Alison Bales
Encyclopedia
Alison Marie Bales is an American professional basketball player who plays for the WNBA
's Atlanta Dream
.
, Indiana, where she was born, to Beavercreek, Ohio
; she played high school basketball for Beavercreek High School
. Bales was named a WBCA
All-American. She participated in the 2003 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored three points.
to play for the Duke Blue Devils
women's basketball team. At 6' 7" she played center
for Duke and later became the all-time shot block leader at Duke and 3rd all-time in NCAA history. In the 2006 NCAA Women's Tournament
, Bales set a Women's Tournament record by blocking 30 shots in six games (Duke lost to Atlantic Coast Conference
rival Maryland
in the championship game). This would stand as a record until it was broken by Baylor
's Brittney Griner in 2010
. Bales graduated from Duke with a double major in cultural anthropology and biology.
in the 2007 WNBA Draft
. After a season and a half with Indiana, Bales was traded to the Atlanta Dream
for Kristen Mann
on July 4, 2008. She would complete the season with Atlanta, and then be traded to the Phoenix Mercury
on January 21, 2009 for the 18th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft
. Bales was waived by the Phoenix Mercury on June 4, 2009. After another season overseas Bales was picked back up by the Atlanta Dream where she currently plays.
Over the course of her WNBA career, Bales has averaged 3.8 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game.
She is playing for Turkey's Samsun during the 2008–09 off-season.
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
's Atlanta Dream
Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta...
.
High school
At the age of five, her family moved from IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana, where she was born, to Beavercreek, Ohio
Beavercreek, Ohio
Beavercreek is the largest city in Greene County, Ohio, United States, and is the second largest suburb of Dayton behind Kettering. The population was 45,193 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
; she played high school basketball for Beavercreek High School
Beavercreek High School
Beavercreek High School is a public high school for grades 9-12 located in Beavercreek, Ohio. The principal is Marian West. It is a member of the Beavercreek City School District and is the only high school in the district. Beavercreek High School is located in a suburban setting...
. Bales was named a WBCA
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
All-American. She participated in the 2003 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored three points.
College
After her senior year she committed to Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
to play for the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
women's basketball team. At 6' 7" she played center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
for Duke and later became the all-time shot block leader at Duke and 3rd all-time in NCAA history. In the 2006 NCAA Women's Tournament
2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Albuquerque:-Bridgeport:-San Antonio:-Cleveland Regional:-Albuquerque Regional:-Bridgeport Regional:-San Antonio Regional:-Final Four – TD Banknorth Garden :...
, Bales set a Women's Tournament record by blocking 30 shots in six games (Duke lost to Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
rival Maryland
Maryland Terrapins women's basketball
The University of Maryland women's basketball team has been a prominent program in the history of women's basketball. As a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Lady Terrapins have been regular season and tournament champions on numerous occasions. They were struggling with a losing record...
in the championship game). This would stand as a record until it was broken by Baylor
Baylor Lady Bears basketball
The Baylor Lady Bears basketball team represents Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They currently compete in the Big 12 Conference...
's Brittney Griner in 2010
2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament started Saturday, March 20, 2010 and was completed on Tuesday, April 6 of the same year with University of Connecticut Huskies defending their title from the previous year by defeating Stanford, 53-47. The tournament bids were announced on...
. Bales graduated from Duke with a double major in cultural anthropology and biology.
WNBA career
On her birthday, Bales was drafted No. 9 overall by the Indiana FeverIndiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the 2007 WNBA Draft
2007 WNBA Draft
The 2007 WNBA Draft was the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league....
. After a season and a half with Indiana, Bales was traded to the Atlanta Dream
Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta...
for Kristen Mann
Kristen Mann
Kristen Cherie Mann is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-Childhood:Daughter of Kathy Deeds and Gene Mann. She has two brothers, Mack and Guy, and one sister named Payton, all younger than her. She was born August 10, 1983 in Lakewood, California...
on July 4, 2008. She would complete the season with Atlanta, and then be traded to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
on January 21, 2009 for the 18th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft
2009 WNBA Draft
The 2009 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2009. The first round was shown on ESPN2 at 3:00pm ET, while the second and third rounds were shown on ESPNU and NBA TV at...
. Bales was waived by the Phoenix Mercury on June 4, 2009. After another season overseas Bales was picked back up by the Atlanta Dream where she currently plays.
Over the course of her WNBA career, Bales has averaged 3.8 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Overseas career
Bales also played for the Dynamo Moscow professional basketball club in Russia during the winter of 2007–2008. She is currently playing in the offseason for L Union Jainaut Basket Saint Amon in France.She is playing for Turkey's Samsun during the 2008–09 off-season.