Mechelle Voepel WNBA Mock Draft ESPN

[bbballfan23]

WNBA mock draft: Predicting all three rounds

This might be the most clueless attempt at a mock draft I’ve seen. Lou at 9 to Connecticut & Pheesa at 12 to Seattle!? . ESPN losing credibility by the day. They just talked about how Pheesa could go 1 & now hardly 1st round?? Hehe. No way Lou slides past LA. Doubt she goes past pick 5.

Shepard in the middle of the 2nd round..

 

[mbr33ct]

To be fair, Mechelle does say, this mock draft has a few unknowns. Cambage, Moore...will Ionescu and/or Jackie Young come out as Juniors. Although she picked Durr for second pick, she does also states...or maybe UConn's Katie Lou Samuelson or Arike....". I'm treating this mock draft the same way I treat Charlie Creme's Braketolgy, "way too early and until question's are answered regarding Cambage, Moore, Ionescu and Young.

2. New York: Asia Durr, Louisville, 5-10, guard
It seems like the Liberty have been looking for a consistent scoring threat to help former MVP post player Tina Charles for a long time. Maybe Durr, who is currently averaging 21.1 PPG, is the answer. Or maybe UConn's Katie Lou Samuelson or Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale fits the bill. For now, we're going with Durr.

 

[DaBball]

I wish Han Xu and Li Yueru just decided to come to UConn together.

 

['nuff sed]

I would think the ankle twist (without a paycheck) would influence Young to come out.

I like Durr's shot better than Lou's.

 

[Hayven]

If Arike ends up in LA, I just may become a Phoenix fan

 

[oldude]

I had not realized that Jackie Young is draft eligible this year. That means ND may lose their entire starting 5. Next season will be one hell of a challenge for MM and the Irish.

 

[eebmg]

If Arike ends up in LA, I just may become a Phoenix fan

Why wait?

 

[Shades]

I wish Han Xu and Li Yueru just decided to come to UConn together.

Was Geno pursuing them or you just wanted them to show up uninvited?

 

[Shades]

To be fair, Mechelle does say, this mock draft has a few unknowns. Cambage, Moore...

Would have made sense to wait a couple weeks on this mock.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Sorry, there is no way I would pick Arike over Lou and Pheesa. I don't get that at all. Is there really such a demand for a 5'8" inconsistent volume shooter who doesn't play defense in the WNBA?

 

[DaBball]

Was Geno pursuing them or you just wanted them to show up uninvited?

I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if 6’7” and 6’9” WNBA drafts showed up uninvited.

 

[psconn]

The main take-away for me is the this years draft order is largely up in the air right now. I'll be surprised if Lou or Pheesa will last that deep. If they were, I don't even want to imagine what the fan response would be if CT passed on them after passing on Kia last year.

 

[EricSD]

If Arike ends up in LA, I just may become a Phoenix fan

How can you root for LA with Parker on that team? I live here and despise the Sparks. Once Parker is gone I'll revisit.

 

[Dillon77]

To be fair, Mechelle does say, this mock draft has a few unknowns.

The main take-away for me is the this years draft order is largely up in the air right now

Completely agree with both of your takeaways, but I guess ESPNw wanted to generate a few clicks on an off day from their hoops columnist who also does double duty in the WNBA. A few thoughts:
- She opens with the Cambage story and Laimbeer, but really does not finish it. Just where, exactly would Cambage head and who/what does Dallas get in return? Guess we'll just ignore that for the time being.
- Ionescu going to the Aces. Boy, if there is one position the Aces are stacked at its point guard, with Kelsey Plum, MoJeff and Lindsay Allen all there. Does Trader Bill attempt to package them for more picks or a vet to fill a positional need? (Hmm, Minnesota?)
- And what of the top pick? If Ionescu isn't coming out, does he use that for a center or see what he can get for it and get a center later in the draft?
- Possible draft eligible juniors. That's a lot of folks to factor in. Can't see Tiana Mangakahia coming out rated that far down in the bunch.
- Magbegor and Han Xu are also variables that will affect the overall board.

Shepard in the middle of the 2nd round..

- Jess Shepard gave Minnesota Coach credit for Shep losing the 30+ lbs. that she has and I have no doubt Coach Reeve was thinking ahead. Wasn't expecting second round, but I could see that combination working well together. And if Young does come out, how interesting she ends up possibly tag teaming with Shep?

Stay tuned. More to come.

 

[Carnac]

Why wait?

LOL!! Good one!! It's not that easy. I've been a Sparks fan since the beginning, a lot longer than I've been a UConn fan. I fondly remember the glory days during their championship years of 2001& 2002, and their leader Lisa Leslie.

 

[IrishTiger]

I really don’t think JY is gonna leave early that maybe wishful thinking on My part thinking she’ll stay for Her senior year. But I don’t see Her leaving early.

 

[Carnac]

I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if 6’7” and 6’9” WNBA drafts showed up uninvited.

If you're a college coach, and these two show up on your doorstep and they can play, you make room for them.

 

[Carnac]

Sorry, there is no way I would pick Arike over Lou and Pheesa. I don't get that at all. Is there really such a demand for a 5'8" inconsistent volume shooter who doesn't play defense in the WNBA?

Collier and Samuelson will be gone BEFORE the 7th pick!!! They are both All-Americans and proven players (both will finish their careers in the hallowed 2,000 point club) with a UConn pedigree. That combination is very attractive to WNBA coaches and GM's. 6'2" Pheesa is like a swiss army knife, she can do everything. They are "can't miss" prospects who could start as rookies for their respective teams.

 

[Vowelguy]

ESPN losing credibility by the day. They just talked about how Pheesa could go 1 & now hardly 1st round??

"They" ?

ESPN is not a single person. You may be shocked to hear that different workers at the same company may have different opinions.

 

[Orangutan]

I would think the ankle twist (without a paycheck) would influence Young to come out.

I like Durr's shot better than Lou's.

She's going to make a major life decision because of a minor ankle sprain?

 

[Orangutan]

How many players have actually entered the draft early?

Prince, Loyd, Zahui B. Any others? And Zahui is European, so the circumstances are different.

Prince needed the money. Loyd had a learning disability and was unhappy at ND.

Just not sure what would compel Young and Ionescu to come out early. The pay still is pretty low in the W. It's better in Europe but that's a tough lifestyle.

Think it's more likely neither is in the draft rather than both.

 

[oldude]

How many players have actually entered the draft early?

Prince, Loyd, Zahui B. Any others? And Zahui is European, so the circumstances are different.

Prince needed the money. Loyd had a learning disability and was unhappy at ND.

Just not sure what would compel Young and Ionescu to come out early. The pay still is pretty low in the W. It's better in Europe but that's a tough lifestyle.

Think it's more likely neither is in the draft rather than both.

While I tend to agree, I think the chance goes up for either of these young ladies to declare for the draft if their respective season ends with a national championship. Of course Young already has one. A second would be icing on the cake.

While not exactly the same situation, since they were transfers, SC’s Gray & Davis both left for the W after the Gamecocks championship with a year of eligibility left.

 

[hussybulldog]

I wish Han Xu and Li Yueru just decided to come to UConn together.

Get Geno a ticket to China!

 

[Orangutan]

While I tend to agree, I think the chance goes up for either of these young ladies to declare for the draft if their respective season ends with a national championship. Of course Young already has one. A second would be icing on the cake.

While not exactly the same situation, since they were transfers, SC’s Gray & Davis both left for the W after the Gamecocks championship with a year of eligibility left.

Perhaps.

I think the financial equation is such that women players want to have a degree to fall back on. That's the incentive for Ionescu or Young to stay in school regardless of what they are able to achieve on the court this year.

Gray and Davis had the degree *and* the natty. That's a big difference.

 

[mbr33ct]

I really don’t think JY is gonna leave early that maybe wishful thinking on My part thinking she’ll stay for Her senior year. But I don’t see Her leaving early.

Just sitting here thinking out loud, don't know what recruits Muffet has coming in next year or how next years teams is shaping up, I do know they are losing plenty (four of the five starters)...unless Shepard has another year or two I don't know about ( ). Could be a good time for Jackie Young to hit the trail on a high note, next year could be a down year for ND.

 

[inthisopinion]

Collier and Samuelson will be gone BEFORE the 7th pick!!! They are both All-Americans and proven players (both will finish their careers in the hallowed 2,000 point club) with a UConn pedigree. That combination is very attractive to WNBA coaches and GM's. 6'2" Pheesa is like a swiss army knife, she can do everything. They are "can't miss" prospects who could start as rookies for their respective teams.

I can think of 2 things Collier doesn't do very well: ft% & 3pt shots, so that Swiss army knife would be marked down in price some.

 

[Shades]

- She opens with the Cambage story and Laimbeer, but really does not finish it. Just where, exactly would Cambage head and who/what does Dallas get in return?

The Liberty dropped out of the running, so it’s between the Sparks and Vegas. If Dallas doesn’t get a satisfactory offer, Cambage sitting out is also a possibility.

Ionescu going to the Aces. Boy, if there is one position the Aces are stacked at its point guard, with Kelsey Plum, MoJeff and Lindsay Allen all there. Does Trader Bill attempt to package them for more picks or a vet to fill a positional need? (Hmm, Minnesota?)

Laimbeer would have to trade players to get Cambage, so trading a PG as part of the package would make sense, especially the one that was born in Dallas.

And what of the top pick? If Ionescu isn't coming out, does he use that for a center or see what he can get for it and get a center later in the draft?

I would hope he would use it on a center. Prominent bigs don’t come around too often.

Jess Shepard gave Minnesota Coach credit for Shep losing the 30+ lbs. that she has and I have no doubt Coach Reeve was thinking ahead.

Reeve probably wasn’t expecting Shepard to take her seriously. The fact that Shepard made the effort to get into better shape when many players don’t probably got Reeve’s attention.

 

[Shades]

I really don’t think JY is gonna leave early that maybe wishful thinking on My part thinking she’ll stay for Her senior year. But I don’t see Her leaving early.

Make sure you let her know that she’s draft eligible.

 

[Carnac]

I can think of 2 things Collier doesn't do very well: ft% & 3pt shots, so that Swiss army knife would be marked down in price some.

Noted, do you disagree that she will be gone before the 7th pick? I maintain Collier is a top 4 lottery pick.

 

[bbballfan23]

I can think of 2 things Collier doesn't do very well: ft% & 3pt shots, so that Swiss army knife would be marked down in price some.

She's a top 5 career FT shooter in UConn History so this is seen as something that won't last. She's on the upward trend lately (made 9/10) last game. Her touch & ability to hit fadeaways also has GMs believing she can return to a mid to high 30% shooter from deep. We've had a very small sample size this year because she's UConn's only "big". She can play the 3 or 4 & is the most versatile defensive payer in the draft. No chance she slides past LA but I'm with @Scoop she is a top 4 prospect, no question.