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Six Blue Devils to Open WNBA Season Saturday in Florida - Duke University - GoDuke.com

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BRADENTON, Fla. – As the 24th season of the WNBA arrives Saturday, July 25 in Bradenton, Fla., shades of Duke blue remain heavily sprinkled in the league. Six Blue Devil alumnae cemented a roster spot across five different WNBA teams after final cuts: Lexie Brown (Minnesota Lynx), Karima Christmas-Kelly (Minnesota Lynx), Chelsea Gray (L.A. Sparks), Leaonna Odom (New York Liberty), Jasmine Thomas (Connecticut Sun) and Elizabeth Williams (Atlanta Dream).

The six WNBA players to make a roster from Duke ranks tied for third among collegiate hoops programs. Only Connecticut (17) and Notre Dame (9) have more alumnae currently in the league.

IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., will be the WNBA's official home for the 2020 season.  It will include a 22-game schedule for each of its 12 teams.  The schedule is highlighted by 24 national telecasts across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, including 12 doubleheaders during the first half of the season. Additionally, CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network will offer 40 telecasts, including 11 doubleheaders and a tripleheader. Regular-season play is currently scheduled to conclude on Saturday, Sept. 12, and be followed by a traditional playoffs and Finals format.

Odom and the New York Liberty will kick off the season Saturday, July 25 at 12 p.m., against the Seattle Storm live on ESPN.  Gray and the Los Angeles Sparks will next face the Phoenix Mercury at 3 p.m., on ABC.  

Entering her third year in the league, Brown and the Minnesota Lynx will open action Sunday, July 26 at 12 p.m., against Thomas and the Connecticut Sun live on ESPN.  Brown is coming off a season where she appeared in 33 contests and drained 52 three-pointers.  She ranked ninth in the league with a 38.5 three-point field goal percentage.

After missing most of last season with a knee injury, Christmas-Kelly will enter her second year with the Minnesota Lynx and 10th overall season in the WNBA.  She was selected captain for the Lynx in 2020, after playing only six games a year ago. Christmas-Kelly has seen action in 241 career games in the WNBA.

A three-time WNBA All-Star, Gray remains one of the top point guards in the league. The former All-America standout is coming off a season where she averaged 14.5 points, 5.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals.  Her 5.9 assists a game ranked second in the WNBA, while ranking 13th in scoring.  

A seemingly ever-present in the Suns lineup, Thomas suits up for her 10th WNBA season, including her sixth campaign for Connecticut. The former Blue Devil guard has appeared in 168-of-170 regular season games in since her time as a Sun, including 167 starts. Thomas looks to build off another impressive season where she averaged 11.1 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Williams enters her fifth season as a member of the Atlanta Dream and her sixth overall year in the WNBA. The No. 4 pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft is coming off a season where she averaged 9.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots.  She has started 132-of-154 career games in the league, while swatting 277 shots.  The Dream will open the season at 5 p.m., on Saturday, July 26 against the Dallas Wings live on CBS Sports Network.

Entering her first season in the WNBA, Odom was the No. 15 overall selection in the 2020 draft by the Liberty.  Odom tallied 1,387 points, 729 rebounds and 201 assists over her four seasons at Duke.  She is coming off averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds as a senior.

GoDuke.com will continue featuring weekly updates and social media blurbs to keep up with the performance of Duke alumnae in the WNBA.  Check back each Monday for the 2020-21 team notebook.

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