Re: Taj Mc-Williams Franklin Galatasaray'da
Detroit Shock Acquires Taj McWilliams-Franklin in a Trade with Washington
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Auburn Hills, MI - Detroit Shock Head Coach and General Manager Bill Laimbeer announced today that the team has acquired nine-year veteran Taj McWilliams-Franklin from the Washington Mystics in exchange for forward Tasha Humphrey, guard Eshaya Murphy and a second-round pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft.
?Our entire organization is excited about acquiring Taj,? said Laimbeer. ?She gives us great veteran leadership and playoff experience in our front court. She has WNBA finals experience which is always our goal.?
McWilliams-Franklin, a six-time WNBA All-Star, was acquired by the Washington Mystics from the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for DeLisha Milton-Jones and a first-round pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft on April 22, 2008. In 26 games with Washington this season she averaged 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in 33.2 minutes per game. She averaged 11.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists with the Sparks last season. McWilliams-Franklin spent four seasons each with Orlando, which relocated to Connecticut, and Connecticut before joining the Sparks in 2007. She has tallied career averages of 12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 298 WNBA games.
In acquiring McWilliams-Franklin, the Shock parted ways with second-year guard Eshaya Murphy and Tasha Humphrey. ?Trading Humphrey and Murphy was my most difficult transaction,? Laimbeer said. ?They?ve done all that we?ve asked them to.?
Murphy, in her second year in the league, was acquired from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for LaToya Thomas on June 22, 2008. In 13 games with the Shock this season, Murphy averaged 2.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 9.4 minutes per game.
Humphrey was selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2008 WNBA Draft. In 22 games (16 starts) with the Shock this season, Humphrey averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 13.5 minutes per game. She also set a Shock record for points scored in a game by a rookie with 28 points at Phoenix on June 14, 2008.
