I think someone has a high opinion of their game

[HuskylnSC]

52 players have opted in to the WNBA draft. There's only 144 total positions:
Janelle BaileyC6-4North Carolina
Kate CainC6-5Nebraska
Maya CaldwellG5-11Georgia
Sierra CampisanoF6-3Cal Poly
DiJonai CarringtonG5-11Baylor
Deja ChurchG5-10DePaul
Charli CollierF-C6-5Texas
Gabby ConnallyG5-6Georgia
Rennia DavisG6-2Tennessee
Chelsea DungeeG5-11Arkansas
Dana EvansG5-6Louisville
Kysre GondrezickG5-9West Virginia
Aleah GoodmanG5-9Oregon State
Arella GuirantesG5-11Rutgers
Valerie HigginsG6-1Pacific
Cece HooksG5-8Ohio
Jordan JenkinsG5-5UTEP
Kionna JeterG5-8Towson
Akienreh JohnsonG6-0Michigan
Ciera JohnsonC6-4Texas A&M
N’dea JonesF6-2Texas A&M
Micaela KellyG5-6Central Michigan
Natalie KucowskiF6-3Lafayette
Kasiyahna KushkituahC6-4Tennessee
Selena LottG5-11Marquette
Natasha MackF6-4Oklahoma State
Tiana MangakahiaG5-6Syracuse
Blanca MillanG6-1Maine
Lashonda MonkG5-6East Carolina
Que MorrisonG5-7Georgia
Nancy MulkeyC6-9Rice
Johanna MuzetG6-0Rhode Island
Michaela OnyenwereF6-0UCLA
Chasity PattersonG5-5Kentucky
Chelsey PerryG6-2Tennessee-Martin
Lindsey PulliamG5-10Northwestern
Ivana RacaF6-2Wake Forest
DiDi RichardsG6-2Baylor
Destiny SlocumG5-7Arkansas
Jenna StaitiC6-4Georgia
LaPresha StanleyG5-9Appalachian State
Tesia ThompsonG5-10Southeast Missouri State
Unique ThompsonF6-3Auburn
Jill TownsendG5-11Gonzaga
Mikayla VaughnC6-3Notre Dame
Destinee WalkerG5-10Notre Dame
Jasmine WalkerF6-3Alabama
Stephanie WattsG5-11North Carolina
Tyra WhiteheadF6-3San Jose State
Aaliyah WilsonG5-11Texas A&M
Jenn WirthF6-3Gonzaga
LeeAnne WirthF6-3Gonzaga

 

[nwhoopfan]

Many of them are no more likely to find a roster spot in the WNBA if they return for a 5th/6th year of college and then tried to get drafted in '22. Not really sure what the point of the thread header is? It's not like men's hoops where these are all Fr. or Soph going early.

 

[visitor123]

Just like any other job opening. Lots of applicants for a few positions. I'm actually surprised there are only 52 entrants.

 

[noirwestern]

I imagine there's plenty of world teams who would be pleased to have most, if not all of their talents on their rosters. May not be the future they envisioned but it's work and a good start.

 

[PacoSwede]

big dreams ... they've all put so much into it

 

[hoopsfan22]

Most of them are gonna have to go pro in something else. They've been running that commercial non-stop during March Madness. Hopefully they took advantage of the academic side of their scholarships.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I imagine most years it’s more than that.

 

[Millenial23]

You never get selected if you don't even put your name in, so why not?

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

notably missing are any names from Stanford or AZ.... they have until tonight, I think.

 

[JellyBean]

Gotta shoot your shot! Never know what might happen.

 

[schmendrick]

These 52 women are giving themselves a shot at a dream. Bravo and best of luck to each one on the hard work and discipline that has brought them to this point.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some of the players are quite good and will find a spot in the W. Others will find a spot elsewhere. There may also be some who are declaring just so they can always say they did, even though they don't realistically plan to play any longer.

 

[Boreifs]

notably missing are any names from Stanford or AZ.... they have until tonight, I think.

Also Ursin from Baylor

 

[UcMiami]

We have had a number of players who never played in WNBA but had lots of fun, some decent earnings, and great life experiences in leagues all around the world. Megan Gardler played in Scandinavia and Europe for a number of years, for example, and seemed to have a blast, she even won a league MVP. Kaili McLaren played a decade in Europe. Declaring for the draft is just the first step in pursuing a professional career.

 

[MSGRET]

I believe that a reason why there are so many this year is because of the extra year that everyone got from the NCAA and that even Senior's had to declare if they wanted to be drafted per the WNBA because of the NCAA's eligibility rules due to COVID-19.

 

[MSGRET]

Did Didi Richards change her mind? Don't see her on the list (unless i just missed it)...

She's on there, just above Slocum.

 

[Penn]

52 players have opted in to the WNBA draft. There's only 144 total positions:

Maybe my math is wrong but aren’t there only 3 rounds of 12 players selected for a total of 36 positions.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Maybe my math is wrong but aren’t there only 3 rounds of 12 players selected for a total of 36 positions.

that's the point. 3rd round picks rarely stick and only a few of the seconds.

 

[bbfanLA]

Sometimes you just have to throw your hat in the ring and hope for the best. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to audition to be a host for a new upcoming show on the Food Network. I know I probably won’t get it, but I figured, why not try and see what happens? 🤷🏻‍♂️ That’s probably how some of these players feel.

 

[UcMiami]

And there will probably be between 6 and 12 foreign players picked in the draft so maybe as few as 24 US college kids.

