Jaz Shelley, Nebraska Women's Basketball // UNL Athletics Communications
LINCOLN – Jaz Shelley became the first Husker graduate chosen in the WNBA Draft since 2014, when the three-time All-Big Ten guard was selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the 29th overall pick in the third round on Monday night.
Shelley, a 5-9 graduate student from Moe, Australia, averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and team highs of 5.7 assists and 1.6 steals as a senior in helping the Huskers advance to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament after playing their way into the Big Ten Championship Game.
Shelley follows 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-American Jordan Hooper, who was the No. 13 overall pick as the first pick of the second round by the Tulsa Shock. Hooper went on to spend four seasons in the WNBA as part of her nine-year professional career. Shelley becomes the seventh Nebraska graduate and ninth former Husker overall to be chosen in the WNBA Draft. She was one of three Australians and one of seven Big Ten Conference players selected in the 36-player draft.
In her three-year Nebraska career, Shelley finished 16th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,364 points. She also finished fifth in career assists (565) and fourth in career three-pointers made (244) in 100 career games with 99 starts as a Husker.
Shelley turned her game to a higher level late in her senior season, averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in four games at the Big Ten Tournament, including a huge 30-point, nine-assist effort in a semifinal victory over Maryland (March 9). She added a double-double with 16 points and 13 assists in an overtime loss to No. 3 Iowa in the championship game to earn a spot on the 2024 Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Earlier in the season, Shelley was named Nebraska’s first Associated Press National Player of the Week after going for 23 points and five assists in an 82-79 win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11).
Shelley finished with 13 double-doubles in her Husker career, including a pair of triple-doubles.
A long-time member of the Australian National Team program, Shelley was the only collegian to play for the Opals at the 2021 Asia Cup. She was chosen to the 23-player Australian Senior National Team in 2020. She was a member of the Australian U17 team that won the 2016 FIBA World Championship after a semifinal win over the United States. Shelley had 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists against the USA. She also helped the Australian U19 team to silver at the 2017 FIBA Women’s World Cup by averaging 10.6 points and 3.6 assists, including 26 points and five three-pointers in a win over Russia.
The past two summers, Shelley participated in the NBA Student-Athlete Summit.
Nebraska Graduates in the WNBA Draft
2024 – Jaz Shelley, 3rd Round (No. 29 Overall), Phoenix Mercury
2014 – Jordan Hooper, 2nd Round (No. 13 Overall), Tulsa Shock
2013 – Lindsey Moore, 1st Round (No. 12 Overall), Minnesota Lynx
2010 – Kelsey Griffin, 1st Round (No. 3 Overall), Minnesota Lynx
2010 – Cory Montgomery, 3rd Round (No. 25 Overall), New York Liberty
2007 – Kiera Hardy, 3rd Round (No. 39 Overall), Connecticut Sun
2000 – Nicole Kubik, 1st Round (No. 15 Overall), LA Sparks
2024 WNBA Draft
First Round
1. Caitlin Clark, 6-0, Iowa – Indiana Fever
2. Cameron Brink, 6-4, Stanford – LA Sparks
3. Kamilla Cardoso, 6-7, South Carolina – Chicago Sky
4. Rickea Jackson, 6-2, Tennessee – LA Sparks
5. Jacy Sheldon, 5-10, Ohio State – Dallas Wings
6. Aaliyah Edwards, 6-3, UConn – Washington Mystics
7. Angel Reese, 6-3, LSU – Chicago Sky
8. Alissa Pili, 6-2, Utah – Minnesota Lynx
9. Carla Leite, 5-9, France – Dallas Wings
10. Leila Lecan, 5-11, France – Connecticut Sun
11. Marquesha Davis, 6-0, Ole Miss – New York Liberty
12. Nyadiew Puoch, 6-1, Australia – Atlanta Dream
Second Round
13. Brynna Maxwell, 6-0, Gonzaga – Chicago Sky
14. Nika Muhl, 5-11, UConn – Seattle Storm
15. Celeste Taylor, 5-11, Ohio State – Indiana Fever
16. Dyaisha Fair, 5-5, Syracuse – Las Vegas Aces
17. Esmery Martinez, 6-2, Arizona – New York Liberty
18. Kate Martin, 6-0, Iowa – Las Vegas Aces
19. Taiyanna Jackson, 6-6, Kansas – Connecticut Sun
20. Isobel Borlase, 5-11, Australia – Atlanta Dream
21. Kaylynne Truong, 5-8, Gonzaga – Washington Mystics
22. Helena Pueyo, 6-0, Arizona – Connecticut Sun
23. Jessika Carter, 6-5, Mississippi State – New York Liberty
24. Elizabeth Kitley, 6-6, Virginia Tech – Las Vegas Aces
Third Round
25. Charisma Osborne, 5-9, UCLA, Phoenix Mercury
26. Mackenzie Holmes, 6-3, Indiana – Seattle Storm
27. Leilani Correa, 6-0, Florida – Indiana Fever
28. McKenzie Forbes, 6-0, USC – LA Sparks
29. Jaz Shelley, 5-9, Nebraska – Phoenix Mercury
30. Nastja Claessens, 6-0, Belgium – Washington Mystics
31. Kiki Jefferson, 6-1, Louisville – Minnesota Lynx
32. Matilde Villa, 5-7, Italy – Atlanta Dream
33. Ashley Owusu, 6-0, Penn State – Dallas Wings
34. Abbey Hsu, 5-11, Columbia – Connecticut Sun
35. Kaitlyn Davis, 6-2, USC – New York Liberty
36. Angel Jackson, 6-6, Jackson State – Las Vegas Aces
