Former WNBA guard Sammy Prahalis named head coach at Stony Brook School

Former Commack basketball standout and WNBA point guard Sammy Prahalis is about to take on a challenge unlike any she has faced before.

The former No. 6 overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury has been named the new girls basketball coach at The Stony Brook School.

Prahalis hopes to transform the Long Island boarding school’s program into a destination for elite talent.

“I want to build something big from the ground up,” Prahalis told Greater Long Island. “That was the most intriguing part about this opportunity. I want to turn it into something they’ve never been before.”

For Prahalis, the position represents a first. While she has coached at both the high school and college levels, this is her first opportunity to lead a program at a private high school, where recruiting will play a major role.

“It’s a clean slate,” she said. “I want to create an elite team.”

A 2008 Commack High School graduate, Prahalis starred at Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball before spending three seasons in the WNBA. She also suited up for the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks.

After her playing career ended, Prahalis quickly moved into coaching. She spent two seasons as head coach at Ward Melville and one season at North Babylon before moving to the college ranks. She served as an assistant coach for five seasons between James Madison University and St. John’s University before returning to high school basketball last season as head coach at Amityville.

Now, she faces a different kind of challenge.

“Recruiting is the hardest part of the job,” Prahalis said. “I’ve done it before when I was working in college. But with these kids, I have to get them to realize private school is an option.”

Unlike traditional public school programs, The Stony Brook School can attract players from beyond district boundaries. Prahalis expects to recruit a mix of local, out-of-state and international players.

But while her résumé and playing accomplishments may open doors, she knows today’s players are more focused on the future than the past.

“My resume gets me in the conversation, but they don’t care about my playing days,” she said. “That was decades ago. Some of the parents do though, they definitely remember.”

Asked whether she plans to show recruits highlights from her playing days, Prahalis laughed.

“Nah, they aren’t that interested.”

For years, Prahalis envisioned her coaching career at the collegiate level. But after becoming a mother, her priorities shifted.

“I thought I eventually wanted to become a college head coach, but then I had my kids and my priorities changed,” she said. “I didn’t want to wait around 10 years to see if that opportunity came around. I thought high school was the better option.”

The Stony Brook School’s emphasis on academics and character was another major selling point.

“Stony Brook is a high academic, high character school, so I’m not just going to recruit just anyone,” Prahalis said. “But there are kids out there that will want to play here.”

Confidence has never been in short supply for Prahalis.

She isn’t interested in putting a timeline on what The Stony Brook School can become.

“People say it’ll take time to build what I want to build,” she said. “And maybe it will. But it might not. Why can’t I find a top 50 kid right away?”

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Top: New York Liberty’s Essence Carson, left, battles Phoenix Mercury’s Samantha Prahalis for the ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)