WNBA draft: Shyla Heal goes pick No.8 to the Chicago Sky

Aussie young gun Shyla Heal – the daughter of Boomers legend Shane – is off to the WNBA after being picked high in the draft.

Shyla Heal, daughter of Boomers basketball legend Shane Heal. Picture: Toby Zerna

Shyla Heal was repeatedly told she was too short to make the WNBA.

Instead of rolling over, the point guard simply used the brutal put-down as motivation to train harder.

On Friday, the 19-year-old’s dream came true when the Chicago Sky selected Heal as the no.8 overall pick of the 2021 WNBA Draft.

“I have put absolutely everything into this, blood sweat and tears, it’s all paid off in this moment … I knew if I was better at shooting, dribbling, if I was fitter, then nothing could stop me,” Heal said.

“I haven’t been able to sleep the last two or three nights, I’ve been thinking about where I’m going to go and end up. When I finally heard my name, weight dropped off my shoulders. It was a dream come true.”

Shyla Heal, daughter of Boomers basketball legend Shane Heal. Picture: Toby Zerna

Excited squeals rang out through The Star’s 24/7 Sport Bar when WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed Heal was Chicago’s first choice on Friday morning.

She is the latest Australian star to go in the first round of the WNBA Draft, following in the footsteps of Lauren Jackson, Liz Cambage and Ezi Magbegor.

“I was really keen on Chicago, I didn’t want to say anything before the draft,” Heal said.

“They have a great point guard Courtney Vandersloot and they’ve signed Candace Parker so they obviously are looking to win it. I can’t wait to get there.”

Nothing was going to stop Heal from living out her dream - not even the fact months ago, WNBA franchises told the teen that she needed to get faster.

“I got a sprint coach … I improved my speed straight away. I know the Chicago coach has been keeping up with that and he’s happy with my speed” she said.

Speaking of the Chicago Skies coach, James Wade phoned an elated Heal during her press conference to offer his congratulations.

With the 8th pick in the 2021 @WNBA Draft, Sky select Shyla Heal. #skytown | #NoCeiling pic.twitter.com/W80Kkz4hFm

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 15, 2021

The 19-year-old will fly out to the US next week and she’s ready to hit the court running.

“I’ve worked since I was a little kid for this, I don’t want to be stashed, I’m ready to go now” Heal said.

Australian Boomers legend Shane Heal held back tears while his daughter thanked her support network during her speech at The Star.

“I feel emotional, proud, it’s exciting. I can’t wait for her to get over there. You just know the work she’s done ... that people don’t see, the mindset she’s had,” Heal Snr said.

“She was told she was too small at a young age, and she pulled through, she deserves it.”

Heal Snr believes Chicago was the best club for his daughter’s development.

“They have an amazing coach who has a real clear role for what he wants her to do behind an all-star point guard who’s in her 30s, and who she can learn from,” Heal Snr said.

“Some teams asked whether she would be prepared to be stashed for a year ... but this team has a specific role and a purpose they believe she can come in and contribute straight away.

“She doesn’t get ahead of herself, she has a lot of work to do before she’s a star in that league … there’ll be ups and downs playing in the best league in the world, like you’d expect for a teenager … I think she’s in the right system, with the right coach and team to grow.”

Despite having represented Australia, NBA and NBL franchises, Heal Snr admitted nothing could compare to the nerves and excitement of his daughter’s draft day.

"This young Australian is dynamite!" 🧨

This is the moment Shyla Heal joined an exclusive list of Australian's picked in the top 10 of the #WNBA draft:

⭐ @shylaheal1
⭐ Liz Cambage (@ecambage)
⭐ Lauren Jackson (@laurenej15)

Big things ahead 🙌 pic.twitter.com/l1FAUjv4nm

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) April 16, 2021

“There were a lot of expectations. I saw the local ESPN had her at no.18, you look at it and roll your eyes and say: come on guys do your homework,” Heal Snr said.

“But you get a bit nervous that she’s going to drop past where we wanted her to go, which was Chicago. We’ve got so many friends, so much support and family, people have flown in, she’s such a popular kid with her friends, that’s a nice thing for her to share it.”

Heal said she would never have been drafted without her father’s coaching and guidance.

“I’ve looked up to him since I was a little girl, I have trained with him every day. He really has been one of my role models … I love him on and off the court. Without him I wouldn’t be here without him today” Heal said.

To add more excitement, the teenager has been training with the Opals squad and could end up representing Australia at Tokyo2021.

“It’s going to be a huge year. Opals has been my goal since I was a little girl as well,” Heal said.

“Hopefully going in the first round will help my chances of making that Opals team. My fingers are crossed, I’ve done everything I can.”

The 19-year-old’s dream came true after the Chicago Sky selected Heal as the No.8 overall pick of the 2021 WNBA Draft.

Heal has followed in the footsteps of Australian basketball stars Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, Kristen Veal, Kelsey Griffin, Alison Lacey, Liz Cambage, Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor, who each went in the first rounds of their respective WNBA Drafts.

Heal follows in the footsteps of her famous father, Australian basketball great Shane Heal.

Shane had stints in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs as well as a decorated career with the national team and in the NBL.

The point guard celebrated the news with her friends and family at The Star’s 24/7 Sports Bar on Friday morning.

Charli Collier of Texas went as the No.1 overall draft pick to the Dallas Wings.

Heal burst onto the professional scene as a 14-year-old when she made her WNBL debut with the South East Queensland Stars.

Last year, Heal was named WNBL Youth Player of the Year and finished the season with averages of 25.3 points and 7.3 assists per game for the Townsville Fire.

She placed in the league’s top five scorers, ahead of WNBA stars Mitchell (12.2ppg) and big Ezi Magbegor (15.4ppg).

Heal has already won gold medals for Australia’s junior sides and has been training with the Australian Opals squad ahead of Tokyo2021.