INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Fever President and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf has announced the signing of former Maryland All-American Laura Harper to a free agent deal for 2013. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Harper, 26, was a first-round draft pick of the Sacramento Monarchs in 2008, following a stellar career at Maryland where she helped the Terrapins to the 2006 NCAA championship. Named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2006 NCAA Final Four, she was the 10th player chosen in the 2008 draft and completed two WNBA seasons before injuries derailed her young career.
A 6-5 power forward and center, Harper will provide added depth at the Fever post position.
Harper played 67 games and was a part-time starter with the Monarchs in 2008 and 2009, averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in her first two pro seasons. She was acquired by the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Monarchs’ dispersal draft in December 2009, but missed the 2010 and 2011 seasons due to injury. She was waived in training camp by the Washington Mystics in 2012.
Currently, Harper is averaging 7.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for Dynamo Moscow, in the Russian League, where she plays beside WNBA stars and former college teammates Kristi Toliver and Crystal Langhorne. She averaged 13.3 points and 9.9 rebounds playing in Turkey in 2011-12.
