San Antonio Silver Stars sign veteran forward DeLisha Milton-Jones
From the team:
The San Antonio Silver Stars have signed forward DeLisha Milton-Jones, head coach and general manager Dan Hughes announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
“I want to thank the Silver Stars ownership, Coach Dan Hughes and his staff for wanting me to be a part of their team and vision for the future,” Milton-Jones said. “I have given basketball so much of my life and I am grateful to have accomplished many things throughout my career. As my career enters into its last stages, I feel like I now have a fresh canvas to display who I truly am as a player and how I would like to be remembered when I walk away from the game of basketball. I am honored that the Silver Stars have given me the opportunity to wear the Silver & Black with pride. I look forward to playing in front of the great fans in San Antonio night in and night out.”
A 6-1 forward, Milton-Jones ranks among the WNBA all-time leaders in scoring (8th; 5,203), rebounding (7th; 2,383), steals (5th; 584), games played (6th; 435) and minutes played (4th; 13,270). She has averaged 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 435 career games.
“We are thrilled to welcome Delisha to the Silver Stars family,” Hughes said. “Delisha brings a rare talent and energy to the court, both defensively and offensively. We have long admired her and to have her in Silver & Black is exciting.”
A two-time WNBA All-Star in 2000 and 2007, Milton-Jones played the majority of her career with the Los Angeles Sparks, where she ranks second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with 4,018 points. In her first six seasons with Los Angeles (1999-04) she helped the Sparks win back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002. She was traded to Washington prior to the 2005 season and played three seasons with the Mystics (2005-07), ranking second on the team in scoring average and rebounds each season.
Milton-Jones returned to Los Angeles prior to the 2008 season where she has played the past five seasons (2008-12). Last season she averaged 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals.
She was originally selected by the Sparks in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1999 WNBA Draft out of the University of Florida. An All-America selection and two-time first-team All-SEC performer for the Gators, Milton-Jones led the team to a 91-34 record and four NCAA tournament appearances during her collegiate career and received the Wade Trophy as a senior, awarded to the nation’s top female collegian.
A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Milton-Jones represented Team USA at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was selected to the 2004 Olympic Team but was replaced due to injury.
Milton-Jones is currently playing with Turkey’s Tarsus Belediyesi, alongside Silver Stars point guard Danielle Robinson, where she is averaging 14.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.94 steals and 1.5 assists per game. She has also played professionally in Italy, Spain, Russia, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
The Silver Stars tip-off the 2013 season against the defending champion Indiana Fever on Friday, May 24 at the AT&T Center at 7 p.m.
