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SJU Star On Cloud Nine After WNBA Draft Selection

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The WNBA Draft was Thursday night and it proved to be an incredibly special event for St. Joseph's University standout Natasha Cloud.

The Cardinal O'Hara product was selected in the second round (15th overall) by the Washington Mystics, becoming just the third St. Joe's player in program history to have her name called in the WNBA Draft (Debbie Black and Jana Lichnerova are the others) .

"It's been amazing," Cloud tells KYW Newsradio. "It's a surreal feeling. I'm still waiting to wake up from this dream. But I'm blessed and grateful for this opportunity that's been presented to me that not a lot of mid-major kids get. So I'm going to take it and run with it."

Listen to the entire interview with Natasha Cloud

 

The 6-foot Cloud finished her career on Hawk Hill third all-time in assists (582) and 20th in points (1,049). This past season as a senior, she averaged 12.9 points and 6.6 assists a game for Cindy Griffin's squad.

She says she had known for some time that Washington liked what she brought to the table.

"I had been in contact with the Mystics a couple of times throughout he season," Cloud says. "Getting closer to the draft I was in contact with (Washington head coach Mike Thibault). So I had a strong feeling. But you're never prepared for the draft. I couldn't eat, I was sweating, I was shaking. It's such a great feeling that all the work you put in your entire life is finally paying off."

Cloud talks about the skill set she will be bringing to the WNBA.

"I think I'm a defensive-minded player," Cloud says. "I am a big guard that can handle the ball as well as score and distribute. They're definitely going to change my position, I think I'll be playing the three for them as opposed to the point guard that I was playing here at St. Joe's. I'm excited. Anything that I can bring to this team I'm willing to do. If they need me to play defense on the best perimeter player or the best post player, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it for the team, whatever the team needs."

Cloud and the Mystics will open the 2015 WNBA season on June 5th at Connecticut.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.

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