Valerie Still
Valerie Still (born 1961)[1][2] is a former United States professional women's basketball player with the Washington Mystics of the WNBA and the Columbus Quest of the American Basketball League (ABL).[3]
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Women's basketball | ||
Representing | ||
Jones Cup | ||
1980 Taipei | Team competition | |
1982 Taipei | Team competition | |
World University Games | ||
1981 Bucharest | Team competition |
During her four years at the University of Kentucky, she scored more points than any other basketball player, male or female, with 2,763 points.[4] Afterwards she went abroad, playing in Italy for 12 years (last team Famila Schio). During that time, she earned an Italian National Basketball Championship.
She returned to the United States in 1996 and was drafted by the Columbus Quest of the fledgling ABL. She led the Quest to back-to-back championships, and was named MVP of the Championship Series both times. When the ABL folded during its third season, she went on to play in the WNBA for the Washington Mystics.
In 1995, she married Rob Lock, also a former University of Kentucky basketball player. They met while Still was interviewing his teammate on her television program in Italy. In 1996, they had a child named Aaron Still-Lock. The couple divorced in 2007.
Her brother, Art Still, was a defensive end for the University of Kentucky Wildcats football team from 1973-1977 and went on to have a 12-year NFL career for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, including 4 pro bowl appearances.
Still lives in Powell, Ohio.[5]
In 2019, Still was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kentucky statistics
Source[6]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Team | GP | Points | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979-80 | Kentucky | 29 | 641 | 55.3% | 70.0% | 13.9 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 22.1 |
1980-81 | Kentucky | 30 | 628 | 58.1% | 70.1% | 11.0 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 20.9 |
1981-82 | Kentucky | 32 | 794 | 58.2% | 68.3% | 14.3 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 24.8 |
1982-83 | Kentucky | 28 | 700 | 59.9% | 72.6% | 12.0 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 25.0 |
Career | 119 | 2763 | 57.8% | 70.0% | 12.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 23.2 |
USA Basketball
Still was named to the team representing the US at the 1980 William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The USA team ended with a 7–2 record, which was a three-way tie for first place. The tie-breaker was point differential, and the USA did not win the tie-breaker, so ended up with the bronze medal.[1]
Still was chosen to represent the USA on the USA Basketball team at the 1981 World University games, held in Bucharest, Romania and coached by Kay Yow. After winning the opening game, the USA was challenged by China, who held a halftime lead. The USA came back to win by two points, helped by 26 points from Denise Curry. The USA also was challenged by Canada, who led at halftime, but the USA won by three points 79–76. The USA beat host team Romania to set up a match with undefeated Russia for the gold medal. The Russian team was too strong, and won the gold, leaving the US with the silver medal. Still averaged 0.7 points per game.[7]
Still also played for the USA team at the Jones Cup competition in 1982. This time, the USA posted a 7–1 record to earn the silver medal.[2]
References
- "1980 Women's R. William Jones Cup". USA Basketball. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
age 18 in May 1980
- "1982 Women's R. William Jones Cup". USA Basketball. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
age 21 in June 1982
- "ValerieStill.com". Retrieved July 29, 2009.
- "This Still's a Potent Producer". Sports Illustrated. January 17, 1983. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
Now, as a 6'1" senior center at the University of Kentucky, Valerie Still finally has her own athletic identity. That was ensured when she tallied 30 points against Miami of Ohio on Dec. 5 and thereby surpassed Dan Issel's 2,138 to make her the school's alltime leading scorer. The game was halted so Still could receive a plaque, the game ball and applause.
- 72-73 Review.qxd - College Sports Live Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- "Kentucky Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- "Eleventh World University Games -- 1981". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.