Three recently-graduated IU women's basketball players are exploring the option of turning professional.
Jenn Anderson, Alexis Gassion, and Karlee McBride each participated in the women's pro combine held in conjunction with the women's Final Four earlier this month. Gassion's made her intent to play at the next level the clearest, having signed with an agent, but al three may wind up donning a jersey at the next level soon.
"We're hopeful that that's something that's a possibility for those guys," IU head coach Teri Moren said.
Gassion, who was named to the to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team as a senior, averaged 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists over 35 minutes per game in her final season.
Anderson put in career-bests with 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game over 23.2 minutes per contest. McBride jumped into the starting lineup alongside Anderson and Gassion during the latter portion of the year and averaged 6.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
During the pro combine, Moren said Gassion played "very well," in front of the scouts who watched on as players scrimmaged in five-minute segments. Anderson was strong in spurts, Moren said, but stamina was an issue. McBride struggled to shoot the ball.
The WNBA Draft came and went without any of the Hoosiers getting drafted, but there's still a chance at least one of them gets invited to a pro camp. If not, they can explore their options overseas.
Playing in Europe was initially something McBride wanted to do, Moren said, but she's since experienced mixed emotions. Gassion always wanted to play professional and didn't hide it.
Anderson, meanwhile, is a complete surprise.
"I thought as soon as the Villanova game was done she'd burn her uniform and say, 'No more,'" Moren said of Anderson. "But she went to the combine and participated. Maybe she has regained this, 'I think I want to keep playing (attitude),' and maybe she can go see other parts of the world."
If she, Gassion or McBride really does want to keep playing despite the location, Moren said she believes all three could wind up playing somewhere. If they do, they'd be following in the likes of former IU standout Aulani Sinclair, who currently plays professionally in Spain after going undrafted in 2013.
"There's a lot of places you can go overseas and play," Moren said. "I had a couple of kids from U-Indy who went over and played. I had kids from Indiana State. You can find places to go overseas, and it may not be big countries and maybe it be big countries that don't pay a lot, but there's opportunities out there to do that if you want do."
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