a wheelchair for as long as her youngest daughter ...
