Deanna Nolan facts for kids
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| Shooting guard / point guard | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 25, 1979 Flint, Michigan, U.S. |
| Nationality |  American Russian |
| High school | Flint Northern (Flint, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 155 lb (70 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Georgia (1997–2001) |
| NBA Draft | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Shock | |
| Pro career | 2001–present |
| Career history | |
| 2001–2009 | Detroit Shock |
| 2007–2010; 2012–2013 |
UMMC Ekaterinburg |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Deanna Nicole "Tweety" Nolan, born on August 25, 1979, is a retired American-Russian professional basketball player. She was known for playing as a shooting guard and sometimes a point guard. Deanna played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia and also for the Russia women's national basketball team. She was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in October 2024.
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Early Life and High School Success
Deanna Nolan grew up in Flint, Michigan. She went to Flint Northern High School. While there, she was a star basketball player. Deanna led her team to win two state championships in a row. These big wins happened in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, she was also named Michigan's Miss Basketball. This award goes to the best high school female basketball player in the state.
College Basketball Journey
After high school, Deanna Nolan played college basketball. She attended the University of Georgia. There, she played for the Lady Bulldogs team. Deanna was a key player for her college team. During her time, the Lady Bulldogs had an impressive record. They won 86 games and lost only 12. She graduated in December 2001. Her degree was in child and family development. In her senior year, she was honored. She earned a spot on the 2001 All-SEC Tournament Team.
Amazing WNBA Career
Deanna Nolan became a professional basketball player in 2001. The Detroit Shock team picked her in the 2001 WNBA draft. She was the sixth player chosen overall. Fans gave her the nickname "Tweety." She was famous for her incredible ability to jump very high.
Deanna helped the Detroit Shock win their first championship. This big win happened in 2003. She continued to be a star player. In 2006, she led the Shock to another championship. After that win, she was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2006 WNBA Finals. This means she was the best player in the championship series.
She helped the Shock win their third WNBA Championship in 2008. Deanna was a fan favorite in Detroit. From 2007 to 2009, she was named the Detroit Shock Player of the Year. This award was voted on by sports broadcasters.
Playing Basketball Around the World
Deanna Nolan also played basketball internationally. During the WNBA off-seasons, she played in other countries. From 2007 to 2010, and again from 2012 to 2013, she played for the UMMC Ekaterinburg club in Russia. She also played for the A.S. Ramat-Hasharon club in Israel from 2005 to 2006.
She even got a Russian passport. This helped her team in Russia. It meant she didn't count as one of the team's limited foreign players. In 2008, she hoped to play for the Russian Olympic team. However, another player, Becky Hammon, was chosen instead.
Career Highlights and Achievements
Deanna Nolan had a very successful basketball career. She won three WNBA championships with the Detroit Shock. These wins were in 2003, 2006, and 2008. She was also named the WNBA Finals MVP in 2006. This shows how important she was to her team's success.
She was chosen for the WNBA All-Star Game five times. This happened every year from 2003 to 2007. She was also recognized as one of the best players in the league. She made the All-WNBA First Team in 2005 and 2007. In 2016, she was honored again. She was named to the WNBA Top 20@20 team. This team celebrated the top 20 players in WNBA history.
