Former Louisville player goes No. 1 overall in Women's Korean Basketball League Draft

The last five months for former Louisville guard Kianna Smith has probably been a whirlwind.

After being taken with the No. 16 pick in the WNBA Draft in April, Smith has been taken first overall by the Yongin Samsung Life Blueminx in the Women's Korean Basketball League Draft on Friday.

Smith, whose mother is Korean, had a short stint in the WNBA. The Southern California native was drafted earlier this year by the Los Angeles Sparks and appeared in two preseason games with the squad, but she was cut before the 2022 regular season began.

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The Sparks then re-signed Smith to back-to-back seven-day contracts. She made her professional debut on July 4 and contributed three rebounds, two assists and a steal in eight minutes as a reserve in LA's 78-75 win over the Phoenix Mercury. Three days later, she scored her first WNBA basket, going 1-for-6 in a 106-69 loss to the Seattle Storm.

On Aug. 2, the Sparks reportedly signed Smith to a contract that extended for the rest of the season. She then had a career-best 10 points against the Dallas Wings in her final game with the Sparks on Aug. 14, playing a total of 11 with the squad.

Smith, who transferred to Louisville from Cal in 2019 but had to sit out a year due to transfer rules, played a key role for the Cardinals, helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament's Final Four and 29-5 overall record in 2021-22. A WBCA Coaches All America Team Regional finalist, her mark of 12 points per game ranked second on the team, and she ranked third in the ACC in 3-point shooting with a 36.7% rate from beyond the arc.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kianna Smith, Louisville basketball alum, goes No. 1 in Korean draft