Roundtree Represents!
Roundtree Represents!
A page dedicated to Saudia Roundtree, a fiery point guard whose quick hands and deceptive moves live up to her infamous trash talking! :o) Drafted by the USBL, Saudia decided instead to play pro with the ABL where she remained until the closure of the league. When the league folded, Saudia was in the midst of a breakout year. She was averaging 12.2 points a game while dishing out 3.3 assists a game as the star and starting point guard on the new Nashville Noise. Despite the great start, Saudia wasn't 100 percent, at one point missing four games of the Noise season. Instead she was only about 70% healthy in her words, but got to the point where she had to "just try to go with the pain, just play with it. I kind of try to get to a point where it's kind of consistent and just be able to mentally get through that." Because of knee problems and the WNBA limits on ex-ABL players, Saudia has yet to find a venue to show off her skills. With the WNBA's expansion next season, she should be back in public's view :o) Here's what SLAM and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett had to say about the flashy point guard...
Saudia Roundtree, Atlanta Glory--It's a good thing Roundtree didn't take up the USBL's offer last summer, or there would have been a lot of broken ankles in that league. The 5-7 blur is just one year removed from the college world, but her speed and ability to excite serve her just fine against more experienced opposition. Roundtree is a dazzling ballhandler and superb penetrator who only needs to improve her outside shooting to become a true force. Even without much perimeter pop, Roundtree's game is just fine.
SLAM: And Saudia Roundtree....
KG: [Voice up another octave] She's from Madison! She's from here! Yeahhhh! Ooooo! Georgia, baby! I saw her in high school, she used to come to the park and give the boys some league ball. Straight like that, talkin' crazy!
It's a good thing for the Nashville Noise that Saudia Roundtree decided to stay in the American Basketball League.
Prior to signing with the ABL in 1996, Roundtree was sought out by the men's United States Basketball League. She caught the eye of the USBL after earning national player of the year honors at the University of Georgia.
"I just thought it was something to do for publicity or whatever," Roundtree said. "But they called and said they were really interested. They wanted me to come try out, come down with the team. I was like 'Nah.' I'm not going to go down there and get hurt."
Instead, Roundtree chose to try out the then-newly founded ABL, becoming what was considered one of the biggest names in the first collegiate class of women to sign with the league.
"I've played with men all of my life in street ball, whatever, and this game, the women's game is the best game. No way we should interchange and go play with them or them come over and play with us," Roundtree said.
"This is the best game, and if you give up an opportunity to play with the best women in the country, you are giving up a helluva opportunity. It doesn't get any better than this."
Get your own Free Home Page