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Iowa basketball: Megan Gustafson cut from Dallas Wings in shocking move

By Andrew Wade

2 Jul 2000: A view of the court WNBA Logo taken before a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The Sparks defeated the Shock 85-63. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Danny Moloshok /Allsport
2 Jul 2000: A view of the court WNBA Logo taken before a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The Sparks defeated the Shock 85-63. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Danny Moloshok /Allsport /
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The Dallas Wings drafting former Iowa basketball player Megan Gustafson was a huge boost to their fanbase. After just a few weeks, that is completely over.

Iowa basketball fans and even the state of Iowa loved Megan Gustafson. Not only was she arguably the best player to ever play basketball at the University of Iowa (man or woman), but she was a good person who happily accepted the role of role model for young girls everywhere.

The exciting Elite Eight run just only took her greatness to another level.

For Iowa basketball fans, it was a foregone conclusion that Gustafson would be heading to the WNBA and succeed there as well, but it’s been rough since the conclusion of WNBA career.

Gustafson, projected to go in the first round of the WNBA draft, ended up falling to the 17th overall pick in the middle of the second round to the Dallas Wings.

Nonetheless, this is Megan Gustafson. She is used to succeeding when people doubt her. Unfortunately, Dallas never even gave her a fair shake.

After her first preseason game where she played 18 minutes but struggled from the field going 1 of 6 and adding just two rebounds, she played 5 minutes combined in the next two preseason games.

Now, she is unemployed, less than two months after being drafted. More insulting, so far, she is the earliest draft pick to have been released from their WNBA squad.

Per Dallas Wings head coach, this was one of the tougher decisions he has had to make in his career.

"Extremely difficult. I’ve been doing this a long time and probably two of the harder decisions to make at this stage of training camp."

And according to Selby Lopez, a Dallas Wings writer, the head coach had this to say about Gustafson.

While I realize I am biased, I think this is complete garbage. The Dallas Wings aren’t going to be contending for a WNBA title after trading away star center Liz Cambage and having to play without star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. Why not take a chance on your second-round draft pick who just had one of the more impressive stories and career in women’s college basketball history.

From a ticket-selling standpoint, Iowa basketball fans root for their own, and you better believe Hawks fans would have come out to support Gustafson on a few of her closer road games, and they would have likely bought gear too.

This move, in my opinion, isn’t good for the on-court product or the off-court product of the Dallas Wings.

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Now, Gustafson could try to sign with another team in the WNBA or look to play overseas like her former teammate Hannah Stewart did.