There will also be a number of undrafted players that get invited to WNBA camps.

 

[fomalhaut]

Players can make a good living overseas, sometimes even better than the WNBA. Not the end of the world if you don't get drafted.

 

[AYusef]

52 players have opted in to the WNBA draft. There's only 144 total positions:
Janelle BaileyC6-4North Carolina
Kate CainC6-5Nebraska
Maya CaldwellG5-11Georgia
Sierra CampisanoF6-3Cal Poly
DiJonai CarringtonG5-11Baylor
Deja ChurchG5-10DePaul
Charli CollierF-C6-5Texas
Gabby ConnallyG5-6Georgia
Rennia DavisG6-2Tennessee
Chelsea DungeeG5-11Arkansas
Dana EvansG5-6Louisville
Kysre GondrezickG5-9West Virginia
Aleah GoodmanG5-9Oregon State
Arella GuirantesG5-11Rutgers
Valerie HigginsG6-1Pacific
Cece HooksG5-8Ohio
Jordan JenkinsG5-5UTEP
Kionna JeterG5-8Towson
Akienreh JohnsonG6-0Michigan
Ciera JohnsonC6-4Texas A&M
N’dea JonesF6-2Texas A&M
Micaela KellyG5-6Central Michigan
Natalie KucowskiF6-3Lafayette
Kasiyahna KushkituahC6-4Tennessee
Selena LottG5-11Marquette
Natasha MackF6-4Oklahoma State
Tiana MangakahiaG5-6Syracuse
Blanca MillanG6-1Maine
Lashonda MonkG5-6East Carolina
Que MorrisonG5-7Georgia
Nancy MulkeyC6-9Rice
Johanna MuzetG6-0Rhode Island
Michaela OnyenwereF6-0UCLA
Chasity PattersonG5-5Kentucky
Chelsey PerryG6-2Tennessee-Martin
Lindsey PulliamG5-10Northwestern
Ivana RacaF6-2Wake Forest
DiDi RichardsG6-2Baylor
Destiny SlocumG5-7Arkansas
Jenna StaitiC6-4Georgia
LaPresha StanleyG5-9Appalachian State
Tesia ThompsonG5-10Southeast Missouri State
Unique ThompsonF6-3Auburn
Jill TownsendG5-11Gonzaga
Mikayla VaughnC6-3Notre Dame
Destinee WalkerG5-10Notre Dame
Jasmine WalkerF6-3Alabama
Stephanie WattsG5-11North Carolina
Tyra WhiteheadF6-3San Jose State
Aaliyah WilsonG5-11Texas A&M
Jenn WirthF6-3Gonzaga
LeeAnne WirthF6-3Gonzaga

I don't remember who has the #1 pick but God help them if they select Charli Collier who may be the most overrated player coming out. Physically she has the tools but there is a lot missing, she will not be the impact player that the #1 pick has to be.

 

[PoppaBear]

Wings have three of the first five picks

 

[FanHam]

...or are in dire financial straits

 

[Skeets]

Sometimes you just have to throw your hat in the ring and hope for the best. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to audition to be a host for a new upcoming show on the Food Network. I know I probably won’t get it, but I figured, why not try and see what happens? 🤷🏻‍♂️ That’s probably how some of these players feel.

Roll the dice and takes your chances. Plus it will be a great story to tell your grandkids.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I don't remember who has the #1 pick but God help them if they select Charli Collier who may be the most overrated player coming out. Physically she has the tools but there is a lot missing, she will not be the impact player that the #1 pick has to be.

I think she should not have recommitted to UConn. But Mercedes Russell had the same knock after leaving Tennessee but she applied herself to good coaching the the W and became a pretty good player so perhaps Charlie can too.

 

[cancontent]

How is this different than other drafts in major sports? There always seem to be more listed for the draft than who will get selected. In basketball, both NBA and WNBA it's a lot harder due to the size of rosters and teams.

I think of the NFL with the number of rounds they have and there still are hundreds of kids who don't get drafted. Like others say, there's no harm in putting their name in the draft. Plus most of these players have their degrees that they can leverage once they're done their basketball career, whenever it ends for them.

Several women from the Canadian National team have had good careers playing internationally without making it to the WNBA. Who knows what will happen to this draft class? At least they know they tried and won't have it sitting in the back of their mind.

 

[Bald Husky]

We all love how the quality of the college game has so improved through the years. There are enough really good players coming out of high school to give more and more college programs a chance to improve their chances to make the final 4. Their ultimate dream is to eventually play pro, in Europe, but most of all, in the good old USA. The WNBA hasn't expanded in years, and the talent in that league has really grown. The problem, finances. I follow the Connecticut Sun, and I have not heard a hint of any talk of expansion. I believe there is enough good talent to field two more teams, but who will step up and say lets get it done. This increase in talent will go to waste and dreams will be squashed if there is no place to go after graduation. If you have a local WNBA team, support them. The basketball is really good, but the support from all of us is vital to help this league grow the opportunities for these very talented young ladies.

 

[huskyd]

Most of them are gonna have to go pro in something else. They've been running that commercial non-stop during March Madness. Hopefully they took advantage of the academic side of their scholarships.

Hopefully they took advantage of the academic side of their scholarships.

What's the accepted percentage of all college athletes who make it to/in the pro game? Less than 2%. Speaks loudly to hoopfans22's point.
If the NCAA is forced to compensate college athletes, which may be sooner than later, I suspect that the number of players opting out of school will diminish.