WNBA’s first-ever draft pick Dena Head goes viral for working at Amazon

By Peter Okereke

Modified Apr 14, 2025 17:30 GMT

Follow Us

Share

0 Discuss

Dena Head, the first-ever player drafted into the WNBA, went viral after she was discovered working at Amazon. The now 54-year-old basketball veteran is currently a HR manager at the e-commerce company, after previously working in operations for eight years.

Her remarkable past first came to the limelight in May 2024 when her colleagues found out who she was. They then searched the internet for one of Head's old trading cards and brought it to her to sign. A post related to her working at Amazon went viral on Reddit on Saturday.

Basketball fans were intrigued by the latest revelation and took to Reddit to react.

"I thought Sheryl Swoopes was the first player selected by the WNBA, and Tina Thompson was the first college player drafted. ??," one fan said.

Fans react about WNBA's first-ever draftee Dena Head (Credits: Reddit)

"This is not shocking, I’m sure some guys who went through the NBA but didn’t have high profile careers are doing something similar," another fan said.

"That’s good she works HR I thought she was a warehouse worker I’m like what’s stellar about that," one fan said.

Reactions also varied.

"I thought someone like Cynthia Cooper or Lisa Leslie would have been the first pick," one fan said.

"Not the picture making it look like she’s working in a werehouse….when she’s actually in the corporate offices lol I was worried this was going to be another depressing story about how early players got screwed over, but seems like she’s doing great! I think a different headline would make more sense," another fan said.

"Pay ranges are pretty wide at Amazon. She’s making somewhere between mid 40s to mid 90s. Hopefully whatever it is she’s happy," one fan said.

Before playing in the WNBA, Dena Head played college basketball for the University of Tennessee' Lady Vols women's team from 1989 to 1992. She was a two-time NCAA champion and was named to the All-SEC Team three times. After college, she played in professional leagues overseas in countries like Hungary, Spain, Brazil, and France.

During the inaugural WNBA Draft in 1997, Head was selected by the Utah Starzz (now defunct) as the No. 1 overall pick from the elite player group. Back then, the elite group consisted of players who had already gained experience playing basketball professionally. College players were categorized into a second group at the time.

Dena Head would go on to play for three seasons in the league (1997 to 2000), where she suited up for the Starzz and Phoenix Mercury. She eventually retired after the 2000 season as a 26-year-old.

---

Dena Head on how she felt about playing in the WNBA

Dena Head also revealed how it felt to be the first player to be drafted in the league. Speaking to ESPN in March 2024, she opened up about her excitement at the time to come back home and play professional basketball.

"There was just a lot of excitement around bringing a women's league to the States," she said. "Long time coming."

Head also commented on the transformation that has happened in the WNBA since its early days:

"It's exciting. We said that then, and it was exciting then. But I think now people are buying into it. Like, 'Man, women can really play.' They said we could play then, but they're saying that even more so now."

As the league continues to mature and attract top talent, Head will always be remembered as one of the pioneers of professional women's basketball in the country.