Lindsay Marie Whalen (born May 9, 1982 in Hutchinson, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player. She currently plays the point guard position for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. She also plays for USK Prague in the Czech Republic during the 2008-09 WNBA off-season.^[1] Whalen married former Gopher golfer Ben Greve on October 6, 2007.

[edit] High school career

At Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minnesota, Lindsay Whalen was a 4-time All-Missota Conference pick, and she led her team to three consecutive conference basketball championships.

[edit] WNBA career

Whalen was selected the first round of the 2004 WNBA Draft (4th overall) by the Connecticut Sun. Until 2005 when Minnesota teammate Janel McCarville was selected at number 1, she was the highest drafted WNBA player ever from the Big Ten Conference. Before she even put on a WNBA uniform, she had an effect on the 2004 championship: The Minnesota Lynx made an unsuccessful pre-draft trade, sending Sheri Sam and Janell Burse to the Seattle Storm for Amanda Lassiter and the 6th pick in the draft in an attempt to get the hometown hero Whalen. But Connecticut picked Whalen before Minnesota could, and the Storm had two more pieces to their eventual championship team.

In her rookie season, she was selected to play in the historic WNBA vs. USA Basketball game at Radio City Music Hall. Then she led the Sun to the WNBA Finals in her first and second seasons, playing injured in the 2005 Finals.

In the 2008 season, Whalen led her young team to second place in the Eastern Conference. She was the runner up to MVP winner Candace Parker. She was selected to the First Team ALL-WNBA for the first time in her career. In the playoffs, the young Connecticut Sun could not hold off the New York Liberty as they fell 2-1. Whalen led the league in assists with 5.4 apg.

Whalen was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in the fall of 2009.^[2] The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics is usually chosen from these participants. At the conclusion of the training camp, the team will travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they compete in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational. ^[2]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Offseason 2008-09: Overseas Roster
2. ^ ^{a b} "USA Basketball Women's National Team To Tip-Off Training Tomorrow In D.C.". USA Basketball. http://usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=09_wnt_fall_invitees_add_rm. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 

[edit] External links

• WNBA Player File
• University of Minnesota Player file
• USA Basketball Player file
• WNBA chat transcript
• WNBA Blog
• CZE - Praha snap up duo