Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Diaz Signs with CB Igualada
1/8/2018 10:33:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Kamille Diaz will board a plane today, marking the first step in the realization of a lifelong dream. The 2017 California Baptist University graduate has signed a contract to play for CB Igualada, a professional basketball team in Spain about 45 minutes from Barcelona.
"It's always been a dream to play professional basketball, words can't even describe how rewarding this is for me," said Diaz, whose move was also profiled by her hometown newspaper, The Desert Sun. "I am glad I have the opportunity to fulfill my dream."
Diaz is the second Lancer in her senior class to begin a professional career this year after Cassidy Mihalko signed with the Ringwood Hawks of Melbourne, Australia in September.
Over the previous four years, Diaz and her fellow Lancer teammates, including Mihalko, helped set the standard for CBU basketball in the NCAA era and hopes are that continues now at the next level.
CBU was one of the most dominant teams in NCAA Division II with Diaz on the court. The Lancers logged a 109-25 record, qualified for the postseason the last three years in a row, won two West Regional Championships, reached two D-II Final Fours – including a championship game appearance in 2015, and were routinely ranked in the Division II top-three.
Even with all that success, Diaz was not sure her dream of a professional basketball career was possible after she completed her collegiate career with the Lancers last March in the D-II Elite Eight.
"I basically didn't know anything about playing overseas," said Diaz, whose future was still up in the air after she graduated in May. "I didn't know what to do, do I go back to school or get a real job? It was a weird time for me because I have been playing basketball for all my life, since I was six or seven years old, not having basketball or a routine was weird for me."
CBU head coach Jarrod Olson and assistant Angie Ned helped Diaz through the process of getting on the radar of overseas teams looking for American talent.
"They were with me every step of the way," Diaz said of Olson and Ned.
It started with creating a highlight video and sending it around to potential landing spots for Diaz. The video was posted in the summer, but a month or two later Diaz had still not been contacted by any teams.
Olson had warned Diaz Christmas was when a lot of European teams would look to add new talent, with the new season coming up. In the meantime, Diaz started working at Stater Brothers and helping out as an assistant coach at Xavier College Prep High in Palm Desert, near her hometown of Indio.
Sure enough, interest in Diaz began to peak in December and on Christmas Day she committed to play for CB Igualada after she received her flight to Spain from the team.
Diaz knows a lot will be expected from her with Igualada, as European teams are only allowed one or two American players on their roster.
"They expect Americans to probably start and score most of the points," Diaz said. "Jarrod and Angie always tell me you're going to need to score. I am pretty confident I will be able to do that."
After all, there isn't much Diaz can't do on a basketball court. At CBU, she was a four-time All-PacWest pick, including three first-team and two all-tournament nods, a two-time All-West Region first teamer and the 2017 West Regional and PacWest Tournament MVPs.
"My teammates made me look good," Diaz said of her success as a Lancer. "I think the whole coaching staff did a good job of coaching me and every year I could feel myself getting better. I know the hard work I put in throughout the four years, and just having a winning mindset and successful seasons with the team, I think that helps me going forward to play overseas."
In CBU's career record books, Diaz ranks first in assists (688) and three-pointers made (398), third in three-point percentage (.391), fourth in points (1,926) and assists per game (5.13), sixth in free-throw percentage (.791), eighth in points per game (14.4) and 10th in steals (214). She also set the single-game record for points in a game (43) and three-pointers made (nine).
"The [CB Igualada coach] said he likes to run, I am assuming it is like [CBU's] style of play, just get it out and go," Diaz said. "I know he saw me shoot some threes and I think he likes that.
I am just going to play my game and just stay true to myself and do what I need to do to make the team successful."
Hopes are Diaz and Mihalko will be examples to follow for many future Lancers, in college and beyond.
"People will see Cass and myself going to play professional and say 'I want to go play overseas and that's possible for me at CBU,'" Diaz said. "Anything is possible if you have the right mindset and a goal to reach."
"It's always been a dream to play professional basketball, words can't even describe how rewarding this is for me," said Diaz, whose move was also profiled by her hometown newspaper, The Desert Sun. "I am glad I have the opportunity to fulfill my dream."
Diaz is the second Lancer in her senior class to begin a professional career this year after Cassidy Mihalko signed with the Ringwood Hawks of Melbourne, Australia in September.
Over the previous four years, Diaz and her fellow Lancer teammates, including Mihalko, helped set the standard for CBU basketball in the NCAA era and hopes are that continues now at the next level.
CBU was one of the most dominant teams in NCAA Division II with Diaz on the court. The Lancers logged a 109-25 record, qualified for the postseason the last three years in a row, won two West Regional Championships, reached two D-II Final Fours – including a championship game appearance in 2015, and were routinely ranked in the Division II top-three.
Even with all that success, Diaz was not sure her dream of a professional basketball career was possible after she completed her collegiate career with the Lancers last March in the D-II Elite Eight.
"I basically didn't know anything about playing overseas," said Diaz, whose future was still up in the air after she graduated in May. "I didn't know what to do, do I go back to school or get a real job? It was a weird time for me because I have been playing basketball for all my life, since I was six or seven years old, not having basketball or a routine was weird for me."
CBU head coach Jarrod Olson and assistant Angie Ned helped Diaz through the process of getting on the radar of overseas teams looking for American talent.
"They were with me every step of the way," Diaz said of Olson and Ned.
It started with creating a highlight video and sending it around to potential landing spots for Diaz. The video was posted in the summer, but a month or two later Diaz had still not been contacted by any teams.
Olson had warned Diaz Christmas was when a lot of European teams would look to add new talent, with the new season coming up. In the meantime, Diaz started working at Stater Brothers and helping out as an assistant coach at Xavier College Prep High in Palm Desert, near her hometown of Indio.
Sure enough, interest in Diaz began to peak in December and on Christmas Day she committed to play for CB Igualada after she received her flight to Spain from the team.
Diaz knows a lot will be expected from her with Igualada, as European teams are only allowed one or two American players on their roster.
"They expect Americans to probably start and score most of the points," Diaz said. "Jarrod and Angie always tell me you're going to need to score. I am pretty confident I will be able to do that."
After all, there isn't much Diaz can't do on a basketball court. At CBU, she was a four-time All-PacWest pick, including three first-team and two all-tournament nods, a two-time All-West Region first teamer and the 2017 West Regional and PacWest Tournament MVPs.
"My teammates made me look good," Diaz said of her success as a Lancer. "I think the whole coaching staff did a good job of coaching me and every year I could feel myself getting better. I know the hard work I put in throughout the four years, and just having a winning mindset and successful seasons with the team, I think that helps me going forward to play overseas."
In CBU's career record books, Diaz ranks first in assists (688) and three-pointers made (398), third in three-point percentage (.391), fourth in points (1,926) and assists per game (5.13), sixth in free-throw percentage (.791), eighth in points per game (14.4) and 10th in steals (214). She also set the single-game record for points in a game (43) and three-pointers made (nine).
"The [CB Igualada coach] said he likes to run, I am assuming it is like [CBU's] style of play, just get it out and go," Diaz said. "I know he saw me shoot some threes and I think he likes that.
I am just going to play my game and just stay true to myself and do what I need to do to make the team successful."
Hopes are Diaz and Mihalko will be examples to follow for many future Lancers, in college and beyond.
"People will see Cass and myself going to play professional and say 'I want to go play overseas and that's possible for me at CBU,'" Diaz said. "Anything is possible if you have the right mindset and a goal to reach."
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