Tag: Natalie Achonwa

Notre Dame players in WNBA for 2023 season

Who are the former Irish to watch this season?

The 2023 WNBA season is upon us at an all-time high in popularity for women’s basketball. More opportunities are opening up for female hoopsters at all levels, and everyone is better for it. After the thrilling college season we just had, it’s time for the professionals to show what they can do. Particular attention should be given to these players since they paved the way for the sport to reach these unprecedented levels of attention.

Notre Dame has been one of the best women’s programs for some time now. Their two national championships since the turn of the century are evidence of that, but you can see it in the WNBA, too. Ten former Irish are suiting up in the league this season, which gives Notre Dame the second-most players of any program. If you need a refresher as to who to follow over the next few months, here they are:

Top 10 Notre Dame women’s basketball players according to ChatGPT

Does the bot know women’s basketball?

I asked AI information bot ChatGPT to list what it believes are Notre Dame’s top 10 men’s basketball players. It only makes sense for me to give the women equal treatment. Plus the women have both a better recent past and future than the men. You know people want to know who’s made the program so special.

Please note that ChatGPT’s knowledge cuts off at September 2021, so you won’t find [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] on this list. Heck, she probably wouldn’t have made it anyway since she just completed her sophomore season. She still has a legacy to complete.

Here is ChatGPT’s disclaimer regarding the list:

“As a language model, I do not have personal opinions or beliefs, and my responses are generated based on data and information available to me. However, I can provide you with a list of some of the most notable Notre Dame women’s basketball players, based on their achievements, accolades, and impact on the program.”

It also says this:

“Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is subject to personal opinions and interpretations. There have been many talented and accomplished players in Notre Dame women’s basketball history, and different people may have different criteria for their top 10 selections.”

With that out of the way, let’s see who the information bot has deemed worthy of making this list and what it had to say about each player:

Watch: Hype video for Notre Dame ahead of Sweet 16

Pump yourself up with this video!

Notre Dame is in the Sweet 16, and the time to get pumped is now. That’s why a video has been put together celebrating everything the Irish have done so far this season ahead of their Greenville Region 1 semifinal against Maryland. To make the video complete, two Irish legends were asked to narrate it. So take a look if you want to hear the voices of [autotag]Devereaux Peters[/autotag] and [autotag]Natalie Achonwa[/autotag]:

It’s fair to say the Irish have a tough journey ahead of them if they want to make the Final Four. If they beat the Terrapins, unbeaten and top-ranked South Carolina likely awaits in the Elite Eight. Considering no No. 1 seeds made the Elite Eight in the men’s NCAA Tournament, anything can happen. Getting out of this regional would be historic for the program, and the only thing to do in that case is to etch that history into the record books.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Former Notre Dame players on 2022 WNBA rosters

Which player(s) will you cheer for this season?

The 2022 WNBA season has tipped off, and there is plenty of Notre Dame representation. Not that this should come as any surprise given that they all played under Muffet McGraw. Hopefully one day, Niele Ivey will have just as many of her own former players competing at the pinnacle of professional women’s basketball. For now, McGraw’s legacy is far more apparent.

With nine former Irish players in the WNBA and a few of them even teammates, there’s a very good chance you’ll find one of them on a given night if you decide to flip on a random game this season. Maybe you happen to be a fan of a particular team that has Irish blood on it. In that case, congratulations for hitting the jackpot!

Don’t be so quick to write these athletes off just because it’s women’s basketball. It’s just as thrilling to watch them as it is male athletes, and you’re only hurting yourself if you refuse to watch solely based on gender. Now, with that out of the way, here are the former Irish players to look for:

Natalie Achonwa Named Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award Winner

Indiana Fever forward and former Notre Dame captain Natalie Achonwa has won this year’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award.

Indiana Fever forward and former Notre Dame captain Natalie Achonwa has won this year’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. The award, of which Achonwa was announced as the winner Friday, goes to a player who has shown great community leadership. Achonwa continued to show leadership in the statement she released after the announcement:

“It is important for me to optimize the benefits and privileges I receive from being a professional athlete. A big piece of that is using the platform I’m awarded to connect with people, promote a level playing field, and inspire others to make positive change.

Through the ups and downs of my own personal journey, I have found that it is the little things that make the biggest difference. If we all focus on challenging the status quo of our own circles, and build from there, we can tackle the world and keep moving forward.”

On the Fever’s Twitter account, Irish coaches past and present were only too pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate their friend:

Achonowa spoke at Indianapolis Public Schools during March to talk about mental health and ending the stigma. In 2019, she won the WNBA Community Assist Award for raising awareness of similar issues. For her latest award, the WNBA will make a $10,000 donation in her name to the Madame Walker Legacy Center.