WNBA Draft: Katie Lou Samuelson receives well wishes from Larry Bird

Tom Gatto

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WNBA Draft: Katie Lou Samuelson receives well wishes from Larry Bird image

Katie Lou Samuelson couldn't believe what she was seeing on the monitor: Larry Bird was congratulating her on becoming a WNBA player and wishing her success.

Samuelson, who pays homage to Bird by wearing his No. 33, received a surprise message from the basketball legend backstage Wednesday after being selected fourth overall by the Chicago Sky.

The UConn product was in shock as Bird delivered his statement.

WNBA DRAFT RECAP: Jackie Young taken first overall 

Bird's message to Samuelson was just the latest NBA-WNBA draft night crossover. Last year, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin recorded messages for Azura Stevens and A'ja Wilson, respectively.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.