DURHAM -- The WNBA is in the middle of its 20th season with a total of nine former Duke standouts suiting up for seven of the league’s 12 teams. The lineup reads Mistie Bass (Phoenix), Karima Christmas (Dallas), Monique Currie and Haley Peters (San Antonio), Jasmine Thomas (Connecticut), Lindsey Harding (New York), Elizabeth Williams (Atlanta) and Alana Beard and Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles).
Beard is the dean of the Duke contingent. The best women’s basketball player in Duke history — arguably ACC history — Beard was ACC player of the year in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and national player of the year in 2004.