It was ordinary day. And then I opened my morning newspaper and there it was...a large color photograph of Kiki Jefferson in her Louisville basketball uniform right there on the front page of my LNP LancasterOnline morning newspaper. The photograph caption read: Louisville guard Kiki Jefferson dribbles the ball against North Carolina State during an NCAA college basketball game Feb. 5 in Raleigh, N.C. The Minnesota Lynx selected the former Lancaster Lancaster Catholic standout in the WNBA draft on Monday night.
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| Kiki Jefferson from Lancaster, PA |
Wow...way to go girl!! I can still remember the photo of her in the newspaper from back on March 28, 2018 when the caption read: Lancaster Catholic's Kiki Jefferson drives toward the basket in the PIAA 4A girls basketball championship game March 28, 2018, at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Seems that Kiki's dream has finally materialized. She has always dreamed of being a professional basketball player and has now realized that dream. "I'm going to get there," she vowed to LNP/LancasterOnline last summer. Jefferson took that first big step toward fulfilling that dream this past week when the former Lancaster Catholic H.S. Lancaster-Lebanon League's second all-time leading scorer heard her name called by the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA draft this past Monday. "OMG, I just got drafted," she posted on social media when she got the news. "Thank you Minnesota Lynx. Super excited." No one is more deserving than Kiki. "She is an all-around good basketball player who impacts the game in a variety of ways," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said via the team's website. "She scores, rebounds and can pass. We're excited to welcome her to Minnesota." Kiki was selected in the third round, with the 31st overall pick in the draft. To think she is the 31st best woman's basketball player in the United States in this year's draft is amazing! Lancaster Catholic's head coach Charlie Detz, who coached Kiki during her high school career, is thrilled for her. "She's a special person and she's a once-in-a generational player. She did all the things the right way for us. This didn't happen overnight. She put so much hard work into this to make her dreams come true. What a day and what a moment for her when her name was announced. "My reason and my motivation have always been my family!" Kiki said in a social media post last week, when she announced that she was declaring for the WNBA draft. "Through it all," she said, "they've always had my back." "All of her accolades for her on-court performances are well deserved, and they have to be mentioned and written about," Detz said. "But, what I'll always remember to this day is her leadership and her humility." Minnesota now has 17 players, including Jefferson on its preseason roster. So, she'll have to earn her spot with the Lynx. Playing professionally overseas might also be an option for Jefferson moving forward. "When Kiki gets a goal or a dream, and she gets something in her head, she's not going to stop until she achieves it," Detz said. "That's what makes her the special person that she is. She has the drive and the ability to go with it." Minnesota's staff recognized Jefferson's on-court ability, which is much more than scoring. She's a tenacious defender. A deft passer. And, she can crash the boards with authority. She can be a multipurpose pro. If Jefferson makes the cut, she'll have to sign her first professional contract before the Lynx open their season May 14 at home against the Seattle Storm. If she makes the team she is predicted to make $276,830 over four years in her first contract per the WNBA rookie wage scale. "For Kiki, it's always about her teammates," Detz said. "She's a breath of fresh air to be around. She's a leader, and it was humbling to sit back and watch how she affected other players around her. They all played for each other and for the greater good. That's Kiki." Best of Luck to a great athlete and person. Wish you the best!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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