Indy Is A Perfect WNBA Home For Doyle
She’ll get to play in an iconic arena in a state that embraces basketball.
Kathleen Doyle has found a perfect home to begin her journey into a professional basketball career.
And she's quite aware of the history, even the cinematic version.
“Of course I’ve seen ‘Hoosiers,’” the former Iowa guard joked during Saturday’s video conference, a day after she was selected in the second round of the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever. “Come on. That’s one of the best basketball movies of all-time.”
The Fever will be playing this season at Hinkle Fieldhouse, which was featured prominently in the movie. Doyle has been there before — the Hawkeyes had a shoot-around there back in March in preparation for the Big Ten tournament.
“Now, getting to actually play on that court is pretty special,” Doyle said.
Doyle went to the Fever with the 14th pick overall. Indiana went 13-21 last season and has a new coach in Marianne Stanley and a new general manager in Tamika Catchings, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame who had a 15-year WNBA career.
“I’m glad that they chose me,” Doyle said. “I hope they saw potential in me.”
Doyle said she had read where Stanley said she wanted to build a championship culture.
“I’m a huge ‘culture’ person,” Doyle said. “I have a team-first mentality. I’m willing to do anything to help the team win. And I think she saw those values on display at Iowa. And I think they wanted to take a chance on me. I’m hoping to make it count.”
Doyle averaged 18.1 points per game last season on her way to being named the Big Ten’s player of the year. She was expected to go some time in the second or third round of Friday’s 36-player draft.
Doyle watched the selection show on ESPN from her family’s home in LaGrange Park, Ill.
“I don’t know if ‘surprised’ is the right word,” Doyle said when asked of her reaction to the pick. “I had a good interview with the Fever heading into the draft. It was really exciting to hear my name called, for sure.
“I was doing well in the weeks leading up to it. Once we got to yesterday, it felt like the hours were going by really slow. My whole family was in town, which was so nice.”
Doyle said she knows the difficulties of making a WNBA roster. Her fiery on-court personality will help in that challenge.
“I’m going against the best in the world,” she said. “But those are the kinds of situations I love to put myself in. I think people appreciate the competitive fire. And you’re going to need it, especially in the WNBA. People are going to come at you, show you what’s up. I’m ready for it. I’m not going to back down from any challenge.”
Doyle has been in Iowa City since the college basketball season was canceled over concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Finding a place to train has been difficult, since Iowa’s practice facility and Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been closed.
“It’s been a strange time, lots of unknowns,” Doyle said. “Just having last night, and seeing your name on the screen, it’s really exciting, and a lot of hard work paying off. It definitely feels good, to have something to celebrate at a strange time like this.”
Even with being selected, she has no idea when she’ll be going to the team’s facility in Indianapolis to begin working out.
“I know what you know,” Doyle said. “They haven’t given me any information about that yet. It’s kind of just a weird time right now.”
Doyle does have an outdoor basket in Iowa City.
“So, hope for good weather,” she said.
Doyle said she’ll try to get as much training in until she knows the next step.
She also knows something else she has to do.
“You made me want to go watch ‘Hoosiers’ now,” Doyle said.
