▁commit ▁to ▁playing ▁after ▁hearing ▁the ▁$ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁$ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁sal aries ▁estimated ▁by ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁franch ise . ▁With ▁its ▁last ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁draft , ▁the ▁Cor net s ▁selected ▁Ul j ana ▁Sem jon ova , ▁a ▁ 6 - foot - 1 1 - inch ▁player ▁for ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁national ▁women ' s ▁basketball ▁team ▁who ▁would ▁be ▁induct ed ▁as ▁an ▁inaug ural ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁Basketball ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁in ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁but ▁would ▁never ▁play ▁a ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁W BL . ▁The ▁New ▁Jersey ▁G ems ▁selected ▁Carol ▁Bla zej owski ▁from ▁Mont cla ir ▁State ▁College , ▁but ▁she ▁announced ▁while ▁on ▁tour ▁in ▁Bulg aria ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁national ▁women ' s ▁team ▁through ▁her ▁coach ▁Ma ure en ▁Wend el ken ▁that ▁she ▁had ▁no ▁intention ▁of ▁playing ▁profession ally ▁and ▁that ▁her ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁retain ▁her ▁amateur ▁standing ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics . ▁Mol ly ▁Bol in , ▁who ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Mor avia , ▁Iowa , ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁signed ▁by ▁any ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁W BL ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁signed ▁by ▁the ▁Iowa ▁Cor net s . ▁ ▁The ▁league ▁played ▁its ▁first ▁game ▁on ▁December ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁between