After her second season of playing overseas, former Tiger Whitney Boddie is coming back to the WNBA.
Boddie finished her Auburn career in 2009 as the all-time assist leader and was drafted to the Sacramento Monarchs.
Boddie was cut from the team during training, but signed a contract during the season and played in four games for the Monarchs.
Boddie is currently in New York City going through a training camp with the New York Liberty.
This is the first time Boddie has been to the Big Apple, a new experience for the woman from Florence.
"Cappie Pondexter took us out to dinner one night, and the experience of riding on the train and the subway was cool," Boddie said. "We were seeing the sites and trying not to look like tourists while looking up at all the buildings."
"You don't get it until you are actually here. Finally being in this area has been a lot of fun."
John Wisenant, head coach for the Liberty, is the same man who coached Boddie in Sacramento.
"The good thing with me is that I am familiar with the system," Boddie said. "Coach Wisenant teaches his white-line defense and I do my best to get after it on the defensive end.
"I feel like I have more experience, everything is still a learning experience because I have not played in the league."
Boddie played in Poland during the 2009-2010 season and moved to play in Turkey last season.
Boddie said even though she was benched twice during her time there because of an ankle injury, she feels playing overseas helped her grow.
She averaged 10.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds a game.
"I studied a lot of film during that time and sat and watched a lot of practice, which is difficult for me," Boddie said. "It was more or less becoming a student of the game - watching other players in situations, adjusting to new plays. I became more of an observer, and I hope that will help me down the road."
In high school, Boddie was named the 2005 Miss Basketball while playing for Florence High School.
She was also honored as the Alabama Sports Writers Association 6A Player of the Year in 2004.
At Auburn, Boddie assisted on at least one play in 69 of 70 career games and assisted on five or more plays in 35 career games.
As a sophomore, Boddie averaged 10.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in post-season play.
As a junior, Boddie was named MVP of the Buckeye Classic after averaging 16.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
The week after the tournament, she also earned SEC Player of the Week honors .
Basketball runs in Boddie's family as her father, Otis Boddie, played at the University of North Alabama.
Boddie scored two points with an assist and brought down a pair of rebounds in New York's loss to Washington in its first preseason game.
One more preseason game remains for the Liberty before opening the regular season June 5 in Atlanta.
Training for the Liberty is coming to a close and Boddie will face cuts and major decisions about her future in the coming weeks.
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