Lia Galdeira, arguably the best BIIF female basketball player in league history, has decided to forego her senior season at Washington State to take a shot at European pro ball, the school announced on Friday.
Lia Galdeira, arguably the best BIIF female basketball player in league history, has decided to forego her senior season at Washington State to take a shot at European pro ball, the school announced on Friday.
The 2012 Konawaena graduate has signed a contract with a sports agent, nullifying her NCAA eligibility, and will begin her pro career this fall.
Galdeira would be the first BIIF female basketball player to play pro ball.
“I have made the decision to pursue my lifelong dream and play professionally, this year in Europe and then in the WNBA,” Galdeira said. “I’d like to thank Washington State University for allowing me to be a part of the Cougar family, it has been an honor to represent the women’s basketball program. I am very thankful and blessed for being a part of such an amazing program and playing for one of the most respected and down-to-earth coaches, June Daugherty, and her staff.”
The 5-foot-11 forward led the Cougars (17-15) to their second straight postseason appearance last season in the WNIT, where Galdeira scored 31 points, grabbed six rebounds and had six steals in a 67-65 first-round loss to Eastern Washington.
Galdeira averaged 20.0 points per game, second in the Pac-12 and led the conference with 105 steals, second most in WSU single-season history.
She also averaged 6.1 rebounds per game and had a team-best 83 assists, and landed on the All-Pac-12 first team for the second consecutive year.
At Konawaena, Galdeira was a slashing 5-8 guard, but grew three inches in college and still maintained her athleticism, particularly her quick hands and feet, which helped her rack up so many steals.
Her 2012 Konawaena senior class, including Washington State teammate Dawnyelle Awa, is considered the greatest in BIIF history in all sports. (Awa averaged 4.7 ppg as a WSU junior.)
Under coach Bobbie Awa, the Wildcats won HHSAA Division I state championships in 2009, ’11 and ’12, Galdeira’s freshman, junior and senior years. In 2010, the Wildcats finished runner-up to Lahainaluna for the state title.
Konawaena also owns the league’s most prestigious unbeaten streak, kicked started by Galdeira and Awa. From 2009 to ’15, the Wildcats are 80-0 in BIIF competition with league titles seven straight years, and state championships in 2009, ’11, ’12 and ’15.
In her three seasons at Wazzu, Galdeira ranks second in career scoring (1,710 points), 3-point field goals (160), field goals (621) and steals (271), first in 3-point field goal attempts (576) and total field goals attempts (1,645), fourth in free throws made (308) and fifth in free throws attempted (432).
She was a three-time All-Pac-12 player and a three-time All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honoree, largely because of her two-way versatility, defending ball-handlers and grabbing boards. Her high volume of free throws and 3-point shooting suggest that she was a post-and-perimeter threat, like in her Wildcat days.
Last season Galdeira scored 20-plus points 18 times, second-most in WSU single-season history, and notched three 30-point games. She was at her best against ranked teams; she had 21 points and eight boards in a season-opening win over No. 22 Dayton, 14 points and six rebounds against No. 16 Nebraska, and a game-high 33 points, five rebounds and three steals in an upset win over No. 8 Maryland.
The FIBA EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for the women’s 24 clubs.
A lot of WNBA players have played overseas, including Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, and Nneka Ogwumike from Stanford.
The three-round 2015 WNBA draft was held on April 16, and the Seattle Storm selected Notre Dame’s Jewell Loyd as the No. 1 overall pick.
If Galdeira were picked in the 2016 WNBA draft, then she would make history again.