WNBA Draft, Women’s Final Four hosted under Florida Sun

The 2008 WNBA Draft will be held in
Florida on Wednesday, April 9, as a
conclusion to the week-long celebration of events surrounding women’s basketball.
The draft will begin at 1 p.m. ET and be televised live on ESPN2. The
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, owned by Washington Mystics President and
Managing Partner Sheila Johnson and located in
Palm Harbor, Fla.,
will host the draft.

“The WNBA is proud to continue the tradition of hosting the pre-draft
camp and the draft alongside the events of the NCAA Women’s Final Four,”
said WNBA President Donna Orender. “The WNBA looks forward to celebrating
the inspiring accomplishments, growth and popularity of women’s basketball in
the Greater Tampa –
St. Petersburg
area.”
Tampa will
host the NCAA Women’s Final Four on April 6 and 8 at St. Pete Times Forum as
well as the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association National Convention. In
addition to the draft, the WNBA will conduct the pre-draft camp and participate
in various events throughout the week.

“We could not be more excited that the WNBA Draft and pre-draft camp
are coming to our community,” said Rob Higgins, Executive Director of the
Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “Hosting the 2008 Women’s Final Four, the event’s
first trip to the great State of
Florida,
has always been about growing the game of women’s basketball. The announcement
of the WNBA events coming to our area further heightens all of the excitement
surrounding the growth and celebration of women’s basketball in the
Sunshine State.”

“Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater is proud to be the host destination of
the 2008 WNBA Draft at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club,” added Kevin
Smith, Director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Sports Commission.
“We are excited to showcase our area not only for the award-winning
beaches, but also as a premier sports destination. We look forward to a
continued partnership with the WNBA and Innisbrook in hosting future
events.”

On April 4 & 5, the league’s annual pre-draft camp will be held at the
University of Tampa, where WNBA coaches and general managers will have the
opportunity to evaluate the skills of approximately 40 top global prospects.
Players will participate in on-court sessions and compete against one another
in hopes of improving their draft status. All sessions will be closed to the
public, but open to the media for the final 30 minutes.

This year’s draft will mark the third time that the WNBA has held its annual
event in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The WNBA Draft was held
in
Cleveland last year, while in 2006 it took
place in
Boston.
In previous years, the event was held at NBA TV studios in
New
Jersey, while prior pre-draft camps were conducted in the either
metropolitan
New York or
Chicago.

In addition to ESPN HD’s coverage of the 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four, ESPN2
will provide exclusive first round coverage of the 2008 WNBA Draft with
continued coverage of the second and third rounds on both ESPNU and NBA TV.
WNBA.com will serve as the premier destination for complete analysis and
comprehensive coverage throughout all three rounds.

“The WNBA Draft serves as the bridge from ESPN’s NCAA coverage to our
WNBA coverage so fans can follow the careers of the top players,” said
Carol Stiff, senior director, programming and acquisitions. “The draft is
a great extension of our NCAA Championship coverage and commitment to women’s
basketball.”