Shannon Bobbitt
Encyclopedia
Shannon Denise Bobbitt is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA
's Indiana Fever
. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx
, New York Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem
. Following a stellar college career in which 5'2" Bobbitt won two Division I national titles at University of Tennessee
she decided to enter the WNBA and began her professional basketball career playing point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is currently the shortest WNBA basketball player.
in New York, there she helped lead her team to two straight PSAL and State Federation titles. As a sophomore she gained attention for her basketball skills, city rankings had her listed as the second best player. During her junior season her team went undefeated posting a record of 30–0 before winning the national high school championship. She finished her High School career by helping her team post a 29–1 record which was good for third in the nation.
in Athens, Texas
, because they had just won a national title. During the 2005–06 season, Bobbitt handed out 211 assists to rank third in the nation in assists broke the 22-year old school record at Trinity Valley for her career in that category. She led Trinity Valley to the NJCAA National Tournament, and the 2006 Region XIV Championship with a 30–2 record overall and 18–0 mark in conference play. Bobbitt was the 2006 Women's Basketball Coaches Association
Junior College Player of the Year.
awarded Bobbitt a scholarship, which some thought a risk. But Summitt said she had found "a true point guard" in Bobbitt. She was correct. Bobbitt proved herself to be a vocal leader on the court, guiding the Volunteers to the regular season SEC title in 2006–2007. Bobbitt's play was also key in ending the nine-year UT title drought, as the Volunteers defeated Rutgers for the National Championship on April 3, 2007. Bobbitt was named to the All-Tournament team.
The defending champions successfully defended their title in 2007–2008, again behind their point guard, who guided them to a title by defeating Stanford on April 8, 2008.
She graduated with Candace Parker
of the Los Angeles Sparks
and Alexis Hornbuckle
of the Detroit Shock
and Nicky Anosike
of the Minnesota Lynx
on April 9, as the Sparks made her the first pick in the second round. Bobbitt joins teammate Candace Parker
and former college teammate Sidney Spencer
on the Los Angeles squad, which also features Olympian Lisa Leslie
.
On July 22, 2008, Bobbitt and her teammates were involved in a skirmish with the Detroit Shock. The fight broke out at The Palace of Auburn Hills with 4.6 seconds left in the game, the game ended with the LA Sparks winning. The WNBA suspended a total of 10 players and Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn. Bobbitt received an in-game technical and was later suspended two games for leaving the bench.
She played for Botas in Turkey during the 2008–09 WNBA off-season. On May 14, 2010, The Sparks waived Shannon Bobbitt.
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
's Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. Following a stellar college career in which 5'2" Bobbitt won two Division I national titles at University of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
she decided to enter the WNBA and began her professional basketball career playing point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is currently the shortest WNBA basketball player.
High school
Bobbitt attended Murry Bergtraum High SchoolMurry Bergtraum High School
The Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers is a public secondary school in New York City. It is located in Lower Manhattan, adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge and City Hall. Bergtraum offers business-oriented courses to prepare students for careers in marketing, tourism, finance, human...
in New York, there she helped lead her team to two straight PSAL and State Federation titles. As a sophomore she gained attention for her basketball skills, city rankings had her listed as the second best player. During her junior season her team went undefeated posting a record of 30–0 before winning the national high school championship. She finished her High School career by helping her team post a 29–1 record which was good for third in the nation.
Junior college
The guard decided Junior College was her best option out of high school, so she chose Trinity Valley Community CollegeTrinity Valley Community College
Trinity Valley Community College is a community college in the state of Texas.TVCC operates four campuses serving the Texas counties of Anderson, Henderson, and Kaufman, southeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex:...
in Athens, Texas
Athens, Texas
Athens is a city in Henderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,710. It is the county seat of Henderson County. According to the Texas Legislature, Athens is the "Original Home of the Hamburger"...
, because they had just won a national title. During the 2005–06 season, Bobbitt handed out 211 assists to rank third in the nation in assists broke the 22-year old school record at Trinity Valley for her career in that category. She led Trinity Valley to the NJCAA National Tournament, and the 2006 Region XIV Championship with a 30–2 record overall and 18–0 mark in conference play. Bobbitt was the 2006 Women's Basketball Coaches Association
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
Junior College Player of the Year.
Division I
Tennessee Coach Pat SummittPat Summitt
Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
awarded Bobbitt a scholarship, which some thought a risk. But Summitt said she had found "a true point guard" in Bobbitt. She was correct. Bobbitt proved herself to be a vocal leader on the court, guiding the Volunteers to the regular season SEC title in 2006–2007. Bobbitt's play was also key in ending the nine-year UT title drought, as the Volunteers defeated Rutgers for the National Championship on April 3, 2007. Bobbitt was named to the All-Tournament team.
The defending champions successfully defended their title in 2007–2008, again behind their point guard, who guided them to a title by defeating Stanford on April 8, 2008.
She graduated with Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
of the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
and Alexis Hornbuckle
Alexis Hornbuckle
Alexis Kay'ree Hornbuckle is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-High school years:...
of the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
and Nicky Anosike
Nicky Anosike
Nkolika "Nicky" Nonyelum Anosike is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Washington Mystics.-Personal:...
of the Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
WNBA
Bobbitt was the 15th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft2008 WNBA Draft
The 2008 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2008....
on April 9, as the Sparks made her the first pick in the second round. Bobbitt joins teammate Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
and former college teammate Sidney Spencer
Sidney Spencer
Sidney Spencer is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.Sidney attended the University of Tennessee, and in April 2007 led the team to the national championship. That same month, she was selected in the 2nd round of the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks...
on the Los Angeles squad, which also features Olympian Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
.
On July 22, 2008, Bobbitt and her teammates were involved in a skirmish with the Detroit Shock. The fight broke out at The Palace of Auburn Hills with 4.6 seconds left in the game, the game ended with the LA Sparks winning. The WNBA suspended a total of 10 players and Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn. Bobbitt received an in-game technical and was later suspended two games for leaving the bench.
She played for Botas in Turkey during the 2008–09 WNBA off-season. On May 14, 2010, The Sparks waived Shannon Bobbitt.