Morenike Atunrase

Morenike Olayinka Atunrase (born April 14, 1986) is an American basketball player who played for the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars during the 2008 season. She was drafted in 2008 out of Texas A&M, where she played from 2004–08.[1]

Morenike Atunrase
Personal information
Born (1986-04-14) April 14, 1986
Shreveport, Louisiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight143 lb (65 kg)
Career information
High schoolSouthwood (Shreveport, Louisiana)
CollegeTexas A&M (2004–2008)
WNBA draft2008: 2nd round, 24th overall pick
Selected by the Atlanta Dream
PositionGuard / forward
Career history
2008San Antonio Silver Stars

Early years

Atunrase attended Southwood High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she played basketball all four years. As a freshman and sophomore, she was named to the all-state second team. As a junior and senior, she garnered Louisiana's Most Valuable Player honor. She helped her team win the state championship both her sophomore and junior years. As a senior, she was also named Player of the Year by the Shreveport Times. She also picked up honorable mention All-America honors by Street & Smith's. Over her high school career, Atunrase averaged 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.[2][3]

Texas A&M

As a freshman in the 2004–05 season, Atunrase was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times, and became the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after the regular season.[4]

As a sophomore, she was Big 12 Player of the Week for one week.[5] She was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team.[6]

In her junior year, she was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team,[7] and became a preseason Naismith Trophy candidate.[8] She also guided the team to their first-ever regular season conference championship.

Atunrase had to get surgery in October 2007 to correct a non-healing stress fracture in her tibia, causing her to miss the first nine games. She received the Big 12 Sixth Man Award her senior season.[9] In the 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament, she guided the team to their first Elite Eight appearance in program history.

She became the Aggies' all-time leading shot blocker with her 175 blocks.

Texas A&M statistics

Source[10]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2004-05 Texas A&M 31 323 36.8 36.8 71.1 5.0 1.2 2.0 1.8 10.4
2005-06 Texas A&M 32 447 38.8 38.8 70.4 4.1 2.1 1.9 1.8 14.0
2006-07 Texas A&M 26 260 35.1 32.9 77.5 3.8 2.0 1.5 1.0 10.0
2007-08 Texas A&M 28 287 39.2 34.9 73.1 4.3 1.8 1.4 1.1 10.3
Career Texas A&M 117 1317 37.6 35.8 72.6 4.3 1.8 1.7 1.5 11.3

Professional career

WNBA

In the 2008 WNBA draft, Atunrase was picked by the Atlanta Dream at No. 24. Immediately following the draft, she was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars. The Stars also acquired Ann Wauters and a 2009 second round draft pick as part of the trade.[11]

Atunrase became the only rookie or free agent to become a part of the Star's team roster.[12] In her rookie season, she participated in 33 games, averaging 10.5 minutes per game. She scored a season-high of nine points against the Houston Comets on June 24, 2008. In the 2008 WNBA Playoffs, she averaged 1.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.1 steals, and 0.1 blocks. Her team ended up losing to the Detroit Shock in the Finals.[13]

The Stars waived Atunrase on May 25, 2009.[14]

References
  1. She is now a math teacher at Timberview Middle School in Fort Worth, Texas. Atunrase headed to San Antonio | ShreveportTimes | The Times
  2. "Morenike Atunrase". Texas A&M Athletics. Archived from the original on 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  3. "2003-04 Big 12 Women's Basketball Signees :: <blank>". Archived from the original on July 22, 2012.
  4. "Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball 2004-05 All-Conference Team Announced :: <blank>". Archived from the original on July 21, 2012.
  5. "Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Players of the Week for March 3 :: <blank>". Archived from the original on March 24, 2006.
  6. "2005-06 PHILLIPS 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Awards Announced :: <blank>". Archived from the original on November 6, 2006.
  7. "Big 12 Announces Women's Basketball Preseason Individual Honors :: <blank>". Archived from the original on November 6, 2006.
  8. "Five Big 12 Women's Basketball Players Named Naismith Trophy Preseason Candidates :: <blank>". Archived from the original on December 14, 2006.
  9. "Big12Sports.com Site Map - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  10. "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  11. "WNBA: Silver Stars again make splash with draft-day trade".
  12. "Silver Stars find gem in their lone rookie". Archived from the original on 2008-08-01. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  13. "Atunrase And Franklin Turn In Solid WNBA Rookie Campaigns". Archived from the original on 2008-12-02.
  14. "WNBA Teams". ESPN.
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