Before She Became a Star at NFL Network, Stacey Dales Dominated on the Basketball Court
Stacey Dales is one of the best sports reporters of the modern-day era. She does terrific work for NFL Network and was instrumental in paving the way for women in the sports broadcasting world.
Before she became a star sports reporter, though, Dales was a superstar basketball player.
Stacey Dales is one of the best players in Oklahoma school history
Stacey Dales played her college basketball at Oklahoma and had a stellar career. She led the school to three conference titles and was part of the Sooners’ first NCAA Women’s Final Four appearance in 2002.
Born in Brockville, Ontario, Dales was a two-time All-American and two-time Big 12 Player of the Year at Oklahoma. She holds the school career record for assists (764) and ranks third in OU history in double-figure scoring games (104), fourth in games played (133), fifth in steals (250), and seventh in points scored (1,920), per Sooner Sports. Dales also set the school single-season assists record with 248 during the 2000-01 campaign.
Stacey Dales was a member of the Canadian Olympic team at the 2000 Sydney Games. After her college career ended, Dales took her talents to the WNBA.
Stacey Dales was the third overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft
The Washington Mystics drafted Stacey Dales with the third overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft. She is Oklahoma’s highest-drafted women’s player and the highest-drafted Canadian in WNBA history.
Dales played in 150 WNBA games with the Mystics and Chicago Sky. She averaged 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 38.0% from the field, 34.8% from beyond the arc, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. Dales made the All-Star team during her rookie season with the Mystics.
After her WNBA career ended, Dales transitioned into sports media, with her first job coming at ESPN. She has worked as a sports reporter for the NFL Network since 2009 and serves as a color analyst for Fox Sports’ women’s college basketball coverage. A lot of college basketball players look up to Dales since she was a legend at Oklahoma.
Stacey Dales lives in Chicago, Illinois, so she does a lot of reporting on the Chicago Bears. The veteran reporter is usually breaking news on current athletes. However, Dales recently got some tremendous news in her own life.
NFL Network star gets named to Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame’s 2021 class
Stacey Dales and Bob Kalsu have been named to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame’s 2021 class. On Nov. 21, 2014, Dales became the first player in school history to have her jersey honored at Lloyd Noble Center.
This is a special honor for Dales, her family, and her friends. Not many people are aware that Dales was an exceptional basketball player before her sports media career began. Now that it’s out there for the public, Dales should command even more respect in the sports world since she’s been successful at two high-level professions.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference.
