
[Chris Francis]
38 players were selected in Monday night’s WNBA draft – none of them were top prospect Sedona Prince, a 6’7” center for TCU. For nearly 7 years Prince has been one of the most high profile players in women’s college basketball. And perhaps the most controversial.
Looming over her final season with Horned Frogs were at least four accusations of sexual and physical abuse made public by former partners during her time at both TCU and Oregon where she spent her first three seasons. She has not been charged with a crime in any of the allegations
and unequivocally denied any wrongdoing in a post on social media saying she has never “abused anyone in her life, whether mentally, emotionally or physically.”
In addition to those serious allegations, there is Prince’s age, after spending 7 seasons in college she’s 25 years old – many WNBA teams covet prospects that are 21 or younger. Her long injury history has also complicated her pro prospects. In 2018, she suffered a broken leg which she referenced in a tearful interview after TCU was beaten in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament two weeks ago.
“Today was a very full circle moment for me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. You know, just looking at the people that did so much damage to me at a young age was a lot and it was hard, and I thought that we had to win to prove it to them that they couldn’t beat me.”
Prince has also been credited with helping further equality in women’s college basketball. She shot to fame in 2021 while at Oregon with a viral social media post at the NCAA tournament that showed the disparity between the men’s and women’s facilities at the regional site.
“So for the NCAA March Madness, the biggest college basketball tournament for women, this is our weight room.. Now let me show you the men’s weight room.
That video led directly to changes from the NCAA in women’s facilities and women earning a share of the money distributed to teams in the NCAA tournament. She is also one of the lead plaintiffs in the landmark House vs NCAA settlement which will likely pave the way for athletes to be paid by schools for the first time.
So, with all of that baggage will Prince be able to continue her basketball career. Will a WNBA team take a chance and bring her into training camp as a free agent. Without question she has the talent to play at the next level
But WNBA teams know they will have to deal with scrutiny from the media and fans if they sign her and her best option may be to play in a professional league overseas.
For Straight Arrow News I’m Chris Francis.