As the WNBA draft commenced at noon on Saturday in Secaucus, N.J., Jess Brungo was nowhere near the NBA Entertainment centers. The senior forward was in Virginia at a family member's wedding. And besides, she never expected she would have a reason to be there for the draft anyway.
"She didn't expect to get drafted; she really didn't," said Jim Brungo, Jess Brungo's father.
But, thanks to a friend who watched the extended coverage of the draft on NBA TV, Brungo received a surprise phone call that trumped any excitement the wedding could provide -- Brungo had been drafted. And more than that, she was the 16th overall pick -- the third pick in the second round -- by the Connecticut Sun. The selection tied her with former player Suzie McConnell-Serio as the highest ever drafted Penn State player.
"I can't put into words how I'm feeling right now," Brungo said in a press release. "I never expected this to happen, and I'm just looking forward to this amazing opportunity."
As much as a surprise as being drafted was to Brungo, even more surprising was that she was the first member of the Lady Lions taken. Fellow senior Kelly Mazzante, who had been projected at times to be selected as high as sixth overall, was taken two spots after Brungo as the 18th overall pick to the Charlotte Sting.
For the three-time Kodak All-American and undisputed Penn State star, the slip was unexpected but could likely have been a result of her struggles in the NCAA tournament and that she was unable to better her image by attending a WNBA combine.
"First, second, third round -- it doesn't matter," Mazzante said. "Everyone has to go out there and prove themselves and make a team. [Not going in the first round] maybe gives me a little more motivation, and I'm gonna use it in a positive way."
But with this star-studded senior class, the beginning of the second round was not too shabby for the senior duo, the eight and ninth players ever to be drafted out of Penn State.
Connecticut three-time national champion Diana Taurasi was the overall No. 1 pick by the Phoenix Mercury, while AP National Player of the Year and Duke standout Alana Beard went second to the Washington Mystics.
The process of proving themselves will begin right away, as Brungo and Mazzante will shift from the comfortable role of big guns in Happy Valley to being the new kids on the block who aren't even assured a spot on the teams that drafted them.
"I'll have to start from scratch again, and that's something I'm willing to do," Mazzante said. "I truly feel Charlotte could be a good fit for me. There are a lot of veteran players there, so I can learn from them and take things from there."
The main thing Mazzante will need to learn from is how to create her own shots and penetrate inside, as a large part of her offense in her collegiate career relied on her quick release off screens. For Brungo, the key will be capitalizing on her versatility, as the 6-foot-1 athlete can play any of three positions -- shooting guard, small forward or power forward.
And though the teammates will have to start again in separate towns, they won't be there without familiar faces. Fellow Big Ten senior Lindsay Whalen, the No.4 pick, will be leaving Minnesota behind to join Brungo in Connecticut, and Mazzante will travel to Charlotte with friend Nicole Powell, the No. 3 pick out of Stanford.
The dashing of Final Four dreams and a collegiate hoops career now behind them, Brungo and Mazzante aren't ready to step off of the basketball stage. Regardless of the circumstance -- lower-than-expected selection for Happy Valley's honey or total surprise for the Lady Lions' unsung hero -- the playing will continue.
And surprise or not, that's something to interrupt a wedding with.
